Cataract surgery

[timothy42b]

My eye doctor says I need it, now. So I've made the appointment for the consult.

I'm sure it's been discussed here but search didn't find it. Any advice? Is it a layoff from playing for awhile?

[Doug Elliott]

One thing they probably won't tell you is that there are different levels of lens quality. Your overall satisfaction will somewhat depend on how much you're willing to spend on the lenses.

I haven't had it myself but my wife has. The cheaper lenses can produce halos and double vision - not necessarily but it's possible. But that's what you'll get if you don't ask.

I suppose those effects are possible with any lens, but it's a little late after the surgery when you find out that you could have had better lenses.

[timothy42b]

Thanks, I will ask about that at my consult.

[bwilliams]

I had them removed from both eyes. My doctor recommended a week. Other doctors don't see the need for a break.

[robcat2075]

An aunt of mine had an old-fashioned doctor who did old-fashioned cataract surgery and she had to wear big thick glasses for the rest of her days.

My dad, who seemed to live to mourn avoidable mishaps like that, never stopped complaining about it.

I got curious about cataract surgery after a character on "Downton Abbey" had it done. Apparently, 100 years ago, the recovery required that the patient lie with their head immobilized for weeks afterward while the incisions healed.

Don't get that version.

[ghmerrill]

In my experience, you don't "need" it -- you WANT it!! I had mine done about 4 years ago and can't believe the results. I haven't had such good vision since I was 12 years old. My "cataracts" weren't very far advanced, but since NC finally decided to switch to a "quality of life" criterion for the surgery (rather than the old-fashioned "acuity" criterion), my Duke opthalmologist was happy to do the work.

My only issue was that Medicare (and hence insurance, at least since the "AFC") wouldn't pay for toric lenses to correct the rather severe astigmatism I had. Their feeling was that you could wear glasses to correct for that after you had the surgery. I won't even begin to examine that view.

So I shelled out $1,000 per eye (of which I have two) for the extra cost of the toric lenses. The result is astonishing. I use dollar store glasses (literally, $1 per pair) for reading and music and any "close" work. But just don't need glasses for anything else. And I can't describe how much improvement there's been for night driving, especially in the rain.

As I recall, they like you not to play a wind instrument for a week or two (?). Just because it can increase pressure in the eye while it's healing. But I"m not sure how long that period really is.

My wife had similar results (and had hers done earlier) event though she has some significant chronic conditions with one of her eyes. Of course, this all assumes that you have a GOOD doctor do the work. And results vary across individuals, of course.

[imsevimse]

You could ask your doctor about night vision.

My mother is 81 and she has done cataract surgery on both eyes and got new lenses. She has now perfect sight without glasses.

The only problem now is driving her car at night time. Headlights from other cars makes driving hard without sunglasses and to use sunglasses at night is not a good idea. The doctor will do another surgery and put a lens in front of the other to help that problem.

You could ask the doctor about night vision to make sure you don't get that problem.

/Tom

[Doug Elliott]

That's part of what I was talking about. More expensive lenses apparently don't have that problem.
If you're paying for surgery you only want it once.

[ghmerrill]

I had a noticeable degree of "photosensitivity" for a while (couple of months, and certainly immediately after the surgery for a week or two) that my opthalmologist regarded as "unusual", but it disappeared over time. However, I do have to say that I feel my eyes are somewhat more photosensitive than they used to be before the lens implants. I find that I wear sunglasses now, pretty much to the degree that a lot of people do. But previously I rarely wore them. Not at all a problem, but everyone is different.

[timothy42b]

My surgeon said no restrictions, keep on playing. I've done a lot of web research and most people talk about a week with no lifting or bending, and absolutely no shooting (recoil can bounce the slit open).

So while my surgeon has a good reputation, I'm going to be extra cautious and take the first two weeks of December off. He does one eye a week. Since I only have two I'll be done after the second week. That thing where pedal notes bounce the eyeballs? Can't be good for recently repaired eyes. I rarely play trombone for the Christmas pageant anyway, usually just do some sopranino fills while angels and shepherds get herded into place.

[CharlieB]

My wife and I have each had both eyes done.
Coupla things we've learned.........

The surgical procedure is a piece of cake. Less trouble than getting your teeth cleaned by the hygienist.

Unless you specify different;y, the surgeon will install lenses that focus at long distance. Good for driving, but not so good for reading a book or music. Glasses will typically be prescribed for close vision after the eyes have become acclimatized to their new lenses. Drug store readers can be adequate. My wife uses drugstore readers because they're cheap enough that she can have several pairs scattered around so that she doesn't have to hunt for readers. For playing music, I found it better to have bifocals made with the lower portion focusing on book reading distance, and the upper portion focusing at music stand distance. Of course, that means that the director may be a little out of focus, but...well we won't go there.

The other thing that I've learned is that the brain trains itself to coordinate and optimize the images from both eyes. If only one eye is repaired, the other eye will still see well by itself, but when both eyes are open there may be some visual confusion until the brain retrains for combining the new data input. My eye guy recommends a month to allow this to happen before before getting new close-up glasses prescribed. If there are cataracts in both eyes, some surgeons recommend having the second eye repaired almost immediately after the first one in order to minimize the adjustment period. It sounds like that's what the OP is having done.

[pmeiden]

Found this older thread interesting. I am beginning a cataract journey in early March. Surgeon does each eye separately, two weeks apart, and will benchmark my healing after eye #1 to determine how soon I can start playing again. He suggests that my initial playing should be careful to be “gentle” and to avoid full volume rehearsal. I will be anxious to see what he says. I am having my lenses set for distance (I am extremely nearsighted) and will likely wear clear or very light prescriptions with a reading progression for everyday wear (Having worn glasses daily since about 3rd grade, no one in my family can picture me without them - including me) and will get cheaters for music. I will look forward to wearing non-prescription sunnies as well.

A friend commented that one really doesn’t understand how much the brightness of their vision has deteriorated over time as the cataracts have developed, and that after the procedures he felt like he was seeing in 8KHD.

I guess the downside is that after the surgery, I will have lost one big excuse for missed accidentals!

[CharlieB]

It's been several years since I had my cataract surgery, so the lenses may be improved by now ??
The one downside I experience is a problem with night driving. The oncoming headlights appear as bright giant stars coming toward me. That distorts my vision somewhat, and I need to be extra vigilant. That's a small trade-off for only needing glasses for close work. Now, if I could only keep those reading glasses from hiding from me..........

[BrassSection]

Had my cataracts done in the late 90s, my restrictions were to not lift more than 30 pounds and do not move my head forward to look down for 4 days. Chose to go with right eye for distance, left eye for closeup. No regrets on that choice. About a year after first eye, the natural capsule that holds the lens clouded up, few zaps with a laser and all was well. Second eye waited about 25 years to cloud, again a few zaps and all is well with both eyes again.

[whitbey]

I got the cataract surgery and the toric lens in 2017. Find the really good Dr. and spend the $1000-1200 per eye.
I have eyes like a teenager and incredible vision now.
I had a retired eye Dr friend that gave the best referral.
You want the really good Dr really bad.

[KiaraEdward004]

You might have to wait longer for cataract surgery if there are delays in normal surgeries. Although this is inevitable, the information that follows might help you get by while you wait. If you have poor eyesight, there are a few straightforward adjustments you may do to maximize your vision. Please know that postponing cataract surgery won't permanently impair your vision. Cataracts do not result in irreversible vision loss, and delaying treatment for a few months does not put you at an increased risk of problems or degrade the quality of the outcome. Contact your Surgeon and Talk to them https://www.clearviewinstitute.com/ for more

[Posaunus]

Kiara,

Do you play trombone?

What's in your stable?

[dukesboneman]

I had both eyes done. Not much of a lay off period
As far as the Halos and prisms etc that appear.
I had both eyes done and a week later I got a call to Sub for a friend in a community band ( he was conducting that day) We were rehearsing in a Huge Florescent light lit room. My eyes were going CRAZY !! Prisms everywhere, Halos around lights , the floaters in my eyes were going nuts. I ended up playing the rehearsal with my sunglasses on.
I called my doctor the next day as I was really worried.
He said " Your eyes have been getting , gradually worse since you about 25, Now you`re 63 and The Light switch turned on and everything changed.
My Brain had to get used to seeing everything clearly again. Took a few months for everything to calm down .

[pmeiden]

I just had my second eye done (first one March 2, second March 16). I’ve worn glasses for 52 years so am finding it very strange to say the least but I am amazed at how much brighter and clearer the world is.

I’ve been able to play gently pretty quickly after surgery as long as not straining to lift cases or things like that. I had a few days of more aggressive playing after a week healing of first eye and pre second surgery. It’s weird seeing music so clearly - sharps and naturals are easy to see now (so much for having that excuse anymore)

It’s good to be reminded that the full process will take longer as the brain also adjusts. I hope to return to a community band I play in either the last week of March or first week of April.