Tryed to clean my glasses.

[shortleg]

  This getting older is not turning out to be fun.
I have been trying to clean my glasses the last few days
seemed to be a finger print in my line of site.
  Turns out I have a cataract starting in one eye.
 What a pain in the butt.
  Well it turns out that they put new lenses in so you have
to make a decision weather you want to see close of distance.
  Why can,t they just fix it?
          Shortleg 

[jimmytee]

Heh, I'm having a cataract removed this Thursday from my left eye. They make a multi focal lense , but insurance companies won't pay for the additional $2500 charge for those. I was unsure whether to pony up the added coinage to get the multi focal lense, and  they work best when both eyes are done. I elected to just get the standard mono focal lenses. The doctor said I would probably need reading glasses (I've never worn glasses) after because they usually go with the lenses focused for far away vision. I said, well right now I don't use them(reading glasses) and that is with a cataract in my left eye, why, after removing the cataract ,would I need them? Seems like a logical question to me. I had been noticing decreased ability to focus on small print especially in dim light. Finally one day I had come to a stop in traffic and was rubbing my right eye, when I realized I had a large cloudy area from my left eye. I couldn't read the license plate of the car in front of me with my left eye alone. My right eye has been compensating. I made an appointment for the ophthalmologist that day.

[dreamaker]

True story, coffee friend, his father had cataracts in both eyes, he is 97+ and still drives. Keith fought for years with him, about getting them taken care of . Finally he did!! Not he walks around a 97 year old stud, doesn't even wear glasses, he just may use them for reading.  Also my father had it done, he still had to wear glasses, but they improved his sight and they were weaker prescription. My understanding, from what I have been told by professionals that older people should wear sun glasses, to avoid cataracts.

[csj]

I believe I've been told by a few folks that the 'lens insert' can be done
one time only, no seconds.

[solo1]

I had my cataracts removed two years ago at 85 years of age.  I cannot believe the difference!!!!!

Form the time I was in Fourth grade I was extremely near sighted, I could barely make out the Big E on the chart without corrective lenses. I've always worn thick lenses............until now.

Now, my vision is 20/20 without glasses.  My right eye checked out at 20/15 when I first had the exam just after the replacement of the cataract in my right eye.  At going on 87 my eyes are best when I first get up in the morning. I still wear glasses for closeup (never needed them for that before since i was nearsighted) .  I finally can now wear a good set of non prescription Serengeti sunglasses when i ride.  I have another pair, polarized, for driving. All is good!

BTW, I was told by the ophthalmologist that cataracts form mainly because of just age.  The natural lenses become opaque as we age.

Because of getting rid of the cataracts, colors are back in full intensity and nighttime glare is gone. Also, the new lenses, I understand don't flex as much as the natural lenses so you must choose far or near focus. Your eye muscles used for changing focus don't work as well. welcome to older age, 

The procedure is painless.  Lots of eye drops, before and after, but follow the directions of the doc and all should be ok.

wayne, solo1

[jimmytee]

Well, I am only 46. The doc said, of course, that I was pretty young to have cataracts and was questioning whether I've had eye injuries in the past or used steroids. I told him about having had a piece of metal in one eye, but couldn't remember for sure which I it was. That was like in 94. I had worn safety glasses while doing some drilling underneath a truck to run air lines. I removed the glasses at some point and was hooking up the air lines when something fell into my eye. It had to be grinded on , I remember that. Not pleasant.

[scooperhsd]

It sucks getting older - period. Although it beats the alternative.   

No cataracts yet (knock on wood). I've always (since age 11) been so nearsighted that I say "What big E" without glasses. At age 44 I started wearing bifocals ( that took some getting used to) and now (at 54) - to see my computer monitors - I have a set of single vision glasses set to focus at my arm's length (where I keep my work computer monitors) (also where my home monitor is at). Fortunately - I still have the hearing of a baby - teenager mosquito ring tones bother me.

[solo1]

Jimmietee, don't read too much into this (pun). Just getr done.  I have no idea what expertise this takes but I know that it works.  My doctor, Dr. Parent, I understand, was a pioneer in this.  He does hundreds of cataract replacements with no problems.

Because of the risk of infection, follow the regimen for eye drops exactly.  I had no problem and neither will you.

[Robert]

Had cataract in one eye and had the adjustable lens done I don't remember it being that much more expensive either. But Ive had mine for going on 10 years it was just when the adjustable came out. It just doesn't sound right that they are that much more. I would check around my vision is 20/15 the operation is easy and quick don't wait. Your story about focusing on the plate in front of you is exactly my experience and what made me do mine and realize how bad one eye was. If I remember it was like 20/80 before I got it done. I cannot say the difference in the adjustable lens or the regular except to say I don't wear glasses for anything and can read easily. They said the same thing to me about being young and did I damage the eye and when I went into the waiting room I was probably the youngest there. I have known 3 others that had the cataract surgery and all of them were very happy they got it done.

[Willow]

I was pleased.  I believe you will be also.

I wear reading glasses if the light is poor.  In good light I can read fine without them. 

I wore increasingly stronger contacts for a lot of years.

[art]

I've got cataracts in both eyes and it's driving me crazy. One of my hobbies is astronomy and I have a telescope that I built.  I went to use it last spring and it had a line across the field of view. It took me about two weeks of checking and rechecking the scope to find out what was wrong. It turns out I'm the problem. Everything I look at is double. I just discovered that we have two moons and all the stars are doubles. Well I am going to need to have the cataracts removed before I can enjoy using the scope. They really bother me while driving at night with the glare of the oncoming headlights. Getting old sucks. I've always had 20-20 until I reached 60 and it's been all down hill from there.

[Tailgate Tommy]

I to was just diagnosed with cataracts. I have some fuzziness and double vision in my left eye. When I was about 20 I got a piece of metal in it from looking up while drilling a hole for a trailer hitch, not sure if that matters. I'm going to wait till fall to get mine done so I don't miss any riding Just to be safe, please ride behind me 

[Willow]

... I have some fuzziness and double vision in my left eye. ... Just to be safe, please ride behind me  

Seems we'd be better off in front.  With twice as many out there wouldn't that give us twice the chance of being safe?    

[G-Man]

Had cataract surgery on both eyes and it was the best thing (medically) that ever happened.  Thank goodness for the cataract I say repeatedly.

Been wearing glasses since age 3.  Then contacts from 15 till 47.  Went through every "advancement" in contact lenses over the last 30 years from hard to soft to gas permeable to bi-toric to soft for astigmatism then back to hard, etc.

Then my vision started to deteriorate rather quickly and was diagnosed with the cataract in one eye and a "seed" in the other eye that will eventually mature.

Already needed reading glasses as the contacts only took care of the distance and didn't want to go for the additional cash for the multifocal (more than $3,000 each eye).

I AM LOVING LIFE.  After 47 years, I awake with no correction in my eyes and can see the alarm clock without fumbling for my glasses.  After coke bottle glasses (which is why I HAD to go into contacts) to now being legal to drive with no correction is a blessing in my life.  I do need glasses for reading and some computer work but I am FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  That exactly how I feel.  I can't tell you how many times I had to pull over on the bike because a piece of dust flew in my eye while riding.  With the contact lens, it would hurt and my eye would water and sting.  NO more.  Yes, getting something in the eye is uncomfortable, but those who wear hard lenses know what real discomfort is.

I worried about the surgery.  Even discussed it with OSS as the Dr. wanted to do both eyes at the same time.  Oss and I were both a bit gun shy saying what if something happens, it's my eyes!  So I waited a couple months between and, again, I AM LOVING LIFE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[John Schmidt]

I was nearsighted my whole life until about age 60 when I had Lasik done to both eyes. Was a marvelous change but since I was in my 60's I still needed reading glasses. Now, I have a slight yellowing of the lens in one eye but not enough to warrant cataract surgery. The thing that has me worried now is my right eye has developed a problem. Seems the vitreous humor has pulled away from the back of the retina, causing a slight blurriness in the center at times. It was checked to make sure the retina wasn't detaching, which it hasn't....so far. I have a followup in about ten days to see if there's any change.

As for cataract removal, my wife has had both eyes done. The first one nearly ten years ago, the second one about two years ago and went with the fancy lens which only cost an extra $900. She also was amazed with the clarity, especially after the second lens.

[R J]

I had to have cataracts removed from both eyes.

My Dr wouldn't do both eyes at once, so I went in on a Monday morning and had the right eye done.

Tuesday morning, wow mom what a difference in seeing and in the color of things.

Skipped 2 Mondays and the 3rd one, I had the left eye done.

My brain wasn't working worth a crap that morning and I didn't follow instructions a couple of times.  Dr told me to get my act together or he wouldn't be able to say how the surgery would go.

Thank God it came out about 99% after my not following instructions.    I can tell there is a difference in the 2 eyes.    But, I still DO NOT have an endorsement on my drivers license that says glasses required.   My surgery was done 12 years ago when I was 70.   I had the drivers license gal take me aside and did a good look see in my eyes looking for contacts.   

We will see what happens this year, this is a renewal year.     Since I turned 80, I have to go get a license renewal every TWO years.       

[vanagon40]

. . . .  Well it turns out that they put new lenses in so you have
to make a decision weather you want to see close of distance.
  Why can,t they just fix it?
          Shortleg 

To answer your original question, you don’t get both close and distance because you get a solid lens.  The natural lens flexes to accommodate both close and distant vision.  As we age, we tend to lose the ability to flex the lens, resulting in far sightedness and the need for reading glasses.  Most blame the lens for getting harder as we age, others blame the muscles for getting weak.  I personally think it is a little of both.

The solid, artificial lens inserted after cataract surgery cannot be flexed.  Therefore, one gets a fixed focus point.  As jimmytee stated, there is an option for a new lens that is flexible.  It costs a whole lot more and may not be covered by insurance.  When I had my cataracts removed in 2008, the flexible lenses were fairly new.  My online research then showed that people had mixed results as to the effectiveness of the flexible lenses.  I have not looked into this for seven years, so I have no idea what the recent results are.

As an aside, I had the lenses replaced in both eyes in 2008 and ended up near sighted in my left eye and far sighted in my right eye.  Apparently this was not intentional, but it works really well for me.  I did not opt for the flexible lenses.  Like the others have commented, it was a miracle surgery.  I now see colors that I had not seen in years.  The best was to describe it is if you have seen the Claritin Clear commercial, the surgery was like removing the film (only the film I had was worse than that in the commercial).

Good luck.

[G-Man]

Nope,….the "special" or "extra cost" lenses described above are what's called Intracular Multifocal Lenses.  These lenses give the patient almost full range of vision.

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/multifocal-iols.htm


"But today, cataract patients have the choice of multifocal IOLs that can correct vision far away, up close and all distances in between.

These advanced presbyopia-correcting IOLs are in many ways similar to bifocal and multifocal contact lenses. And because multifocal IOLs are implanted inside the eye, they don't require any care and routine replacement like contact lenses do."

[vanagon40]

A lot can change in seven years.  In 2008, the only option I was offered was the Crystalens that used the eye muscles to change shape for different focus points.  Looks like my information is now outdated.

[Tailgate Tommy]

... I have some fuzziness and double vision in my left eye. ... Just to be safe, please ride behind me  

Seems we'd be better off in front.  With twice as many out there wouldn't that give us twice the chance of being safe?    

As always Carl, I bow to your logic 

[old2soon]

REALLY misplaced my glasses so I went to the optometrist to have some new ones made. In addition to my macular degeneration the optometrist informed me I have the start of cataracts.  Well I KNOW it ain't the end of the world but I'm also figuring out getting older fer sure and fer certain ain't fer wimpy wussies or wussy wimpies!  WHY it is that once the end do git in sight somebody moves the end again?  RIDE SAFE.

[Hooter]

My wife had her's done a few months ago. Now she wants the house painted, new carpet and a divorce. She said what a difference in vision! Sharp and clear and didn't know what she had been missing. I"m pretty much in trouble now.

[Spirited-6]

BTW, I was told by the ophthalmologist that cataracts form mainly because of just age.  The natural lenses become opaque as we age.
   

My Dr. says they start forming at 35 to 49 years of age.  ???