How's your eyesight?

[Marita40]

I'm going through a bit of a rough patch with a worrisome diagnosis for my right eye--myopic degeneration. It is similar to macular degeneration but not age-related. My sight in that eye has deteriorated and there's no remedy. Funny how we expect there to be a "cure" for everything these days and are distressed when there's not. Luckily my left eye is close to 20/20.
It would help to hear any war stories concerning eyesight. . . misery loves company, I guess

 

[W2R]

My eyesight is crummy. I can completely sympathize and empathize with your situation! Not having good vision is just so crummy.

The last time macular degeneration was mentioned, I was simply told that I had the usual amount for my age. But that was ten or fifteen years ago, and I am 65 by now. I'll bet I have a lot more, but haven't seen an opthalmologist since then, either (I just see an optometrist for my glasses prescriptions).

Now, I am learning from my optometrist that pretty soon I will need to go see an opthalmologist and probably arrange for cataract surgery. But he says my cataracts aren't obscuring my vision enough to warrant that surgery YET. It doesn't do me any good if I can't have the surgery yet.

That said, I do not relish having cataract surgery; my grandfather had retinal detachments in both eyes due to cataract surgery back in 1949, that left him 100% blind for the rest of his life. Of course, things have improved since then but I am understandably nervous about cataract surgery.

I am so glad that your left eye is 20/20, at least. My mother had to have one eye removed forty years before her death, due to malignant melanoma. Amazingly the other eye plus slight imperceptible head movements gave her vision that was nearly as good as before, including 3D perception. The main problem she had was temporary and occurred if she got something in her eye, since she only had one.

 

[MichaelB]

The cynic in me thinks macular degeneration is another condition that isn't necessarily more prevalent but is being diagnosed in greater numbers. It brings patients into the ophthalmologist's office with more frequency and regularity, and also generates demand for patented formula eye vitamins (Areds and Areds2) marketed by the same folks that sell other overpriced vision products. Last summer a prominent ophthalmologist told me I needed to see her every three months (at around $375 per visit) to monitor mine, and when I challenged that she recited some statistics that, after some research, appear bogus.

 

[Options]

I'm a bit worried, frankly. Had 20/20 in both eyes until 42, around late 40's began using reading glasses, started using them constantly around early 50's. Now, I'm shocked at how much my eyesight has deteriorated. Example, lift my reading glasses to view computer screen and it's one big blur. I see the opthalmologist next month and get whatever news I get.

 

[jerome len]

I've always had eye problems but manageable. Now, I'll need cataract surgery soon, My vision is down to 20/35 and I have karataconis in one eye, making it difficult to correct and takes a specialist to do cataract surgery. Overall, I'm told I'm lucky because I'll have enough vision left to continue to read books and drive a car. But, this is what happens as you grow older and when I complain my Doc of 20 years tells me "your problems are better than the alternative"// I think all of you know what she means!

 

[aja8888]

I have 20/30 in one eye and 20/15 in the other. I have minimal depth perception but can see fine. I wear a very thin bifocal.

I went to the eye doctor last summer and he said my prescription has not changed in 7 years. He also said there is no evidence of cataracts and probably won't be for 10 more years. I am 70 1/2 years old.

 

[Marita40]

So far I've had two surgeries in my right eye: one for a macular pucker and one for cataract. And now the myopic degeneration. It is chronic, meaning it can be stable for years at a time and it can also flare up badly--like it just did a couple of weeks ago. I then have to go through a series of--yes--shots in the eye of Avastin to get the blood vessel to settle down again. Horrific as all this sounds--two surgeries and monthly shots directly in the eye--I've pretty much gotten used to it and have never experienced pain. It is just the fact that for the first time in my life I have a chronic, not-going-to-get-better and guaranteed-to-keep-disintegrating-at-an-unpredictable-rate ailment. And it is one of only two eyes. Aargh.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I have a problem with my eyes- I can't see myself going to work anymore.

Actually, I had perfect vision until around 42, and then it was reading glasses. Around 50 the distance deteriorated, so now it's bifocals. And the eye dr. told me the next prescription for me will be trifocals. Arrgh.

Maybe it's because I sat too close to a CRT all those years.

 

[Tailgate]

Best of luck! I hope your eyesight is stable and that there's no additional loss of vision.
I have cataract surgery scheduled in 10 days. It can't get here fast enough for me.. you know how frustrating poor vision can be. I'm lucky that there's a correction for mine at this point.

 

[scrabbler1]

I had to start wearing reading glasses last year when I turned 50. My distance vision is okay, thankfully, so I can drive my car safely without glasses. So if I am watching TV while I am on the PC, it becomes a little awkward switching back and forth. I have found a good spot to place the reading glasses on my nose so I can do both without repositioning the glasses all the time.

 

[Mulligan]

I had to start wearing reading glasses last year when I turned 50. My distance vision is okay, thankfully, so I can drive my car safely without glasses. So if I am watching TV while I am on the PC, it becomes a little awkward switching back and forth. I have found a good spot to place the reading glasses on my nose so I can do both without repositioning the glasses all the time.

You outlasted most Scrabbler. Early 40s for most people with "normal eyes". I started buying readers 2 years ago at 47. We are both at a awkward time visually. Actually out in the bright daylight sun, I can still read fine but who wants to do that. Or if I could have an arm extending surgery, I still wouldn't need readers yet. Since I only need them at home to read, and am single, I have no problem being the nerd and I just walk around the house with the readers on the end of my nose. That way I don't have to worry about misplacing them. No intention of going to eye doctor until something progresses other than just getting old.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Moemg]

It is just the fact that for the first time in my life I have a chronic, not-going-to-get-better and guaranteed-to-keep-disintegrating-at-an-unpredictable-rate ailment. And it is one of only two eyes. Aargh.

Marita ,
Sorry for your problems . I have good eyesight after cataract surgery but I do have a chronic lung problem .It is a bummer dealing with something that is not going to be cured just managed . It reminds me of the kids game "Chutes & Ladders " . Sometimes you are just climbing ladders and then you hit a bad period and down the chute . I hope you mostly have ladders from now on .

 

[AllDone]

That said, I do not relish having cataract surgery; my grandfather had retinal detachments in both eyes due to cataract surgery back in 1949, that left him 100% blind for the rest of his life. Of course, things have improved since then but I am understandably nervous about cataract surgery.

My dad had the same thing happen in 2004. It was corrected with a minor surgery and he was thrilled to be able to see without glasses for the first time since he was 8.

I have terrible myopia, but can still read without glasses. I was proud of my ability, but the optometrist says that it's pretty common for those of us with such extreme myopia. I also have a congenital condition that causes massive clusters of floaters, but since I've been seeing those same clusters since I first started seeing, they don't bother me. The same condition is degenerative in dogs rather than congenital which makes me happy that I'm not a dog.

 

[Walt34]

I had to start wearing glasses when I was ten or eleven for myopia in my right eye. The left eye was fine until I was about 40. Without correction the right eye is so bad I can't see the big "E" at the top of the chart but is still correctable to 20/15. In the last few years it has started improving. I'm told that is not uncommon.

My mother had macular degeneration that was getting to be serious by the time she passed so that is something I'm very much aware of.

 

[easysurfer]

Without glasses, my eyes are terrible. With glasses, they are fine.

But with age, seeing small print is more difficult.

I do have pretty bad astigmatism, so if I want to see a colorful dandelion at night, all I need to do is take off my glasses and look at and colored glowing LED bulb and one spot looks like many

I had a muscle imbalance but during my last checkup my eye doctor said that the imbalance is no longer there.

 

[eytonxav]

Had PVD in left eye several years ago with ongoing floaters and now my right eye is getting floaters as well. Kind of a PITA but you get used to it.

If I get cataracts, I will probably go for a lense replacement to hopefully get rid of glasses that I have worn for most of my life.

 

[ls99]

My eyes are fine, from the onlooker's point of view. Nice hazel color.

Some of the functions are a bit flawed.

Wearing glasses since age 7. One eye is lazy. By brain does not use much of the information presented via the optic nerve.

Had cataract surgery both eyes, a few years ago. Restored the world of colors wonderfully. Still need glasses for reading, could use a minor correction for distance, not owrth the hassle. Very glad to be able to go around without glasses. I do wonder if the initial pre op measurements were deliberateley inaccurate dor the implants.

Doc wants to check them every six months, me thinks he is stuffing the waiting room, total exam time is about 4 minutes. Including automated measurements. I stretch out the visits to about 8 to 10 months.

At some point will need laser zapping to clear up some internal stuff, not time yet.

 

[Lsbcal]

...
The last time macular degeneration was mentioned, I was simply told that I had the usual amount for my age. But that was ten or fifteen years ago, and I am 65 by now. I'll bet I have a lot more, but haven't seen an opthalmologist since then, either (I just see an optometrist for my glasses prescriptions).

Now, I am learning from my optometrist that pretty soon I will need to go see an opthalmologist and probably arrange for cataract surgery. But he says my cataracts aren't obscuring my vision enough to warrant that surgery YET. It doesn't do me any good if I can't have the surgery yet.

That said, I do not relish having cataract surgery; my grandfather had retinal detachments in both eyes due to cataract surgery back in 1949, that left him 100% blind for the rest of his life. Of course, things have improved since then but I am understandably nervous about cataract surgery.
...

Maybe now is a good time to bite the bullet and go to the ophthalmologist if not just for piece of mind? I've heard that cataract surgery is not painful with laser treatment. If it were me I would take some time to get the best reference.

 

[TrvlBug]

Cataract surgery scheduled for the end of the month. I've complained to the optometrist for the past 2-3 years about vision issues w/o resolution. Vision started getting really bad in one eye early last year and I went to opthalmologist who diagnosed cataract. New optometrist wants to correct with lenses which will give me 20/30...yeah if I squint and turn my head this way and that to be able to read and for how long...can't afford new glasses every few months.

End of rant...I'm looking forward to the end of the month and realize how fortunate I am that cataract surgery is one of the safest. I'm in my late 50s so was quite surprised at the diagnosis.

 

[braumeister]

Had cataract surgery both eyes, a few years ago. Restored the world of colors wonderfully.

This was the biggest surprise for me after last year's cataract operations. I was astounded at how vivid all colors became after the surgery!

I've heard that cataract surgery is not painful with laser treatment.

Laser/scalpel is irrelevant; pain is not even on the table. Mine was done with the traditional manual incision. They use a very modern form of anesthesia, just enough to immobilize you. I was fully awake during the surgery, even chatting with the surgeon and nurses. No pain whatever.

 

[franco45]

I have to thank a eye doctor that some twenty years ago told me to always wear polarized sunglasses when i was out side . Last pair at a regular glasses store cost me $300. For prescription sunglasses. Then i found a online store and got a pair for $39.00.

 

[Tailgate]

Cataract surgery scheduled for the end of the month. I've complained to the optometrist for the past 2-3 years about vision issues w/o resolution. Vision started getting really bad in one eye early last year and I went to opthalmologist who diagnosed cataract. New optometrist wants to correct with lenses which will give me 20/30...yeah if I squint and turn my head this way and that to be able to read and for how long...can't afford new glasses every few months.

End of rant...I'm looking forward to the end of the month and realize how fortunate I am that cataract surgery is one of the safest. I'm in my late 50s so was quite surprised at the diagnosis.

TrviBug..best of luck... did you decide on the mono or the multi lens? I'm going with the multi lens on Dr's recommendation. I want to shed the glasses I've worn for 55 years or so. It's worth a shot. I really like the Dr and think she shooting straight.

 

[TrvlBug]

TrviBug..best of luck... did you decide on the mono or the multi lens? I'm going with the multi lens on Dr's recommendation. I want to shed the glasses I've worn for 55 years or so. It's worth a shot. I really like the Dr and think she shooting straight.

I decided on the mono lens, farsighted. I'm nearsighted and this will provide me with a test run with one near/far, however, the far will be in my non-dominant eye which may or may not turn out to be a problem. If it is, I'll wear glasses or contacts until my other eye needs the surgery and will go with both far.

After going back and forth and back and forth, I just didn't feel comfortable taking the risk with the multis even though I was a good candidate. As it turned out, the eye measurement appt. found that my astigmatism was worse than was visible to the doc, so I wasn't such a good candidate for the multis after all .

My surgery is scheduled for the 24th...I'm anxious to hear how your surgery went and how you like the multis.

 

[Lsbcal]

...(snip)...
Laser/scalpel is irrelevant; pain is not even on the table. Mine was done with the traditional manual incision. They use a very modern form of anesthesia, just enough to immobilize you. I was fully awake during the surgery, even chatting with the surgeon and nurses. No pain whatever.

I'm not in need of any eye treatment (yet). I hate to even put eyedrops in my eyes.

So how do you get over the fact that someone is opening up your eye to do something to it? Yikes, makes me cringe. Do they give you anesthesia or knock you out if you ask for it?

 

[dontworry]

Started wearing glasses in second grade. Had a lazy eye so had a prism on right side. Later contacts, then LASIK around age 32 or so. Now at age 40 will have to start wearing readers soon. Just thankful there are so many things that can be done now to help.

I work with many people who have had cataracts removed with very few (if any) complications. Also lots of macular degeneration and some glaucoma. Wasn't that long ago that there were no available interventions to help either, now there are. Hopefully treatments will continue to progress.