The Miracles of Modern Medicine (ophthalmology)

[erkevin]

Background: 55 year old male. Began having trouble seeing out of left eye in past year or so. My optometrist mentioned there was the beginning of a problem about 2 years ago (during routine eye exam) that would probably require some sort of intervention in the future.
This past summer, my eye was really giving me trouble. i assumed that it was just a change in prescription. Went into the optometrist last fall and he said that my problem had gotten worse (cataract) and needed surgery. Over the course of several appointments and months my vision greatly deteriorated (think looking through wax paper). When i met with the ophthalmologist, he looked in my eye and asked what had happened to it (he saw scar tissue/ previous damage). An incident, I had long-forgotten; an industrial accident to my eye in my teens that required a hospital stay. It turns out that my cataract was a trauma cataract, not the typical age-related one.
I had options as to what i could do and I went with the "Cadillac" procedure; I had a toric lens implanted to correct my astigmatism. 10 days later, I see about 20/20 out of that eye with no corrective lens. I have not seen this well since I was a child.

 

[footenote]

Isn't that surgery fabulous? Had it relatively early as well and love the results.
Congrats, 20/20!

 

[street]

That is great! To me eye sight is the most treasured sense we have. I couldn't imagine not being able to see.

 

[MRG]

Congratulations. I had age related cataracts and had always worn thick glasses. I went with monovision and it's awesome. Only sunglasses and readers that I only use occasionally.

 

[ckelly78z]

My glasses prescription is the strongest they make, and is meant for close up reading, and fine detail work. My contacts that I have had for many years are really good at long distances, but I can't hardly see the computer screen.

When I get some of my current medical bills paid down (new pace maker, teeth) I will look into this procedure.

 

[NW-Bound]

That's great. Vision is the most important sense. Modern surgical procedures are amazing.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I think modern cataract surgery truly is a miracle in how it improves the quality of life for millions of people. And for us myopic folks, to have 20/20 vision uncorrected by glasses or contacts is something I could never have imagined possible.

 

[Alan]

It really is wonderful. My wife has had cataract surgery in both eyes in recent months, monovision lens in one eye and a toric lens in the eye with lots of astigmatism.

 

[MRG]

I watched my grandfather be blinded by cataracts, his were inoperable at that time. He had some vision but couldn't drive, his life was very much impacted.

My Aunt lost an eye as a little kid. When she developed cataracts in her one eye no doctor would treat her.

 

[aja8888]

My DW's cataracts were removed about two years ago and now she is not banging up the front of the SUV anymore.

I am 75 with no sign of any cataracts yet, but not sure why.