Lens Replacement aka Cataract Surgery

[BadBob]

If you have had this surgery, what kind of lens did you get, and how did it affect your ability to scroll?

Did you get a near or far-vision lens if you chose a mono-vision lens?

I am trying to decide so that any details will be greatly appreciated.

[jerry walters]

Robert,

I had cataract surgery almost a year ago. I don't know what kind of lens was used but I did opt for far vision lenses. Now I can see far clearly, but reading anything is a pain. I do use readers, but I find I am always leaving my glases somewhere. Most people I know have 5 or  6 pairs of readers, as I do. Now, as far as scrolling I have no issues with readers as I also use a 3 power lighted magnifier. I think it is 3 power. I have been using the magnifier for a number of years. Do I wish I opted for the near vision lenes? I really don't know because I am happy with what I have. I guess it's 6 of one and half-dozen of the other.

I see you retired from the Air Force, so I wonder if you will be going throught the VA system. Mine was done at the Denver VA and had no issues with them. Going for my first annual check up in about 6 weeks. Will find out then. 

I was in the Air Force for 5 years and was a navigator in cargo aircraft- C-124. I have no regrets in life but somtimes wished I had stayed in the service. But, my life turne out OK.

Jerry

[Scrappile]

I have worn progressive lenses for years.  what ever they are called,  The bifocals that so not have the line.  I have never had a problem with them but I know some that could not use them. I had cataract surgery several years ago.  My prescription changed slightly but I was able to go from two different eye drop in each eye a day to control the pressure in my eyes to one drop in each eye a day.

[jollyred]

I had the surgery a few years ago, and am quite happy with the results.  I went from near sighted and having to wear glasses all the time to far sighted and only needing readers.  At the scroll saw, I use slightly stronger readers than I need for reading, and can see the lines very clearly.  In fact, I have about three different strengths that I change to depending on what I am working on.  I went to Dollar Tree and now have a half dozen of each scattered all over the house.  I "color coded" them with a dot of paint so I know which strength I am using.

Tom

[BadBob]

9 hours ago, jerry walters said:

I see you retired from the Air Force, so I wonder if you will be going through the VA system.

I'm not currently using the VA, although I have registered and used them in the past.

[BadBob]

I am near-sighted and have had glasses for most of my life since I was about 12. I'm one of those odd individuals whose vision improved with age. My glasses have mostly sat on a shelf near the front door for years. I had a retinal issue for which I had surgery, which, in turn, caused my cataract and my dominant right eye to get worse. As I write this, I am not wearing glasses and can clearly see my screen keyboard and papers on the table. I have had cataracts for about 40 years. Most likely for exposure to microwave radiation as a 20-year electronics technician working ground-based air defense radar systems.

 

My main concern is that having cataract surgery does not substantially change how I do things. Scrolling and my other woodworking is a big part of that. 

 

I'm a competition shooter. I'm not a pro; I'm shooting in local gun club matches. I like shooting and hope this surgery will not interfere much with that. I do not want to switch from iron sights to expensive optics to continue shooting in these matches.

 

I lean toward the standard mono-focus lens with near vision with ORA (Optiwave Refractive Analysis). I hope this will give me a vision similar to what I have. 

[barb.j.enders]

I had one eye done about 12 years ago.  The other eye done about 2 years ago.  I still wear progressives eye glasses.  They are almost the first thing that goes on in the morning and the last thing to come off at night.  My vision was corrected to the point where I could not wear them for mid-distance stuff, such as scrolling.  It is just easier to keep the glasses on.

[Gene Howe]

I wear tri focals and I've had the same surgery.  Can't read anything without them. With scrolling  I use a magnifying head set. Replaces the glasses.

 

[OCtoolguy]

I've had both eyes done. Prior to the surgeries I had very good up close vision but my distance vision was weak. After the surgery my up close vision was gone but distance was better than ever. And everything was much brighter. Colors were amazing. The lens were whatever Medicare would cover. I hated having to carry/wear readers. I had to wear glasses most of my life and found that it felt weird to not wear anything so I had lenses made that were clear on the top and gradually corrected from there down like any progressive lens would be. I wear them all the time but don't need them most of the time. I wear them when scrolling as I always did and use a lighted magnifier bought from H/F. No other correction needed. I too was a competition pistol shooter and was taught to "see" the front sight. I still can do that just fine but I do wear an eyepatch over my right eye as I'm a lefty shooter. I strongly advise anybody with cataracts to get the surgery. It's painless and only mildly inconvenient. Good luck on your decision.

[BadBob]

4 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

I had lenses made that were clear on the top and gradually corrected from there down like any progressive lens would be.

That was one of the things I was wondering about.  I'd rather not wear glasses, but I would rather the glasses be for distance vision.  I'm not blind (yet) and manage OK like I am, but the doctor tells me my right eye will continue to get worse pretty fast.

 

4 hours ago, OCtoolguy said:

I too was a competition pistol shooter and was taught to "see" the front sight. I still can do that just fine but I do wear an eyepatch over my right eye as I'm a lefty shooter.

I shoot Steel Challange, Rimfire Shilouttes Pistol, and Rifle. I have always used optics for my Shiloutte pistols, but my favorite rifle is iron sights. It is a Henry Golden Boy with a tang-mounted aperture and globe-front sights. Not being able to see through the aperture is what got me going down this road. I had surgery on my retina and the surgery caused the cataracts to get worse.
 

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, BadBob said:

That was one of the things I was wondering about.  I'd rather not wear glasses, but I would rather the glasses be for distance vision.  I'm not blind (yet) and manage OK like I am, but the doctor tells me my right eye will continue to get worse pretty fast.

 

I shoot Steel Challange, Rimfire Shilouttes Pistol, and Rifle. I have always used optics for my Shiloutte pistols, but my favorite rifle is iron sights. It is a Henry Golden Boy with a tang-mounted aperture and globe-front sights. Not being able to see through the aperture is what got me going down this road. I had surgery on my retina and the surgery caused the cataracts to get worse.
 

My shooting forte was military 3 gun bullseye shooting. I actually won the state championship on year. I also did very well with precision air pistol and came within 5 points of making the olympic team back in 1984. We moved to Colorado and I actually got to train at the Olympic Training Center. But, life got in the way. We were trying to keep a store up and running so time was at a premium.

 

[Roberta Moreton]

I used to work for an eye doctor, I was a receptionist.  I scheduled people for these things. Now that it’s my turn, I keep putting it off. Maybe next year.

 

[BadBob]

I'm scheduled for October 5 and 19 one eye each day. I decided on near near-vision standard lens with ORA. Two reasons: I have been nearsighted since childhood and a standard vision lens gives the clearest vision and highest contrast.

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, Roberta Moreton said:

I used to work for an eye doctor, I was a receptionist.  I scheduled people for these things. Now that it’s my turn, I keep putting it off. Maybe next year.

 

Don't wait. Nothing to it.

[FrankEV]

I had cataract  surgery on both eyes in early 2000s.  Lens at that time was made for near sightedness.  Did not have any other choice.  I need readers for reading but use a rx lens for scrolling even with the 5x mag lamp.  The eye doc made the rx for a longer focal distance than for reading but not for distance either.  He also gave me a rx for what he refers to as computer glasses.  A focal distance of about 20 to 30 inches from the screen.  Keeps me from leaning in to view the screen.