Home › #Health › RDP #15 – CATARACTS AND NEW LENSES – Marilyn Armstrong

RDP #15 – CATARACTS AND NEW LENSES – Marilyn Armstrong

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RDP #15 – CATARACTS

I don’t think anyone gets a single cataract. Eyes are in pairs and apparently, so are cataracts. I’ve had the same “hint of cataracts” for at least 15 years. It doesn’t get bad enough to cause me any problems, so this particular issue is on a shelf, to be dusted off and dealt with when necessary. IF necessary.

But Garry got his cataracts sooner than most people. He was in his early 60s and the world looked fuzzy to him. It turned out, he had cataracts severe enough to require removal. These days, they don’t just remove cataracts. They also remove the eye’s lens and give you brand new shiny ones. Suddenly, you can really see.

After they did his second eye, which was a couple of weeks after the first one, he realized … he could see.

“I could fly a fighter jet,” he pointed out. That was assuming he learned to fly first, but I got the point. The next thing he discovered was that he could not read anything closer than 5 feet distant. For example, the labels on food in the grocery store. He needed reading glasses. He had gotten Perfect Eyes — and he needed reading glasses.

What a comedown!  Over the years, the implanted lenses are no longer quite as perfect because even implants change shape with time.

Still, they aren’t bad. He can see distances quite well and overall, these are much better than his eyes were before the surgery. Fighter jet flying is probably no longer an option. And he needs computer glasses.

Still, it’s just amazing what they can do to fix us these days, isn’t it?

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35 replies

  1. lifelessons
    06/15/2018 • 21:24

    “I could fly a fighter jet,” he pointed out. That was assuming he learned to fly first, but I got the point.

    Ha.. loved that line. You are going to have a 2/5 of a new husband once he has his cochlear implant. Two senses out of five perfected.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. granonine
    06/15/2018 • 20:47

    I didn’t know you got new lenses, too. And I do have just one cataract, at least at my last eye exam in February.

    Like

  3. curioussteph
    06/15/2018 • 19:15

    Two stories, I’m lucky so far, but I imagine my personal time will come. I had an older patient, a delightful woman, who always took great care with her appearance. She was horrified to discover after her surgery that her favorite pair of grey pants, that she wore with everything, was actually lavender. Color vision is often impaired with cataracts. Second story–the startle that happens the morning after when looking in the mirror and being stunned at the wrinkles that appeared overnight. Apparently this is also quite common.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. jenanita01
    06/15/2018 • 16:30

    I am due to have one of my cataracts removed, so read this post with interest!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. slmret
    06/15/2018 • 16:08

    With an “upgrade,” my lenses, implanted last fall, are monovision. I still have an astigmatism to correct, and may be able to throw away glasses — until then I am using reading glasses. Oh, and I’ll always need dark glasses I use those now with no correction!

    Like

    • Marilyn Armstrong
      06/15/2018 • 16:13

      This is — for most people — a significant improvement in vision, especially exciting for those of us who have worn glasses since we were children. Finally! NO glasses at least part of the time.

      Like

  6. Embeecee
    06/15/2018 • 15:09

    Yep. I’ve been hearing for the past year or so that I have “pre” cataracts. They’re THERE, but embryo cataracts I guess. I’m 58. And I HOPE, like you, that they remain as they are right now. But who knows?

    Liked by 1 person

  7. swo8
    06/15/2018 • 14:18

    I went for the distance too. I don’t need glasses to drive and that’s a big bonus. However, I now need cheaters to see up close and that is annoying. I was short sighted to begin with so not to be able to see up close is big change. There’s a lot of compromise to aging.
    Leslie

    Liked by 2 people

  8. dcmontreal
    06/15/2018 • 13:20

    I know several people who wore glasses for distance, got fed up, had laser surgery only to find out they now needed reading glasses. Go figure.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Marilyn Armstrong
      06/15/2018 • 13:24

      In this case, the new lenses are part of the cataract surgery, but you can’t get monovision. You have to choose distance or close and he went for distance. I don’t think he realized that these new lenses are completely unadaptable to distance changes. Still, I think it went well. He’s pretty happy overall. He can do most things in life without glasses or contacts. That’s a big deal.

      Liked by 3 people

    • Garry Armstrong
      06/16/2018 • 13:05

      D.C., I originally thought they could give me cataract lenses for near and far vision. I thought wrong.

      Still, it’s GREAT not to need glasses for many things like driving, ordinary activities and watching teebee. But I now wear glasses for TB. Eye Doc said I am straining my eyes trying to watch tube without glasses. Okay, Doc.

      I’ve heard those stories about laser surgery.

      Like