Cataract Surgery Choices

Again thankyou all. I think you get to feel you’re the only one whose procedure hasn’t gone well. Am embarrassed a little as have to be off work as do literature searches online and it was my choice to have it done. It’s a bit like patient misinformation. I do wish they would tell you all beforehand. Good and not so good. It’s not the first time this has happened to me. I had a big operation last year (total hysterectomy) and I believed ‘them’ when they said I would be back in work after 2 weeks. ! Am sure it will work out in the end as at least the aftercare is good, but a bit tedious at the moment.

I had both eyes done at the same teaching hospital in London. The first one went badly wrong and the operation continued for well over an hour. The anaesthetic wore off and a senior consultant told my surgeon to inject me in the eye, eek. I didn’t feel anything but could hear them talking. It wasn’t much fun but after using about 24 eye drops a day for four months my eyesight returned to that I enjoyed as a young woman when I was able to crawl on the floor and retrieve my friends contact lenses. Somehow I found the strength to go ahead with the other eye and it took only 15 minutes. I now have 20/20 vision. Quite unusual I believe but I am so grateful. No glasses for me any more.

I had a cataract done on my only usable eye. GA as naturally very anxious. I woke up to bright halos round everything because my new lens was misplaced.
After five months the operation was repeated. The halos were gone but I can’t see any better than before and can’t bear sunlight now. I still have varifocals plus reading glasses.

Thanks so much for the comments. I have indeed rang them (Spa Medica). They say it’s inflammation and upped the drops to 6 times per day. Husband says it looks cloudy - am hoping in a couple of days it improves as my eyesight is worse. They will check again Wednesday next week so am grateful for that. They seem to be rushing me to get the other eye done (which isn’t half as bad as the present one was ). Am just not me … I await better days. I do wish I’d woken up to better vision !!! Not being ‘under my own steam’ is driving me nuts. .. can’t disappear for a coffee …

No I didn’t have those problems I don’t remember it being particularly painful (apart from the op itself as the anaesthetic didn’t work fully and I felt every chip and break of the lens it was a blooming awful 20 mins) I complained and the second eye was a breeze I think they must have doubled the anaesthetic second time as I didn’t feel a thing I went in scared though but it was a breeze
Afterwards I just remember it getting better and better each day the brilliance of those first few days wears off a bit and it gets to normal sight
I ll always remember taking the eye patch off and everything was SO bright and clear…. obviously that fades a bit
Two and a half years on and I ve just had to have them lasered
(polished ) as they had dulled down but I was told that is a one off thing and they won’t need doing again

I had nothing like that. My eye clinic told me "if you're worried about anything at all, call us right away".

You should ring them today.

Looking for advice re my cataract surgery which was Friday - 4 days ago. I read that a lot of people say there’s a difference in vision the very next day. Am not finding this ? Or am I too impatient. My eye is still painful, my vision blurred and worse than before the op, and woke up this morning with an ocular migraine with headache. Am a bit off balance and nausea has kicked in. I’ve watched tv etc but I think that was ok to do, but struggling to read. TBH it’s put me off having the other one done. They said afterwards there had been a scratch but not to worry about it. So hoping someone has had this experience.

My optician advised me to have two different lenses one for distance and one for close work . My surgeon was a bit surprised by my request but did it and I have never regretted it . I can go glasses free at home all day only wearing distance ones for watching TV and driving . In the supermarket I can read labels easily while my DH , who had two distance lenses , just cannot read them without fishing out his glasses.

I had cataract surgery on the NHS over ten years ago. Whilst at first I only needed reading glasses, my distance vision was fantastic!

Now I do wear glasses for driving, but my everyday vision is still good.

I wore contact lenses too, but haven't done now for about forty years. You get used to glasses, I see better with them on!

DH had his first eye done yesterday. Looking good!

Still a tad fuzzy but fine other than that.

I was given the choice of ccorrection for reading without glasses or good distance sight without glasses. I opted for glasses for driving and no glasses for readin, working on a screen or anywhere where minute visual acuity at a distance was not necessary.

After over 50 years of spec wearing it was a joy to not have to reach out to my bedside table for my specs even before I had opened my eyes each morning.

£5 to £10 000 you are kidding ???
Went from -12 to -2 overnight just need £1.99 reading glasses (+2)from the pound shop what’s not to like

...but if you have cataracts that are progressed can you tell??

trying simulations or trial lenses
What a great idea!

you may ask why i tried contact lenses after the op - I tried them with 0 prescription for distance and something silly like +0.5 for reading, as I was doing lots of night time music performances. The whole experiment was a complete waste of time - my vision was better quality in these conditions just getting a really good bright stage light not wearing contacts ( and way more comfortable)

The basic lens should correct your distance vision - then you would likely need reading glasses for close up .Unless you took the monofocal approach and had one eye set for distance, and one eye set for close - I tried this with contact lenses before the op and couldn't tolerate it , though plenty of people do.
When I had mine done (5 yuears ago, in the UK), there were 2 broad categories of more expensive lenses: the trifocals which have 3 focal points so should focus on distance, computer and reading - but the downside is they often given bad effects for night driving. Then there is the bifocals - or extended depth of focus type lenses, which typically give you distance to computer range in focus, and help a bit with reading, but likely need reading glasses in dim light. I was told they give less problems generally with night time driving than the trifocals.
I chose the ZEISS AT Lara Extended Depth of Focus lens. I am aware my result was probably better than average, but I am absolutely thrilled at the result. I was young to have it done, so really didn't mind forking out a bit. My distance vision is fantastic, my mid range (computer, music ) is good. and I can read the back of a medicine bottle in good light. It is lovely to be able to go shopping etc without needing reading glasses for every price label. I do use reading glasses for prolonged reading, or reading in bad light, that's all.
It is unlikely your vision will change after surgery long term (I think I was told 1 or 2 % chance). I found contact lenses before srugery hard to tolerate but even worse now, as eyes seem to be a bit drier (though that may be just aging).
If you do decide paying for premium lenses that give you some near vision, as well as distant vision, bear in mind that if you're a picky type person you may find it hard to ignore the night time artifacts (that's me, hence the decision not to go for the trifocals ).
Hope that helps
Don't quote me, I'm not a doctor !

My friend has just had both her eyes done at an Optegra Clinic, funded by the NHS. Her eye drops finish this Friday and she has an optician appointment on Saturday for an eye test and is expecting to have varifocals again.

I had cataracts removed when I was 60 (22 years ago) I too grabbed the chance to have corrective lenses having worn glasses/contact lenses since I was three. Best decision I’ve ever made. 22 years on my eyesight is still good for driving. I do need glasses for reading but who cares! I had it done under the NHS.

I had a cataract removed 2 years sgo
Being shortsighted I jumped at the chance of being able to see longer distance especially for driving. Of course need glasses for reading. My optician just made the lenses compatible with my new sight. As far as I am concerned I made the right decision.