Cataract Surgery--what type?

beneteau

I had cataract surgery about 3-4 years ago on my right eye. Surgery performed as outpatient at the hospital. Type where an incision was made, cataract removed, etc.

Now, I need a cataract removed in my left.

This time I'm considering "laser" surgery.

Any comments? Pros, cons?

nmyers

What you go with, is what your eye doctor recommends (& you can afford).

Most cataract surgery today is "laser assisted". A laser is used to make the incision, & can be used to break up your natural lens so that the pieces can be sucked out.

Your real decision is what kind of lens you get implanted. You probably got a fixed focus lens the first time. They now offer multi-focus lenses & astigmatism correcting lenses (the price difference would not be paid by Medicare), but you may not want to mix lens types.

So, bottom line, talk to your eye doctor.

Neal

JamesRK

I had the laser, but haven't had the other way so I have nothing to compare it to. I have to use reading glasses now, but it's a good tradeoff. Without the surgery I'd have eventually lost all vision.

Brian98579

I just had (within the last 2 months) "standard" cataract surgery, where they cut into my eye to remove the lens.

My observations: I had them done about 6 weeks apart. Had one lens removed from my glasses on the first one so I could use the repaired eye. That didn't work too well- couldn't get both eyes to work as a pair. Had distance lenses put in my eyes. I now see better than I have in years, but not up close. I'm using reading glasses, until I get tri-focals, which I had before. The top portion will be plain.

Anasthetic was local, with one IV shot of something (I think they said Versed) No pain at all, procedure seemed to be about 5 min--I'm sure it was longer.

The main inconvenience was the using of 4 different eye-drops up to 4 times daily, and decreasing to 2 times for a 28-day period. I had to use Atropine pre-op for 3 days because I use prostate meds.

If you're considering this--do it! You don't realize how much vision you've lost until you regain it. As an added bonus, colors, especially white, are much more vivid and brilliant.

mcaso

Neither Laser or Lasic surgery, both are temporary fixes, are a replacement for cataract surgery. After a few years one will still need cataract surgery. Up in Canada some places are advertising why do laser or lasic when for the same money you can have cataract surgery instead and be done with it.

nmyers

Well, if you have cataracts, there's no point in having Lasik surgery. Lasik just alters the surface of the cornea; if the lens is cloudy from cataracts, your vision will not improve.

Same thing if you have macular degeneration, where you have damage to the retina. If the retina is bad, removing a lens with cataracts isn't going to improve your vision.

Neal