Cataract operation

[Martin McIntosh]

Yes, it was the very expensive Wavefront laser treatment. I put it off for a long time before I plucked up enough courage to go.

When I contacted what I thought was Ultralase to get re treated they told me to get a prescription. Specsavers said that further laser work would not be possible with cataracts but `Ultralase` said they could remove those, which would destroy the previous laser correction, and re laser at the same time. It was then that they quoted £7000 and informed me that the original company no longer existed. I told them what they could do with it.

[Erfolg]

Geoff, I think it was a fortnight. I quite liked being chauffeured around.

 

It seems that it is exposure to UV light that is a significant factor in the development of cataracts. I find this hard to believe, as I spent most of my working life in an office. Also I would have expected outdoor workers to develop them more. The suggestion could have some basis, although I suspect there are many more factors.

 

Patmac my post operation experiences were very similar. As to the numbers of of the population affected, no one has told me that information, although my daughter quoted that the majority of persons over the age range post 55, are affected by the clouding of the transparency to a degree. The trouble with medics, their descriptions and definitions tends to be in terms that those who know understand, not necessarily understood by me, although I do nod as understood. A typical type of example that a successful treatment/operation is one where you now live longer, with better quality of life than without treatment, generally not cured (as my definition tends to be).

 

 As to the cataract operation, most successful by my standard, as to my definition, time reveals all.

[leccyflyer]

1 hour ago, Erfolg said:

Geoff, I think it was a fortnight. I quite liked being chauffeured around.

 

It seems that it is exposure to UV light that is a significant factor in the development of cataracts. I find this hard to believe, as I spent most of my working life in an office. Also I would have expected outdoor workers to develop them more. The suggestion could have some basis, although I suspect there are many more factors.

 

Patmac my post operation experiences were very similar. As to the numbers of of the population affected, no one has told me that information, although my daughter quoted that the majority of persons over the age range post 55, are affected by the clouding of the transparency to a degree. The trouble with medics, their descriptions and definitions tends to be in terms that those who know understand, not necessarily understood by me, although I do nod as understood. A typical type of example that a successful treatment/operation is one where you now live longer, with better quality of life than without treatment, generally not cured (as my definition tends to be).

 

 As to the cataract operation, most successful by my standard, as to my definition, time reveals all.

How many years have you been flying models though?  I know it's the UK, but staring into the sky and especially the sun flying a model could easily give a disproportionate exposure to UV, most normal folks don't go around looking up into the sky.

[Colin Carpenter]

I spent 40 years rc boat racing ,wearing a hat and shades. Both cataracts done at 52. Doc said early shades wouldn’t have given much protection. I’m an identical twin and my hypochondriac bruv hardly leaves the house but he had his done a year after me ??? Who knows eh ?😳😳😳😂😂Colin 

[EvilC57]

4 hours ago, Erfolg said:

It seems that it is exposure to UV light that is a significant factor in the development of cataracts. I find this hard to believe, as I spent most of my working life in an office.

So did I. However I went to Specsavers yesterday for an overdue eye test, where having examined my eyes, the young ophthalmologist said she could see very slight yellowing in both eyes, which is the very start of cataracts. She said though, that the time from initial observations to actually being bad enough to need an operation can be anything from 5 to 20 years. I am 66.

 

She also suggested UV filtered lenses on my new distance glasses. So if there’s any truth in the theory, hopefully they’ll help slow down future degradation. Or it was an extra £15 for nothing.

[Geoff S]

My appointment today went well and I have a further appointment for the actual operation next Thursday so it's all happening very quickly.  It looks like I have a developing cataract in my right eye, too (to the optometrist's delight it's a so-called 'Christmas tree' cataract - her favourite) so it looks like I'll have the other eye done in the near future.  The only difficulty was getting access to my left eye to make measurements because it doesn't open properly after I face-planted when on an ATB ride on Mastiles Lane back in 1992 (I had a LOT of stitches on my face, much to the admiration of my needlewoman wife 🙂 )  But all is well so far.

 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to reassure me about the procedure.  I suppose many here are of the demographic liable to cataracts so it may have helped others.  I'll let you know how I get on in a week or so.

[Geoff S]

Well, the operation itself went well and was totally painless.  The need for 4 eye drops per day for a couple of weeks got old very quickly.  I think probably impossible to self-medicate but I have a patient and willing wife who did it for me.

 

As my right eye is still good and I'm able easily to read a number plate at 20/30 metres I am driving a minimum amount but I haven't flown for weeks now.  My reason for visiting the opticians was because my safety/reading glasses were damaged (I got cyano on one of the lenses) so I've been using an older pair which makes reading the paper/doing the crossword difficult and very frustrating.  I visited the opticians again for a final assessment and some new glasses which revealed (as I'd suspected) the operation hasn't improved the sight in my left eye; in fact I think it's worse than before.  I've still spent £350 on 2 new pairs because I need them but I have another appointment at SpaMedica to find out what's wrong.

 

I'm not sure if I want to go through the whole process again and have another operation on the same eye or accept that I only have one useful eye.  I'll see what they say but it certainly hasn't been the success I'd hoped for.  At least my right eye is 20/20 with glasses according to the optician and my youngest half-brother at 70 has been driving all his life with only one good eye (a condition he inherited from his mother).  Generally not very impressed with the procedure and somewhat depressed by the whole saga.

[John Muir]

Geoff, there are a number of reasons why your vision might not be as good as expected. The most common one is that the lens capsule (like a very thin membrane bag which the lens fits into) has gone cloudy as a result of the operation. This is sometimes referred to as a secondary cataract and is very easy to fix. There's no operation involved. You just stick your head on a a gadget a lot like the ones they use at the optician and they use a laser to open a hole in the membrane. It takes seconds, you don't feel anything and the resulting improvement in vision is instantaneous.

There are other possible causes but I can't think of any that would cause your vision to be worse than when you had the cataract and if there was a serious problem with the implant then the optometrist would have been able to spot that straight away. So wait and see what the clinic says. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Erfolg]

I support John's views and wishes.

 

In my case, the operation was a good decision. From a model flying prospective, resent incidents whilst flying would most definitely resulted in either a fly away or crashed model. It would not surprise me that other instances thave occurred, that went unnoticed by me, as I just saw the issues as just flying.

 

So I wish you as John, all the best.