I want to thank everyone that encouraged me to go forward with what is to me a scary operation. I love everyone that wrote / called me to tell me their stories. I had my second appointment with the eye doctor. Even with the prism that took some of the fussy out of the letters I was seeing the best they could do for me was 20/70. I have no idea of what that means but she asked if I was driving and I replied yes which seemed to upset the doctor. The office is wonderful and very LGBTQ+ affirmative and they included and joked with us totally comfortably. I had to laugh when the doctor asked the eye person to get his husband and she went out and told Ron he had been summoned.
It seems she feels I need to have the surgery to see. She is unsure if they will do both eyes but feels they will. She explained what she felt would be our costs, and what would happen to my eyesight if we did not go forward. Ron told them about how high the magnification is on my monitors and how he has to try to step back to read everything smoothly. He told them it was unacceptable my sight would get any worse and I would lose the ability to do what I love, be on the computer with all of you.
So they set up an appointment with the eye surgeon. I was shocked at how fast it was happening. I figured I would have a couple of months, but the appointment is for next Monday. Ok I know everyone has told me how great their experience was but … I admit to being scared. My eyes are so important to me and how I live my life. I could give many organs but if I lose my sight my life as I love it is over.
The eye doctor is a wonderful older lady who was concerned about the costs for us and Ron told her we would manage that it was important enough. She cautioned us not to be dragged into expensive things I man not need as most people getting the normal corrective lens were more than satisfied and had good vision. She warned that the market was in convincing us to pay for “Upgraded corrective lenses” that I may not need or could be avoided with a cheap pair of reader glasses.
I have to admit she was far different from the big business eye place Ron and I went to several years ago. I was not yet 62 so they told me as soon as I was I needed to see them to have the cataracts removed. Ron was already over that age for Medicare to pay for it and they pushed him hard to have the surgery. His eyesight was far better and less cloudy than mine. They just wanted the money from Medicare. Plus after my exam they took me to their glasses section. After picking out what I thought was a pair of reasonably priced frames they totaled up my new glasses … at $1,400.00
I looked at Ron, we had never paid that for any glasses. I told them I needed to think on it and never went back. The only issue I have is do I pay extra for the “corrective lenses”? If anyone could leave me a message on their experience either way, I would be so grateful. Ron was such a cheerleader for me after we left the eye doctor’s office saying how he felt this would be so good for me and make what I love doing on the computer so easy. I wish I felt as confidant as he does. Hugs
Scottie's Playtime 
I have not had the surgery. I am fortunate, for now, that while I have cataracts, they are way back on the eyeball, and have not grown at all in the past 4-5 years. DH, however, had them; they’d grown over his cornea, and were gaining on the pupil. He did have poor eyesight from that, and his glasses were not helping. It was time for the surgery. He got them one eye at a time. It was in an outpatient surgery, during early COVID, even! I couldn’t go in at all; I had to wait in the car.
Anyway, he got the one done; he was bandaged for I want to say a week, then we went to a couple of different followups. I don’t think he wore the bandage for more than 2 weeks. When it was removed, he was quite happy! But not willing to go back for the second eye as soon as they wanted him to. 🙂 Because he was already nearsighted and our insurance paid for it, they put in permanent contact lenses to correct that while removing the cataracts, but he did need readers for the myopia he already had, too. Around 12 weeks after the first surgery, we went and got the second eye done. It was somewhat easier knowing what to expect, at least, and DH was more assertive about getting the follow-up appointments at the same time and location (we must have visited every Grene Vision office in Wichita, and DH hates my driving in the big city!) When it was all over, he was thrilled with the results-no more glasses! He did have a pair of special sun protection glasses for a few weeks, too.
The only thing about it was, I don’t know if you’re familiar with the green-eye reflections in pets in the dark when you shine a light? Similar to the red-eye thing with a camera flash. Well, DH had that with his eyes. The lenses reflected. He didn’t see it unless he cocked his head at the mirror with the right light, but I saw it all the time. It’s not ugly, and is kinda cool, but also a little off-putting to my eyes. No driving the line truck until after each of the followups that cleared him for driving, but he saw so much better he couldn’t believe he’d been driving as long as he did before the 1st surgery!
As to advice, I’d say follow what this doctor you write about tells you. She seems to understand all the ins and outs about payment, etc. And while I’m reading she wants you to get both eyes done at the same time, maybe just double-check that with her, then do what she says. Just because other people don’t, doesn’t mean you can’t get them done together. She’ll be able to explain the differences between your surgery and other people’s surgery.
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Thank you Ali. I see the surgeon next week, the 7th. I will find out from him. The eye doctor said the surgeons normally like to do both eyes instead of just one because they can adjust the lenses needed better. I will do what the doctors say. Ron is so excited for it. The idea that I will be able to see clearly is something I have wanted for a long time. But we will see. I am trying not to get ahead of myself in case they can’t fix my vision or it is still cloudy or something. Hugs
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Oh, wow, I can understand how scary that is. But the surgery sounds very nice and that is often not the case today. Will be thinking of you 🥰
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Thanks Bee. It will be so nice to see clearly without cloudiness and fuzziness. I am hopeful. Hugs
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I cross fingers & light a candle. Being without eyesight is frightening. Mine is getting less but for now is ok with glasses🕯
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no. you do NOT need to get any “upgraded” lens! My vision was 183/200 before my cataracts were taken, and with the lens I got (the lowest grade and no payment at all for me) I have 20/20 vision now. I was told that the “upgraded one” would be “longer lasting” and when I asked just how much longer I got a “well, maybe six months longer” response. The surgery itself was enormously frightening to me on the FIRST eye…but they have this wonderful thing called anti-anxiety medication that takes all the fear away. The second eye I had ZERO fear. You will sail through this surgery my friend.
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