Cataracts

A friend of mine went private for cataracts op. Costing £6,000 but they still need glasses!

After cataract operations, it is possible that you may need laser treatment later.
Both DH and I have had this procedure. Very quick, painless and done by the NHS .

Contact your eye testing centre for a check up.

Auntieflo I also needed the laser treatment, although DH was OK

Hymnbook the purpose of cataract surgery is to remove the cataract. It is now possible to replace the natural lens with a prescription lens, but it is not always possible to replace it so that glasses areno longer required.

DH was very short sighted, too short sighted for glasses free lens, but the glasses he wears now are a much lower prescription than they were before. In my case, where my sight was not as bad, the surgeon was able to offer me the option of needing glasses for reading or glasses for distance. I opted for distance glasses, which means most of the time I can manage without glasses, but need them for driving, watching tv etc. But again, the prescription is much lowerthan it was before.

I was told when I had my first one done ( still waiting for second) that they are never going to give you 20/20 vision and you will need reading glasses I can’t remember the reason

I had the most awful pain in the op and can only presume the little tiny grain of anesthetic they put in your eye wasn’t strong enough or had worn off it was like having a tooth drilled
without an injection

I have a very high prescription

After having both eys done my optician tells me I have better than normal vision and would be fine to drive without glasses . I was very short sighted before . I must admit my second op was more painful than the first one .

When having cataracts removed DH paid to have special lenses so he would no longer need glasses but alas he still does. He used to take his specs off to read and now he has to put them on. Sometimes the lenses fitted get cloudy need cleaning with laser treatment.

I am having both mine removed on 21st. Plan is that the new lenses will give me as near normal distance vision as possible, but I will need glasses for reading and music. No problem - I have worn glasses since I was 5 and told the guy I would like to have varifocals after all has healed so I will hopefully be able to do anything without having to take them on and off.

The consultant could decided to insert varifocal lenses in eyes, but because of other complications I have he has to go for monofocals - but that it fine by me.

Hope all goes well Luckygirl13. I have my next appointment with a consultant ophthalmologist on 9th December.

Thank you - I will report back!!

Yes you will still need reading glasses after cataract surgery. I'm having mine done on the 14th Nov, and that's what the doctor told me.

I had them both done 2 days ago on Monday and the surgery was totally painless.

I am putting in 2 different lots of drops 4 times a day and have to keep the left and right bottles separate.

I now have normal distance vision (my choice) but have a pair of reading glasses hanging round my neck. I am able to drive with no problem at all.

I am looking forward to getting my eyes tested in 4 weeks and ordering some varifocals so I will wear one pair of glasses all the time and be able to see everything at different distances.

I could have had a one near lens and one distance, but didn't fancy that!

What is majorly weird is seeing myself without glasses in a mirror. I was very short-sighted and wore glasses from being very little so this is not something I have seen before! But the good thing is that when I try on new frames I will be able to see what they look like - it has been guesswork up till now!

Oh - and I appear to have a couple of grey hairs in my dark brown hair - I had been taking pride in having none. How the mighty are fallen!

I’m glad all went well Luckygirl13, thanks for the update. Only 2 weeks and 2 days until my next appointment!

I had to go back for a quick laser adjustment when I had my first eye done.That was so quick and painless that I didn't realise that the Consultant had done it,I thought he was still just checking my eye!
I don't need glasses for anything and I was shortsighted since birth

You need to be clear what cataract surgery is.
Cataract surgery takes place when the natural lens in your eye becomes cloudy rather than being clear, The operation removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a clear plastic one. Your sight should remain roughly as it was before.

Nowadays, you can get prescription replacement lens that can do for your sight, what glasses do, or even better. But it has limits and many of those with severely short-sighted eyes, it is impossible to perfect your eyesight, just make it better.