Cataract surgery

Nicole Hamilton · Post by **Nicole Hamilton** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:46 pm

At my last eye exam, I found out that the cataracts I was first diagnosed with about 5 years ago have become much worse, enough so that I can no longer be corrected to 20:20 vision. They may/may not be quite bad enough that insurance will pay for it, but now that I know what's causing the problems I'm experiencing (reduced night vision and difficulty seeing my sights except in really good light) I'm beginning to think about just paying for it out-of-pocket if that what it takes to get perfect eyesight again.

And that, apparently, is what modern cataract surgery seems to promise. Do a Google search and you'll easily find quite a number of articles explaining that cataracts are a clouding of the lens in the eye, thought to be brought on by age and lifelong exposure to UV. They both reduce the transmissibility of the lens and fog the image.

What they do in the surgery is make a tiny incision just outside the cornea, insert a probe that pulverizes the lens ultrasonically, then sucks it out. They then put in a new plastic lens that's inserted rolled up but unfolds in position like a ship in a bottle. The incision's so small they don't even bother with stitches. The whole thing is done under local anesthetic and within a couple days, you're pretty much back to normal.

At whatever distance you choose (or close to it) you get perfect 20:20. The new lens is plastic, so the muscles in the eye can't pull it into a new shape to refocus at a different distance, but then again, only young people's eyes can do that anyway, which is why most all of us older folks need bifocals or trifocals.

The reports I've read claim that most people who undergo the surgery report back that they wish they'd done it =years= ago. They'd forgotten what it was even like to be able to see well.

Sounds pretty good, right?

Well, I suspect it probably is. But I'm a pretty careful sort of person. And out of all these glowing reports I've read, I just haven't yet seen one from another shooter and I'm a little wary that what satisfies most people just may not be good enough for a serious shooter. But those serious shooters who've had cataract surgery must be out there. Maybe there are a few right here.

If you've had cataract surgery, I'd really appreciate if you could take a moment to share your experience. How bad was your vision when you decided to take the plunge? How did it work out compared to your expectations going in? How did you decide where you'd like your natural focus (or did they even tell you that you could choose?) Most important, how has it affected your shooting? What advice would you offer?

pgfaini · Post by **pgfaini** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:01 am

Nicole,
My eyes were so bad due to diabetic retinopathy, that I had to give up target shooting. As the name suggests, this desease affects the retina by creating defective blood vessels, which hemorrhage, causing the vitreous humor to become opaque. My right (dominant), eye was most affected. At first it was treated by cauterizing with lasers, but eventually I had to have a vitrectomy, where they make three incisions around the pupil, draw out the vitreous humor, repair the retina surgically with micro instruments, then suture the eyeball, and fill with saline solution. The vitreous never returns, and the body just replaces saline as needed.

I tried to return to shooting using my left eye, but the disease and treatments accelerated the cataracts that were already forming. Cataract surgery, because of the loss of vitreous humor, which supports the pocket into which they unroll the implant, was sugested only to be performed as a last resort.

Eventually, my eyesight got so bad, I couldn't read street signs when driving. The eyesight in my right eye was only correctable to 20-75.

This past winter, I had the surgery, and when I left the recovery room, my eyesight in the right eye was 20-25 without glasses. Two mos. later, I had the left eye done, and was rewarded with an amazing 20-15 eyesight, also without glasses. The lower resolution in the right eye, was due to the retinal scarring, and loss of rods due to the surgeries.

The implants they use, are configured for distance, and you will need reading glasses. This, of course, is due to the inability to alter the shape of the implant. This is why people without cataracts, who have the surgery done to avoid wearing glasses, get one eye fitted for distance, and one for reading.

The improvement in eyesight, was such that it actually brought tears to my eyes. I was able to recognize people from a distance, and driving around was like a sightseeing excursion. I've returned to shooting, and there are no eye problems, I still cross aim since my left eye has the better eyesight, and use a +1.00 in my shooting glasses. I no longer need to use an iris diaphragm to sharpen the sights as I did before the surgery.

Nicole, Have the surgery, you'll wonder why you waited so long.

Paul

deleted1 · Post by **deleted1** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:42 am

Nicole, I had both eyes done four years ago and it has been a blessing for everything, especially shooting. Imagine being able to drive w/o glasses, buy fancy Oakley sunglasses, shoot with only a minor corrective lens in my Champions. Seeing the rings on the targets has been real scary, I don't murder myself when shaving because I can see my ugly face---what a laugh. Best of luck

ausdiver99 · Post by **ausdiver99** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:34 am

Hi Nicole, some good advice there, I hope your op is even more successful! As with all of life's trials, a positive attutude is invaluable!

Pete

2650 Plus · Post by **2650 Plus** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 3:41 pm

Like you Nicole ,My eyes are going bad. Being a bit of a coward where my shooting eye is concerned, I had my left one fixed first. Thats turned out to be a good idea because I didn't know about distance focus with the lens This discussion has helped a lot. But ,the bottom line was the great improvement in vision in my left eye. By George, I can see! Good luck and good Shooting. Bill Horton. By the way , have you heard of Gertrude Beckstrum. She was by far the best female pistol shooter I ever met. And , If It hadent been for Joe Benner she would have been the national champion.back in the 50's

deleted1 · Post by **deleted1** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:43 pm

Just additionally, the procedure is about ten minutes and there is very little discomfort and absolutely no pain. I was reading license plate numbers that night without glasses. It did take more time with the right than the left and BTW the surgeon can also get rid of most of your astigmatism as mine did. What you may need are reading glasses you know the half rounds that you can look up at people and have an automatic scowl. No more looking like a total cripple in the library trying to read titles like someone who needs bad spine and neck corrective surgery and a powered chair. Good luck and you will also see colours like you haven't in years.

darticus · Post by **darticus** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:32 pm

Mine were on the back of the lens. Same as yours I carried a small flashlight to read some stuff. Medical covered all. I had A lens put in the first eye which was so bad I couldn't see the eye chart and its great.The second eye was done the same way one year later, Great! All need I need is cheap over counter reading glasses from a flee market to read with.The new lenses are great! 12 mins each eye, work next day, unless you milk it. It worked out great! SHOOT AWAY!

pgfaini · Post by **pgfaini** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 4:04 pm

I believe being correctable only to 20-50 is the point at which medicare and private insurance will pay for the operation. It doesn't pay to strain and guess at the next line when testing your eyes.

Paul

darticus · Post by **darticus** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:21 am

I'm 20-20 now and they paid the total.call them first and ask.Ron

_Axel_ · Post by **_Axel_** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:29 am

Sorry for a small digression, I had to look up what 20-20 means:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_acuity

The well-known phrase "20-20 vision" refers to the distance in feet that objects separated by an angle of 1 arc minute can be distinguished as separate objects. The metric equivalent is 6-6 vision.

PASA008 · Post by **PASA008** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:54 pm

I am on my third year since diagnosis of a cataract in my right eye. I haven's seen a iron sight with Fuzzzzzz all over it for several years. I have my next apointment with my eye Dr. in Oct. and the last time he indicated "If it is ripe enough" he will do surgery. Last eye test I could just barely get the third line down on the chart. I can't wait until I can get it done and see what everyone tells me the improvement will be.

ASA · Post by **ASA** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:49 am

_Axel_ wrote:..I had to look up what 20-20 means:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_acuity

This one is an excellent link! Thanks _Axel_

cheers,
Axel

awadhnavab · Post by **awadhnavab** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:05 pm

Nicole, I am myself an Ophthalmologist....thats Eye Surgeon....and I have done more than ten thousand cataract surgeries in the last 15 years....all by the phacoemulsification method. This is the latest method of cataract surgery...takes about 10 minutes per eye and is mostly painless....recovery is quick and dramatic....you can choose your point of focus ie whether you want good vision for distance, near or intermediate without spectacles.

Please go ahead with the surgery and you will not be disappointed with the results. And happy shooting afterwards

don S · Post by **don S** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:46 pm

I had the surgery about 3 years ago and did not think about my shooting
I need to wear corrective lens to shoot with Iron Sights were i to do it today i would try to get the clear focus on the front sight in my shooting eye. the other eye can be distance for momocular vision

good luck DonS

Slo cat · Post by **Slo cat** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:43 am

I had the surgery done on my right (dominate) eye in January and I am very pleased with the result. I had been shooting cross-dominate for almost two years before the surgery. With a slight correction my right eye almost tested 20/10. I missed only one letter on the 20/10 line when using my new correction. When I am not shooting, I only need correction for reading.

I was initially turned down for surgery by the ophthalmologist because my vision was not bad enough. I made a big deal about my life-style, my extremely important hobby, etc., but it made no difference. He said he woudn't do surgery on a "good" eye. Through someone I knew, I was referred to a kinder, gentler ophthalmologist and she approved and performed the surgery. As I was leaving my post-op examination, she said, "Good luck with your shooting".

My new eye is slightly near-sighted, which is a blessing. Now without correction I can read my watch, see the total on a restaurant bill and read a menu, and for which I am thankful. Not bad for a S3 senior.

Best Regards,
Slo cat

2650 Plus · Post by **2650 Plus** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:38 pm

I'm so satisfied with the left eye vision improvement thet I've made the appointment to get the shooting eye fixed. Hope to SEE all of you on the range soon. Good Shooting Bill Horton

shadow · Post by **shadow** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:10 am

A shooting friend of ours visited his eye surgeon yesterday. He asked about having his lens replaced just for improving his shooting vision. His request was turned down! He was prescibed a +.50 over his regular prescription.

David Levene · Post by **David Levene** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:43 am

shadow wrote:His request was turned down!

So there is some sanity left in this world.

2650 Plus · Post by **2650 Plus** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:09 pm

Note that the .50+ is almost exactly what our optomoligists [ shooters] recomend as correct for shooting. I'm one of those strange people that consider shooting a very important part of my life, and wouldn't hesitate to request a procedure that would give me a good chance to improve my shooting. The problem I'm having is thet most things going wrong now have to be fixed so I can continue going to the range but cause my shooting level to decrease. S##t happens. Good shooting Bill Horton

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:44 pm

I had cataract surgery on my right (dominant) eye. The only benifit is that colors are more clear. The clouds inside of the eye, which I do not think were important prior to surgery, became so dominating that I ended rife competition. (Too much eye fatigue and resulting pain.)

An independent doctor has found that the cataract surgery was performed with skill well above average.

I shoot handgun with a 208 using my left eye with a diffuser over my right eye.

My suggestion is to have your doctor take a serious look at the inside of the eye, to map same, and to have a frank talk about trama (due to surgery) to the inside of the eye.

My problem may well have been very rare. Good luck. Mac

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