don't postpone cataract surgery

[les snyder]

I'm 74 and have worn prescription glasses since I was 18... had my first eye done 6 months ago, and the second eye 3 weeks ago.. tremendous outcome... green and blue colors are amazingly vivid... my astigmatism was pretty bad and my surgeon was able to correct it considerably...opted for a good distance lens, thinking that I'd continue to wear glasses anyway ... but my vision is now sharper than looking through the plano lens made after the first surgery, so for the first time in 56 years I can function without glasses...will still need a near vision lens when the surgeon does the final eye exam, but am able to see quite well if there is enough light..a welcome expense to get a couple pair of Wiley X polycarbonate shooting glasses... the surgery and clear lenses has really improved my Steel Challenge times

don't put it off... if Medicare or your insurance covers it,  do it... the difference is tremendous ... regards Les

[MikeBjerum]

Great to hear Les.

My wife just had both eyes done.  She is still adjusting to the change, the outcome is great.  We were out on a rainy dark evening, and she exclaimed that the headlights of oncoming cars didn't bother her any more - Before the surgery she couldn't drive at night because of the star bursts and halos around the lights.

[Rastus]

Good news Les. 

[alfsauve]

I'm happy for you.  Now you know why I'm still shooting iron sights.

I think in other posts I've said this is great stuff.  It changed my life.  I only wish I could have gotten this done sooner.  Like 50 years ago.  Wow.

[Big Frank]

That's great news, Les. I'm 60 years old and blessed to still have 20/20 vision but I'm farsighted. I can see great from 3 or 4 feet to infinity but had to start wearing reading glasses in my 50s. I just got my 3rd pair of reading glasses this week and was reading the sample print and when I took them off I said, where'd the fine print go? I didn't know I needed glasses that bad. I have cataracts in both eyes too but they aren't too bad yet. When it gets to the point I start having trouble besides needing readers I'll get them fixed. I don't want to end up like my mom. Cataract surgery scared her so bad that she wouldn't have it. No one wants to get their eyes cut open and especially to be awake when it happens. But my mom was afraid something would go wrong and she would end up blind. So now she IS legally blind in both eyes and almost completely blind because she didn't have surgery. When I hear success stories like yours Les, about how great the results are, it takes away some of the fear I have about getting the surgery done.

My older brother has been wearing glasses since sometime in elementary school IIRC. He said that he and his wife both have cataracts too. I don't know what he's waiting for to have surgery but he's 65 and after all those years I'm sure he would love to ditch the glasses if he could get around without them. I think he would have get whatever kind of regular lens his insurance covers, just like I would. Something fancy would be money out of pocket I don't think he has, and I don't know if I would spend the extra money. I think for an extra couple grand a better lens might let me quit wearing reading glasses and that's about it. But the worse your eyes are the more benefit you get from an upgraded lens.

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