OK, so the following isn't exactly an astronomy topic, but it is related and doesn't involve coal mining: I saw my eye doctor recently. I figured the decreasing acuity, particularly in my right eye would simply be corrected with a new prescription. It did help, but Doc told me that I have cataracts - not serious, but they're there. And, of course, it is worse in my right (dominant) eye. I was almost as shocked as I was 20 years ago when he told me I needed bifocals. I'm especially discouraged because I think that I've taken good care of my eyes. I started wearing sunglasses when I was 13 or 14 and I'm never without them, even on overcast days. I used to be able to see to magnitude 7.2 or better with correction for astigmatism and I could see color in many diffuse nebulae, such as the Lagoon Nebula and the Orion Nebula. I'm a bit depressed to have lost that and to expect to lose even more. Anyway, since I know so many of you on the list are also getting old(er), I wondered if anyone has experience with cataract surgery? How did it turn out? Was your eyesight as good as new or was there still some degradation? My doctor told me that I wouldn't need glasses afterward. Is that true? I'd appreciate anyone sharing their experience. Kim
Been there and done that already. I went to Hoopes Vision and they took care of everything. I was scared to death before having it done (even cancelled it once), and now I'd go back right now. Very simple, quick and painless. This is coming from someone that couldn't wear contacts because I couldn't get them in or out. If you are asking me, I'd say go for it and don't think twice, they made a believer out of me for sure. Not had to wear glasses since and they say I will never have to wear them. To be honest, the multifocal lenses they implanted in me aren't as good as your unaided natural lenses, but it is FAR better than wearing glasses! I've not regretted it for a second. Not to sound like an advertisement, but I wouldn't go anywhere other than Hoopes to have it done, those guys are first rate and things could not have gone smoother. Dr. Hoopes Jr. did my surgery. The day AFTER the operation I had 20/30 vision and one week later it was 20/20, one month later it was almost 20/15! Yeah, I'm a believer for sure! -Barrett Flowers -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Kim Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 10:23 AM Anyway, since I know so many of you on the list are also getting old(er), I wondered if anyone has experience with cataract surgery? How did it turn out? Was your eyesight as good as new or was there still some degradation? My doctor told me that I wouldn't need glasses afterward. Is that true? I'd appreciate anyone sharing their experience. Kim
I had cataract surgery a year ago in my left eye. The operation was simple and over before I knew it. I wore glasses and needed a new prescription. I prefer not using my glasses while viewing through a scope but before the operation I used my right eye and now I use my left. My left eye now is very close to not needing glasses. My experience with the operation has been quite positive. Good luck, Fletch Sent from my iPhone On Dec 19, 2011, at 10:22 AM, "Kim" <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
OK, so the following isn't exactly an astronomy topic, but it is related and doesn't involve coal mining: I saw my eye doctor recently. I figured the decreasing acuity, particularly in my right eye would simply be corrected with a new prescription. It did help, but Doc told me that I have cataracts - not serious, but they're there. And, of course, it is worse in my right (dominant) eye. I was almost as shocked as I was 20 years ago when he told me I needed bifocals. I'm especially discouraged because I think that I've taken good care of my eyes. I started wearing sunglasses when I was 13 or 14 and I'm never without them, even on overcast days. I used to be able to see to magnitude 7.2 or better with correction for astigmatism and I could see color in many diffuse nebulae, such as the Lagoon Nebula and the Orion Nebula. I'm a bit depressed to have lost that and to expect to lose even more.
Anyway, since I know so many of you on the list are also getting old(er), I wondered if anyone has experience with cataract surgery? How did it turn out? Was your eyesight as good as new or was there still some degradation? My doctor told me that I wouldn't need glasses afterward. Is that true? I'd appreciate anyone sharing their experience.
Kim
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Fletcher, do you have to wear an artificial lens on your left eye now? Thanks, Joe ________________________________ From: Fletcher Gross <gross@math.utah.edu> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 12:12 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Getting old I had cataract surgery a year ago in my left eye. The operation was simple and over before I knew it. I wore glasses and needed a new prescription. I prefer not using my glasses while viewing through a scope but before the operation I used my right eye and now I use my left. My left eye now is very close to not needing glasses. My experience with the operation has been quite positive. Good luck, Fletch Sent from my iPhone On Dec 19, 2011, at 10:22 AM, "Kim" <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
OK, so the following isn't exactly an astronomy topic, but it is related and doesn't involve coal mining: I saw my eye doctor recently. I figured the decreasing acuity, particularly in my right eye would simply be corrected with a new prescription. It did help, but Doc told me that I have cataracts - not serious, but they're there. And, of course, it is worse in my right (dominant) eye. I was almost as shocked as I was 20 years ago when he told me I needed bifocals. I'm especially discouraged because I think that I've taken good care of my eyes. I started wearing sunglasses when I was 13 or 14 and I'm never without them, even on overcast days. I used to be able to see to magnitude 7.2 or better with correction for astigmatism and I could see color in many diffuse nebulae, such as the Lagoon Nebula and the Orion Nebula. I'm a bit depressed to have lost that and to expect to lose even more.
Anyway, since I know so many of you on the list are also getting old(er), I wondered if anyone has experience with cataract surgery? How did it turn out? Was your eyesight as good as new or was there still some degradation? My doctor told me that I wouldn't need glasses afterward. Is that true? I'd appreciate anyone sharing their experience.
Kim
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I wear ordinary glasses. My left eye, the one operated on, is almost 20/20. It went from being my weaker eye to being the better one. If my right eye were as good as my left, I would consider not wearing glasses at all. Cataract surgery sounds terrible (inserting a lens inside the eyeball) but it is straight forward. When I had mine, the eye was propped open and drops were constantly put in the eye. I kept waiting for some cutting to take place. I thought they were getting ready to start when they told me it was all over. As easy an operation as I have ever had. My surgery was done at the Moran Eye Center by Dr. Moshifar. My main problem now is getting used to using my left eye rather than the right at my telescope (I have always preferred observing without glasses). Fletch Sent from my iPhone On Dec 19, 2011, at 9:19 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman@yahoo.com> wrote:
Fletcher, do you have to wear an artificial lens on your left eye now? Thanks, Joe
________________________________ From: Fletcher Gross <gross@math.utah.edu> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 12:12 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Getting old
I had cataract surgery a year ago in my left eye. The operation was simple and over before I knew it. I wore glasses and needed a new prescription. I prefer not using my glasses while viewing through a scope but before the operation I used my right eye and now I use my left. My left eye now is very close to not needing glasses. My experience with the operation has been quite positive.
Good luck, Fletch
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 19, 2011, at 10:22 AM, "Kim" <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
OK, so the following isn't exactly an astronomy topic, but it is related and doesn't involve coal mining: I saw my eye doctor recently. I figured the decreasing acuity, particularly in my right eye would simply be corrected with a new prescription. It did help, but Doc told me that I have cataracts - not serious, but they're there. And, of course, it is worse in my right (dominant) eye. I was almost as shocked as I was 20 years ago when he told me I needed bifocals. I'm especially discouraged because I think that I've taken good care of my eyes. I started wearing sunglasses when I was 13 or 14 and I'm never without them, even on overcast days. I used to be able to see to magnitude 7.2 or better with correction for astigmatism and I could see color in many diffuse nebulae, such as the Lagoon Nebula and the Orion Nebula. I'm a bit depressed to have lost that and to expect to lose even more.
Anyway, since I know so many of you on the list are also getting old(er), I wondered if anyone has experience with cataract surgery? How did it turn out? Was your eyesight as good as new or was there still some degradation? My doctor told me that I wouldn't need glasses afterward. Is that true? I'd appreciate anyone sharing their experience.
Kim
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It's wonderful what's possible now! Thanks, Joe ________________________________ From: Fletcher Gross <gross@math.utah.edu> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 12:59 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Getting old I wear ordinary glasses. My left eye, the one operated on, is almost 20/20. It went from being my weaker eye to being the better one. If my right eye were as good as my left, I would consider not wearing glasses at all. Cataract surgery sounds terrible (inserting a lens inside the eyeball) but it is straight forward. When I had mine, the eye was propped open and drops were constantly put in the eye. I kept waiting for some cutting to take place. I thought they were getting ready to start when they told me it was all over. As easy an operation as I have ever had. My surgery was done at the Moran Eye Center by Dr. Moshifar. My main problem now is getting used to using my left eye rather than the right at my telescope (I have always preferred observing without glasses). Fletch Sent from my iPhone On Dec 19, 2011, at 9:19 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman@yahoo.com> wrote:
Fletcher, do you have to wear an artificial lens on your left eye now? Thanks, Joe
________________________________ From: Fletcher Gross <gross@math.utah.edu> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 12:12 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Getting old
I had cataract surgery a year ago in my left eye. The operation was simple and over before I knew it. I wore glasses and needed a new prescription. I prefer not using my glasses while viewing through a scope but before the operation I used my right eye and now I use my left. My left eye now is very close to not needing glasses. My experience with the operation has been quite positive.
Good luck, Fletch
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 19, 2011, at 10:22 AM, "Kim" <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
OK, so the following isn't exactly an astronomy topic, but it is related and doesn't involve coal mining: I saw my eye doctor recently. I figured the decreasing acuity, particularly in my right eye would simply be corrected with a new prescription. It did help, but Doc told me that I have cataracts - not serious, but they're there. And, of course, it is worse in my right (dominant) eye. I was almost as shocked as I was 20 years ago when he told me I needed bifocals. I'm especially discouraged because I think that I've taken good care of my eyes. I started wearing sunglasses when I was 13 or 14 and I'm never without them, even on overcast days. I used to be able to see to magnitude 7.2 or better with correction for astigmatism and I could see color in many diffuse nebulae, such as the Lagoon Nebula and the Orion Nebula. I'm a bit depressed to have lost that and to expect to lose even more.
Anyway, since I know so many of you on the list are also getting old(er), I wondered if anyone has experience with cataract surgery? How did it turn out? Was your eyesight as good as new or was there still some degradation? My doctor told me that I wouldn't need glasses afterward. Is that true? I'd appreciate anyone sharing their experience.
Kim
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Kim, this might help relieve some of your concerns. The writer is a visual astronomer: http://www.weasner.com/etx/medical/cataract_surgery.html I remember when the late Walter Scott Houston had cataract surgery, he also remarked on the difference in color perception between the treated and untreated eye. Thank God we live in times with such medical advances. BTW, coincidentally I just had very overdue eye exam last week. I hadn't had one in 5 years so it was time. My prescription hadn't changed one bit, and no disease at all was detected. I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked out of the clinic.
Thanks to all who replied regarding cataracts. I may wait a year or two - now that I know what to expect. My doctor told me I could/should have the surgery any time that the effects of the cataracts become too annoying. Right now I can live with it a little longer. Kim
Kim, I am in the same canoe. 5 years ago, at the Senior Fair, my eye pressure was the best they had checked (about 2PM) so far that day. The operator told me he felt I would never have cataracts, so I was very happy. I believe lowest is best, but it could be the other way around. This year, as I recall, it was around 11. Anyway, about 6 weeks ago, my left eye started tearing from irritation, and when it did not stop, went to our eye doc (he removed cataracts from both of my wife's eyes several years ago, and she is very pleased with her results. I think Carol had worn glasses/contacts/glasses since a very young girl, certainly in early grade school years.) My abrasion problem was from eyelashes! He pulled the leftmost 4 off the upper lid, voila, no more pain. But, he also did a complete exam and told me I have a nice crop of cataracts. They are not bothersome to me yet (or maybe they are and I just do not realize it), but I, like you, have concerns about the procedure. My motto has been "if it ain't broke, don;t fix it" so I think I w/try to get by for a while yet. I think I can go until time to renew the drivers license, as the doc says right ok, but left w/not get by. It might help you if, when you take the next eye exam & your doc asks what the lowest line you can read, just reply "made in China?" 73, lh On 12/19/2011 1:38 PM, Kim wrote:
Thanks to all who replied regarding cataracts. I may wait a year or two - now that I know what to expect. My doctor told me I could/should have the surgery any time that the effects of the cataracts become too annoying. Right now I can live with it a little longer.
Kim
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Seems the longer you wait perhaps the better the procedure gets. My eye exam is overdue it's been about 10 years.
I would caution people not to assume their sunglasses have UV protection. Thanks to all who replied regarding cataracts. I may wait a year or two -
now that I know what to expect. My doctor told me I could/should have the surgery any time that the effects of the cataracts become too annoying. Right now I can live with it a little longer.
Kim
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participants (7)
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Barrett -
Chuck Hards -
erikhansen＠thebluezone.net -
Fletcher Gross -
Joe Bauman -
Kim -
Larry Holmes