Cataract surgery improves vision

After nearly a decade of should?-I-and-when? wonderment, I finally bit the bullet and had cataract eye surgery last week.

Dr. Jefffrey R. Peterson, my ophthalmologist, was the surgeon, and he suggested he’d do two procedures in one week. So last Monday, Dr. Peterson did my right eye, with a follow-up visit, and then left eye last Thursday, also with a next-day follow-up visit on Friday.

The better to see you, my friends,

Cataract surgery turned out to be quick and simple, with Dr. Peterson’s team assisting with constant eye drops preceding the operation. It’s regarded as a safe surgery, where the cloudy natural lenses of the eyes are replaced with durable artificial lenses. There’s virtually no pain,  since some of the eyedrops numb the eyes, and I also had anesthesia as part of the procedure.

Afterwards, however, there were some untold surprises and perhaps a bit of anguish.

Following the cataract procedure, there’s that constant ritual to protect the eyes immediately, so plastic lenses – like a clear plastic monocle with lots of holes to provide light — that I had to wear for several nights while sleeping to protect the eyes. It’s not a fashionable item, since it is adhered to the face with paper tape. This is to shield the eye and avoid eye mishaps; this temporary eye patch was vital at bedtime, and if you did both eyes, you get this same shield for the second eye, which are not very comfortable.

So I opted to utilize the provided pair of clear plastic eyeglasses – like sunglasses, minus the dark brown shading – which were much easier to sleep with.

 And three times a day – morning, noon and night — eyedrops were necessary to keep the eyes moist to prevent infection.

This is where a wife (thanks and love, Vi), or a husband, or an adult child, can help navigate the drops, so they land in the eyes, not the brows or the cheeks. And these drops –with specific right and left designations — are logged in a provided calendar so you don’t skip over overdo the daily drops.

One unexpected memory: Overnight, when you don the protective eye cover for the first time,  it’s possible to see a precious halo of lights if you do a bathroom trek in darkness; we have a small battery-operated lamp in the bedroom, and this light, when viewed through the plastic lens , provided a surprising  “light show.”  Dr. Peterson confirmed that this was a common thinng. Happened, again, with white lights intertwined atop faux plants — through the nighttime glimpse with the second eye. But it’s a phenom only in the wee hours, not during a dawn pee run.

In retrospect,  before the cataract surgery, I had discussed with Dr. Kevin Tsuda, my optometrist, the growing difficulties I had reading the morning newspaper, or a magazine, or a press release, or even my Apple laptop. It’s common, when you age. So cataract surgery was the way to go. Age is only a number; you can undergo a cataract surgery when you’re young or old, depending on your vision status.

My distance vision was OK before surgery and I can see and read signs with no problem. I can watch TV and see films at the theater, with no problem. I felt I didn’t need eyeglasses while driving, though I was a bit anxious about night-time driving.

I wanted to have the procedure done pronto, prior to a July trip, and Dr. Peterson obliged with the twofer. He said I should recover with better vision. And progress continues, with clarity. Still haven’t done night driiving yet, however.

I have a follow-up visit with Dr. Tsuda on Friday; he earlier ordered the cataract surgery, so this will include a follow-up discussion on post-cataract surgery needs…like do I dump my bi-focals and order only new reading classes, which I probably still need for reading tiny fonts in mags and newspapers… and my laptop screen.

Dr. Peterson said  over-the-counter reading classes at Longs or WalGreens could be the way to go. I’ve used them for years, though my bi-focals were ordered through my optometrist.

 I’m also thinking of new non-prescription sunglasses, to suit my “new” eyes.