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ShazzieB

(18,641 posts)
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 02:50 PM Jan 2023

Question for those who have had cataract surgery

How long did it take for your vision to clear up after each eye was operated on? I'm NOT asking for medical advice; I just want to compare notes.

I had my first surgery, on my left eye, a week ago tomorrow 1/10). My vision in that eye is still quite blurry. I can tell how much more light is coming through that eye compared to the other one, and I can tell my vision is gradually improving, but I still can't really focus on anything. Just wondering if that is unusual or not.

I also have a big honking floater that I didn't have before (which is a completely separate issue, of course). Doc said it's probably a fragment of my old lens that inadvertently got left behind, and that it may dissolve on its own or it might require more surgery. No way to tell which way that will go yet.

Surgery on the right eye is scheduled for 1/31, 2 weeks from tomorrow.

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Question for those who have had cataract surgery (Original Post) ShazzieB Jan 2023 OP
Mine improved right away. LakeArenal Jan 2023 #1
Yeah, I can definitely tell the colors are brighter. ShazzieB Jan 2023 #7
🤞🏼👁️👁️🤞🏼 LakeArenal Jan 2023 #13
My lens slid so it had to be redone. badhair77 Jan 2023 #2
I don't remember any blurriness but then I had pricy corrective lenses implanted Siwsan Jan 2023 #3
My vision was clear in about 24 hours. I did go back a year later to have floaters sinkingfeeling Jan 2023 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author sinkingfeeling Jan 2023 #5
After my second surgery, I got up the next morning and put on my glasses as usual. greatauntoftriplets Jan 2023 #6
I see him tomorrow and will ask about this then. ShazzieB Jan 2023 #8
Best of luck tomorrow. greatauntoftriplets Jan 2023 #9
Yes, and the new lenses are supposed to correct my nearsightedness. ShazzieB Jan 2023 #11
I've never had contacts either. greatauntoftriplets Jan 2023 #16
It took me a long time to not reach for my glasses when I woke up. I had worn glasses since infancy. Tess49 Jan 2023 #10
Sometimes I still reach to push them back up my nose. greatauntoftriplets Jan 2023 #17
My right eye cleared up within 24 hours. The left eye took longer, issues like you described. SharonAnn Jan 2023 #12
Essentially no time. elleng Jan 2023 #14
Close up and mid distance was clear in a couple of days. Distance vision is still blurry after 2+ PortTack Jan 2023 #15
I had the pricey correctives and MOMFUDSKI Jan 2023 #18
My vision cleared up within hours. PoindexterOglethorpe Jan 2023 #19
I am learning so much from this thread. My upcoming surgery is making me anxious... Hekate Jan 2023 #20
Only one eye so far. Owl Jan 2023 #21
I'm Still Waiting RobinA Jun 2023 #22

ShazzieB

(18,641 posts)
7. Yeah, I can definitely tell the colors are brighter.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 03:50 PM
Jan 2023

Looking at things with my left eye closed and right eye open and switching to right closed/left open, I can see a big difference. I'm just impatient for more clarity on the left.

badhair77

(4,609 posts)
2. My lens slid so it had to be redone.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 03:06 PM
Jan 2023

After that it took almost a month to be totally clear. Seemed like forever, although I could see small progress every couple days. The dr would not do the other eye till my left eye was ok.

Good luck with your recovery and your second surgery.

Siwsan

(27,282 posts)
3. I don't remember any blurriness but then I had pricy corrective lenses implanted
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 03:07 PM
Jan 2023

Of course, I wore one of those 'fly eye' protectors for the first day, and at night. I was VERY nearsighted with an astigmatism in one eye. That was also treated.

The lenses have given me great vision. After wearing either glasses or contacts for many years, it is great to just SEE. I do wear 'cheaters' to read very fine print, especially if it is on a color background, but other than that, I'm good.

I did have to have a 'yag' laser treatment, after a few months, to clear the lenses. I didn't really notice any problem but there was some cloudiness forming. I was told it is a one time treatment.

Response to ShazzieB (Original post)

greatauntoftriplets

(176,838 posts)
6. After my second surgery, I got up the next morning and put on my glasses as usual.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 03:46 PM
Jan 2023

And everything was extremely blurry. When I took the glasses off, I could see perfectly.

That was 11 years ago. What does your doctor say?

Best of luck with your second surgery.

ShazzieB

(18,641 posts)
8. I see him tomorrow and will ask about this then.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 03:55 PM
Jan 2023

When I saw him last week, I didnt ask, because I wasn't getting concerned yet.

My nearsightedness is supposed to be corrected in my left eye now, but I'll be darned if I can tell whether there's a difference yet!

greatauntoftriplets

(176,838 posts)
9. Best of luck tomorrow.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 03:58 PM
Jan 2023

Did you get a lens implant? I did, and one was for distance and the other for close up.

ShazzieB

(18,641 posts)
11. Yes, and the new lenses are supposed to correct my nearsightedness.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 04:11 PM
Jan 2023

I'll probably still need glasses to read, but I don't mind that at all.

Years ago, I tried contact lenses that were like your implants (one for close up, one for distance), and I just. Could. Not. Adjust. I know that works for a lot of people, but not me. I went back to wearing glasses with progressive lenses. After that experience, I didn't even consider that option for my cataract surgery.

If I could have afforded it, I would have gotten the super fancy lenses that correct for everything. I had to stick to what my insurance would cover.

greatauntoftriplets

(176,838 posts)
16. I've never had contacts either.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 04:54 PM
Jan 2023

A doctor put some into my eyes years ago and it felt like someone was poking their finger into my eye.

I also have the regular lenses, but the eye surgeon said I didn't need them. My brother-in-law, who has really bad astigmatism, got one for his worst eye. He still wears glasses for lots of things.

Hopefully, your doctor will have a good explanation tomorrow.

Tess49

(1,598 posts)
10. It took me a long time to not reach for my glasses when I woke up. I had worn glasses since infancy.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 04:01 PM
Jan 2023

Hard habit to break!

greatauntoftriplets

(176,838 posts)
17. Sometimes I still reach to push them back up my nose.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 04:56 PM
Jan 2023

And they're not there! That's after 11 years. Old habits are hard to break.

SharonAnn

(13,879 posts)
12. My right eye cleared up within 24 hours. The left eye took longer, issues like you described.
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 04:13 PM
Jan 2023

But all seems to be good now.

PortTack

(34,642 posts)
15. Close up and mid distance was clear in a couple of days. Distance vision is still blurry after 2+
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 04:53 PM
Jan 2023

Months. It’s getting better, but slowly

 

MOMFUDSKI

(7,080 posts)
18. I had the pricey correctives and
Mon Jan 16, 2023, 07:51 PM
Jan 2023

the first eye I had done (the left one) was blurry for about 4 days. I was so upset I was thinking I may not even go back for the other eye. Then it became dry eye for some time. It is now really great. The right eye was perfect from the get go. Perfect vision, no blurriness, no dry eye. So, each eye is different. The craziest part was the first time I poured Downy into my dispenser. I could NOT get over the BLUE color. Turns out the yellowing of your lenses causes loss of the blues the most. Best wishes for your right eye on the 31st!

PoindexterOglethorpe

(26,727 posts)
19. My vision cleared up within hours.
Tue Jan 17, 2023, 01:58 AM
Jan 2023

Possibly because I was relatively young, only 63.

I'd been nearsighted my entire life. In first grade I could not see the blackboard. Got glasses, and every year thereafter got new glasses.

When I was 17 I got contact lenses. OMG! What an improvement. These were hard lenses, about a decade before soft ones existed. The amazing thing was that I COULD SEE!!! I could look out of the side of my eye, and see. Unlike with glasses, where my vision was restricted.

The down side of hard contacts was that they needed to be taken out, and my eyes needed to rest. When I was a ticket agent at National Airport in Washington DC, and often worked turn around, meaning I worked closing and got off at 10pm or even later, depending on if the flights were late, and had to be at work the next morning at 6am, it was a bit rough. Eventually soft lenses made that better.

Around the time I was 50 my eye doctor told me I was beginning to have cataracts. Darn. But they didn't do much for over a decade. Then, at one yearly check-up, he said it's time to have cataract surgery. I'd had various changes in my vision in the recent months, but didn't realize they were cataract related. A quick Google search cleared that up.

I had one eye done, then two weeks later the second eye. Honestly, I could have had them done three days apart, as about 24 hours after the first surgery I could see out of that eye with perfect clarity.

I opted for lenses that would give me good distance vision, as I was used to using reading glasses by then. It feels as if I can read small signs on distant hills, which isn't exactly true, but you get the idea.

I've been known to say that cataracts are the best things that ever happened to my eyes. Certainly cataract surgery improved my vision enormously.

I know that different people have different responses to the surgery. I know mine was incredibly good and fast. I sincerely wish you good luck with everything.

Hekate

(94,623 posts)
20. I am learning so much from this thread. My upcoming surgery is making me anxious...
Thu Jan 19, 2023, 02:42 AM
Jan 2023

I have to have cataracts done this year, but a good long while ago I had LASIK, and all my anxieties about my hereditary crap vision really kicked in.

All you experienced people are helping a lot.

Owl

(3,704 posts)
21. Only one eye so far.
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 10:05 PM
Jan 2023

Correcting huge nearsightedness and worsened cataract from a previous operation. Better in no time. Nice to see bright color again. Focus is very slowly getting to the far vision I wanted.

RobinA

(10,153 posts)
22. I'm Still Waiting
Fri Jun 9, 2023, 07:03 AM
Jun 2023

for my second eye to clear completely and it's been a month and a half. I am not totally happy with my surgery, but I'm no worse off than with the cataracts. Well, actually I am. I was nearsighted and needed readers as I aged but I could function without them. Now I am nonfunctional close up without glasses. I can drive more comfortably at night, so there's that.

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