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Old 08-23-2016, 11:11 AM
 
Location: Cochise County, AZ
1,399 posts, read 1,242,017 times
Reputation: 3052

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I remember that my Grandma had cataracts and had cataract surgery very late in life. She also suffered from dementia. My dad started having cataract problems in his late 70's but did not have surgery before he passed away at age 79. My mom did not have any cataract problems.

I've read that cataract problems can be hereditary. So I'm wondering if I will develop cataracts. I also recently drove my neighbor to her cataract surgeries (she had both eyes done but one month apart for each eye) so cataracts have been on my mind lately.

If you have been diagnosed with cataracts:

  1. At what age did you notice symptoms?
  2. What was your first symptom?
  3. What kind of cataracts did you develop?
  4. Did you have surgery? If so, at what age did you have surgery?
  5. Did you wish you had cataract surgery earlier in life?
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Old 08-23-2016, 11:19 AM
 
Location: Eastern Tennessee
4,334 posts, read 4,273,138 times
Reputation: 12502
Let's Talk About Cataracts

1) everyone gets them
2) not everyone has symptoms from them
3) they are slow growing so your eye care specialist will have plenty of time to advise you on treatment needs
4) the treatment is, indeed, surgical but does not require overnight hospital stay
5) some medications make them worse (steroids)
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Old 08-23-2016, 12:53 PM
 
7,898 posts, read 7,073,479 times
Reputation: 18586
Quote:
Originally Posted by grampaTom View Post
Let's Talk About Cataracts

1) everyone gets them
2) not everyone has symptoms from them
3) they are slow growing so your eye care specialist will have plenty of time to advise you on treatment needs
4) the treatment is, indeed, surgical but does not require overnight hospital stay
5) some medications make them worse (steroids)
Not everyone gets them. The prevalence is highly dependent on age. For those living to their 80s, the prevalence is about 65%.


Typically there would not be cataract surgery unless the vision is affected. The usual symptoms include blurry vision, poor night vision, halos, frequent changes in prescriptions.


Most are slow growing but sometimes the onset is rapid. I went from clear vision and a thorough eye exam to horrible blurry vision within a few months. I had a secondary, capsular cataract that went from unnoticeable to extremely poor blurry vision within a few weeks.
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Old 08-23-2016, 01:10 PM
 
Location: Cushing OK
14,539 posts, read 21,162,297 times
Reputation: 16936
Mine started in my later thirties. My vision got a little blurry but glasses or contacts fixed it. In my fourties it got way worse in the left eye, and just a little in the right. But in my fifties I had the first surgery. It was to the left eye which I couldn't see through. They 'fixed' the lens by shaving its shape. It worked for a few more years, sort of, and the next doctor said I needed stronger lenses. Did not help.

I had small ones, but on this one medication, serequel, which promotes them, (no, the doctor did not notice or check and I did tell him all my existing conditions so research yourself) I first developed a nearly blinding one in the left eye, already treated with lazer which didn't last. Within six months, it got so bad they got me into surgery. Since then its had beautiful, clear, and dependable vision. But immediately after, the right eye, which had not had problems, got worse than the left, and led to the second surgery.

My right eye didn't heal right, the pupil no longer able to shrink, but the vision is very clear.

Don't be afraid of the replacement lens surgery, as its not terrible and its wonderful to see better than you have in years.
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Old 08-23-2016, 01:22 PM
 
Location: Eastern Tennessee
4,334 posts, read 4,273,138 times
Reputation: 12502
Quote:
Originally Posted by jrkliny View Post
Not everyone gets them. The prevalence is highly dependent on age. For those living to their 80s, the prevalence is about 65%.


Typically there would not be cataract surgery unless the vision is affected. The usual symptoms include blurry vision, poor night vision, halos, frequent changes in prescriptions.


Most are slow growing but sometimes the onset is rapid. I went from clear vision and a thorough eye exam to horrible blurry vision within a few months. I had a secondary, capsular cataract that went from unnoticeable to extremely poor blurry vision within a few weeks.
Actually everyone DOES get them. Just some are asymptomatic. Teeny tiny baby cataracts can sometimes be seen in people quite young. As they grow they become noticeable and can cause visual problems.
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Old 08-23-2016, 02:00 PM
 
1 posts, read 2,606 times
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I used ethosheaven bright eyes drops for cataracts over an 8 week period and my vision improved -I didn't want surgery as I have other health conditions
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Old 08-23-2016, 02:31 PM
 
Location: Charleston, SC
2,523 posts, read 1,921,061 times
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I'm curious to hear more about those ethosheaven eye drops. By Perscription ?? OTC ???

My problem seems to be the "floaters" which I'm told is the retinal fluid turning to a liquid of thinner consistency and not really operable. I don't think cataracts are my major problem. I want to avoid the operation, but the doctors these days seem to want to fill their Surgery Day with appointments. Must be a lucrative profit margin.
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Old 08-23-2016, 04:30 PM
 
Location: Colorado
22,638 posts, read 6,387,896 times
Reputation: 7329
I didn't even realize that I had them. Went for my yearly eye exam, was told they were beginning (I had hard contact lens) I think I was 60. Had the cataracts removed (one at a time). I love not having to wear glasses or contacts, although I sometimes use reading glasses for reading or the computer. Would do it again, no regrets.
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Old 08-23-2016, 04:57 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,636 posts, read 28,433,148 times
Reputation: 50438
I was told about three years ago that I had the beginnings of the beginnings of cataracts. This year they told me that I actually did have cataracts.

I had one eye done in March and the results were not that great. But I had been extremely near sighted with astigmatism. I came out better than I was before but still with astigmatism. Before I had the surgery I asked the surgeon if I could get the toric lenses that would correct for astigmatism but he said no--my astigmatism wasn't bad enough. ???????

I had the second eye done in mid July. He obtained much better results with that eye. All I needed were cheap drug store glasses for close up. But in a room with the lights on or outside with streetlights, I saw starbursts and rays of light--from the astigmatism.

Today I picked up my new glasses with astigmatism correction and progressive lenses.

This was at age 71. I don't think you can have cataract surgery until you need it. My symptoms were blurry vision that glasses wouldn't have corrected and (although I didn't know it) things that were white looked beige. WOW. The world is very bright now.
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Old 08-23-2016, 05:09 PM
 
1,727 posts, read 1,972,191 times
Reputation: 4899
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deelighted View Post
I remember that my Grandma had cataracts and had cataract surgery very late in life. She also suffered from dementia. My dad started having cataract problems in his late 70's but did not have surgery before he passed away at age 79. My mom did not have any cataract problems.

I've read that cataract problems can be hereditary. So I'm wondering if I will develop cataracts. I also recently drove my neighbor to her cataract surgeries (she had both eyes done but one month apart for each eye) so cataracts have been on my mind lately.

If you have been diagnosed with cataracts:

  1. At what age did you notice symptoms? I was about 59, but it came on so slowly it could have been earlier
  2. What was your first symptom? My eyesight was getting worse; I thought it was simply my vision deteriorating with age, but an exam showed it was cataracts.
  3. What kind of cataracts did you develop? Hmmm, not sure, don't remember.
  4. Did you have surgery? If so, at what age did you have surgery? I had cataract surgery when I was 61. They did both eyes a week apart.
  5. Did you wish you had cataract surgery earlier in life? No, it was the right time both in terms of health and insurance when I did it.
I think my eyesight vis a vis the cataracts was worse than I knew because once I had the surgery my eye sight seemed crystal clear. Now though, 3 years later I am wearing glasses with a mild Rx.

The surgery was very expensive; I was fortunate to have excellent insurance. IIRC, I only had to pay about $1500 out of pocket.
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