Cataract surgery recovery time (doctor, prescription, lenses, lasik)
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I am due to have cataract surgery next week. Due to Radial Keratomy surgery (RK) on my left eye 26 years ago ( RK was the pre curser to LASIK) I know the surgery recovery time will likely be 6 weeks before my eye is stable enough to get glasses.
This eye is presently farsighted and I have a significant astigmatism which requires me to depend upon a progressive lens. My doctor will attempt to remove the cataract, correct my distance vision and correct the astigmatism. I will still need reading glasses. Due to the previous RK surgery it is much more difficult to get a perfect outcome and hoping for being able to pass the eye test to drive with no need to wear glasses. My doctor hopes to significantly reduce the astigmatism, but, the irregularity of astigmatism due to the RK surgery makes it unlikely to be totally corrected.
If all goes well, six weeks after having my left I done, we will repeat the process on the right eye. I had RK surgery on this eye 26 years ago and also Astigmatic Keratomy on this eye (AK). The RK surgery went well, but, the first AK attempt to correct the astigmatism did not go well and it took a second AK surgery six months later to correct and minimize the astigmatism in the right eye.
The cataract on the right eye will be removed and will improve my distance vision (I am only slightly farsighted in the eye). No attempt will be made to correct the minor astigmatism that remains in the right eye. I will need to wear reading glasses. The previous 3 surgeries on the right eye totaled many more cuts to the eye - so it is just as difficult if not more so to do the cataract surgery on the right eye.
I need my progressive glasses to read. So, I am trying to figure out exactly how this works during the recovery time for each eye. Do I have them remove the left lens of my present glasses - so that I can continue to read using my right eye? The left eye should be stable about the time they operate on my right eye. Will cheap readers work for 6 weeks until the right eye is stable? Can't see buying new glasses until both eyes are stable.
I have no clue if having minor astigmatism remaining in both eyes if I can use cheap reading glasses or if it will require reading glasses that also correct for any remaining astigmatism.
Also, if anyone has had cataract surgery after having previously had RK/AK surgery - I appreciate your feedback.
I am due to have cataract surgery next week. Due to Radial Keratomy surgery (RK) on my left eye 26 years ago ( RK was the pre curser to LASIK) I know the surgery recovery time will likely be 6 weeks before my eye is stable enough to get glasses.
This eye is presently farsighted and I have a significant astigmatism which requires me to depend upon a progressive lens. My doctor will attempt to remove the cataract, correct my distance vision and correct the astigmatism. I will still need reading glasses. Due to the previous RK surgery it is much more difficult to get a perfect outcome and hoping for being able to pass the eye test to drive with no need to wear glasses. My doctor hopes to significantly reduce the astigmatism, but, the irregularity of astigmatism due to the RK surgery makes it unlikely to be totally corrected.
If all goes well, six weeks after having my left I done, we will repeat the process on the right eye. I had RK surgery on this eye 26 years ago and also Astigmatic Keratomy on this eye (AK). The RK surgery went well, but, the first AK attempt to correct the astigmatism did not go well and it took a second AK surgery six months later to correct and minimize the astigmatism in the right eye.
The cataract on the right eye will be removed and will improve my distance vision (I am only slightly farsighted in the eye). No attempt will be made to correct the minor astigmatism that remains in the right eye. I will need to wear reading glasses. The previous 3 surgeries on the right eye totaled many more cuts to the eye - so it is just as difficult if not more so to do the cataract surgery on the right eye.
I need my progressive glasses to read. So, I am trying to figure out exactly how this works during the recovery time for each eye. Do I have them remove the left lens of my present glasses - so that I can continue to read using my right eye? The left eye should be stable about the time they operate on my right eye. Will cheap readers work for 6 weeks until the right eye is stable? Can't see buying new glasses until both eyes are stable.
I have no clue if having minor astigmatism remaining in both eyes if I can use cheap reading glasses or if it will require reading glasses that also correct for any remaining astigmatism.
Also, if anyone has had cataract surgery after having previously had RK/AK surgery - I appreciate your feedback.
I still have some minor astigmatism in both my eyes after having had cataract surgery in 2013. I elected not to correct this as it wasn't that bad, and I did get a pair of prescription glasses after the surgery that corrected for that little bit of astigmatism and for close up reading. But for reading or other close work, as well as computer work, I use Dollar Store cheapy readers. They work well, and I'm not bothered by the astigmatism.
During the recovery time, yes, pop out one lens and have it fitted with a non-Rx lens. And after the cataract has been removed from the second eye, then get a new eyeglass prescription from your optometrist to correct any residue astigmatism.
I hope your cataract surgery next week turns out well.
From what I learned, ex-Lasik patients (ex-RK and ex-AK) can have 20/20 vision after their cataract surgeries if their ophthalmologists are very experienced in the use of premium lenses (multifocals, trifocals and EDoFs, depending which one is relevant to you).
Travelassie and orbiter thank you for your feedback. It was very helpful. Just got a call confirming my surgery will be a 7:15 am appointment! I will be the first appointment of the day. My friend who will be doing the driving and waiting while I have the surgery - gets to see the whole thing LIVE on a television screen in the waiting room! If the left eye surgery goes well I should be much more relaxed when they do the right eye six weeks later.
Travelassie and orbiter thank you for your feedback. It was very helpful. Just got a call confirming my surgery will be a 7:15 am appointment! I will be the first appointment of the day. My friend who will be doing the driving and waiting while I have the surgery - gets to see the whole thing LIVE on a television screen in the waiting room! If the left eye surgery goes well I should be much more relaxed when they do the right eye six weeks later.
That's good, getting it over with early won't give you the chance to get nervous and antsy waiting your turn.
Travelassie and orbiter thank you for your feedback. It was very helpful. Just got a call confirming my surgery will be a 7:15 am appointment! I will be the first appointment of the day. My friend who will be doing the driving and waiting while I have the surgery - gets to see the whole thing LIVE on a television screen in the waiting room! If the left eye surgery goes well I should be much more relaxed when they do the right eye six weeks later.
One ex-Lask patient who has had successful cataract surgeries with stellar results, touted her surgeon's experience and skills. She had 6-7 i-TRACES done prior to her first surgery. I do not know what that means, but I assume that it is done on top of the usual IOL Power calculation. Her surgeon uses both the ORA and the IOL Master before and during the operation.
All the best to you on that day.
orbiter - the ORA is a software program that is used during the surgery after the cataract is removed and replaced with a new lens. It allows the doctor in real time to determine the correct refraction. A major advancement and particularly important for someone like me who has had previous eye surgery. I don't know much about it, but, maybe I will be able to explain how it works after I have it done on my eye next week.
orbiter - the ORA is a software program that is used during the surgery after the cataract is removed and replaced with a new lens. It allows the doctor in real time to determine the correct refraction. A major advancement and particularly important for someone like me who has had previous eye surgery. I don't know much about it, but, maybe I will be able to explain how it works after I have it done on my eye next week.
Just my personal experience after cataract surgery earlier this year:
I didn't have the other previous surgeries you mention, but I did wear trifocals before the surgery. My doctor only waited about three weeks between eyes so to speak and it was the longest three weeks of my life. I tried popping one lens out - it works for some people but it did NOT work for me at all. I was severely impeded in my ability to really do ANYTHING because my vision was so bad. In my case, the doctor was able to fix my "reading" vision in my first eye, but my distance vision was still jacked up and I was totally unable to see much of anything with my other eye - but couldn't wear glasses.
One thing you might ask your doctor about is if you could get a cheapo pair of prescription glasses for the interim. If I had had to go longer, I would have done this, but I just toughed it out for three weeks. I could not drive though. I couldn't watch TV. I couldn't see beyond about three feet in fact. It was very disorienting.
As soon as the second eye was done, everything was fine. In my case the doctor adjusted my other eye to see better distance wise, so between the two I can do everything with no glasses and I was in trifocals before, so this is GREAT.
Good luck and keep us posted.
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