We're just back from spending some quality time with our optometrist in The Big(ger) City™ and he confirmed what I suspected: I need cataract surgery. In both eyes. This doesn't come as any great shock to the system as I was told I had cataracts at my last eye appointment a year and a half ago. But I had noticed my vision was deteriorating, so we made today's appointment to get our confirmation.
So... we go in for our preliminary workups on the 21st, with surgery to follow at some point in the future. Yet another adventure in growing old... which ain't for sissies, as we all know.
Hi Buck,
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping you will be as delighted with the results as my mom was several years ago after her cataract surgery. Now I ask her to read that fine print for me instead of the other way around. And she can see tiny birds up in the trees, too. She was near blind before the surgery.
Thanks, Bec. You've verified what my optometrist told me; his words were "You're gonna have a real 'WOW!' moment." While the thought of someone/anyone messing with my eyes is rather off-putting (to say the least), the thought of going blind ain't exactly peachy, either..
ReplyDeleteI know the idea of cataract surgery gives you the "willies",
ReplyDeletebut it's one of those have to do things. OR you might end up with a leader dog that would fetch you a beer and light up your cigar!
It's amazing how my brain says that I am young, but my body tells me otherwise. And yet I still get a zit now and then. God certainly has a sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteMy 89 year Mom just had mono-focal implants, spaced 2 days apart. She doesn't need glasses anymore and is thrilled. On the other hand, my wife is having multi-focal implants and this process is taking much much longer, 3 months between each eye. In the long run, I think it will all be worth it.
ReplyDeletePlease let me know if you need a ride to and from eye dr visits like that. I hate to think of you racing down highway 70 with blurry vision.
ReplyDeleteGood on ya' Buck! Get them eyes did asap. It's a snap...a breeze.
ReplyDeleteMy beloved Granddaddy, and my Mom both had it done, and they both felt like kids again. They both talked about how colors were vivid again, and yada yada yada...
The medical advances I've seen in my short life are pretty astounding. But, I think optometry junk tops them all. PRK, Lasik, and we've gone from Coke Bottle glasses to "no stitch" cataract surgery...it's really amazing.
You'll be more than glad you did.
Buck, echoing others here. Especially in this the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteThe Oracle was diagnosed with aggressive glaucoma when he was 40 (in 2000). Took 6 months to find a combination of 3 different eye drops to get it under control. Scary doesn't even cover it.
Fast forward to 2006 - doc recommends laser surgery for glaucoma. Each eye done 2 months apart; in and out of the office in 30 minutes. His eye pressure is now lower than mine.
The advances in technology that allow eye docs to do what they do - better than ever - really are a wonder.
Ditto everyone, Buck. My MIL had both eyes done and it literally changed her life.
ReplyDeleteWC: hop on, as in hop on the cataract surgery train!
Hmmm, aren't cataracts sort of like Beer Glasses?
ReplyDeleteThis is another thing I never wanted to think about. I used to think "Cataract" was a Chinese luxury car.
ReplyDeleteNeverthewhich, a woman-of-a-certain age friend of mine had this done last year, and went from bottle-bottom specs to Eyes Of An Eagle overnight.
No fuss, no muss, and she's astonished. Hell, if it was this easy I'd have a laundry list of high-mileage body parts I'd replace.
Stay cool, think good thoughts, and I can't wait to hear what it's like to be able to read small print again.
This is great news!
ReplyDeleteYou will be seeing 20/20 in no time.
I don't wear sunglasses anymore in the hopes of speeding up cataracts. It would be glorious to see 20/20 without glasses!
Thank you ALL for sharing your stories and your kind, reassuring words. All y'all have also given me ideas about going beyond cataract correction to lasik or something like it. Bein' free of glasses for the first time since I was eight years old is most definitely appealing.
ReplyDeleteJenny: Thank you SO much for your kind offer of a ride. I just might take ya up on that.
Say doesn't N.M. have the medical Mary Jane? Might be a really Happy Hour for our cataract patient.
ReplyDeleteBuck, I had BOTH eyes done--one in '06 and the other 6 mos later in '07. Came out w. 20/15 in both. Great. And let me tell you, toward the end if you let it go long enough, (which I did) driving will become TRULY dangerous. And toward the end it is NOT straight-line deterioration, but geometricly very rapid. DO IT, my man. For me the killer was I am super-squeamish about needles, etc. The thought of a local anesthetic with me awake hearing all the grizzly cutting was off-putting to say the least, but its GOT to be done that way as one has to adjust and move according to their instructions during the procedure, so you'll just have to grit your way thru, fella. BTW, they told me there would be some minor deterioration over time and they'd probably have to clean things up w. lasers later, but so far there hasn't been, so no need yet over four
ReplyDeleteyrs later & counting w. fingers crossed.
Virgil, you are spot on. #3 son was born with terrible vision. But, we didn't really know it until he was about school-going age.
ReplyDeleteThe young man wanted to be a SEAL at age 19, but his vision would not allow it. So, we forked out a couple of grand for PRK. Best two thousand we ever spent...except for...well, never mind.
Short of it is that he went from 20/400 to 20/10. His vision will naturally deteriorate over the years, but it really made a difference. He has saved hundreds in contacts, and optometrist fees since then. He often thanks us for it. He's a good boy.
He never did go the SEAL route, though. Suits me fine.
Seriously, get everything done to them eyes that is recommended. From what I have seen, it's worth it. I'm lucky...all I need is reading glasses at 51 years old. But I guaran-damn-tee ya' that I'm planning to take full advantage of EVERY available option when I need to.
Sadly, the older we get, the more and more sumthin' there seems to be.
ReplyDeleteGladly, eye surgery is so advanced now that I think you'll be just fine during the surgery. I'm just amazed that you drove home with your eyes dilated, but probably not the most dangerous thing you've ever done.
Say doesn't N.M. have the medical Mary Jane?
ReplyDeleteWe do. But I read somewhere recently that NM doesn't have NEAR enough pot to supply all the authorized users, so they're teaching patients how to grow their own. And we're not NEARLY as liberal as California is with their "dispensaries." The state disburses pot, as I understand the program. I could be wrong, tho.
Virgil (and others): Cataract removal ain't the same as PRK or lasik. I'll still need glasses but I'm OK with that, having worn them since the fifth grade.
Andy: Once again, getting your boy's eyes fixed shows what a fine father you are. Good on ya!
Red: re: most dangerous thing. Heh. You're pretty much spot on there, as well as about eye surgery.