cataract surgery on both eyes separated by one week

I'm hoping you can help me figure out how things will work for me. I
will be having cataract surgery on both eyes with one week between. I
am quite nearsigted and have a lot of asigmatism. I currently wear
progressive lenses.

Once the first eye is done, I'm assuming that I won't be able to see
clearly out of eyeglass on that side. I can't imagine how I will
manage. I will have somewhat better vision in that eye but the
astigmatism will still be there. Will we remove the lense from my
glasses?

One week later, I'm guessing I will have the same problem with the
second lense. While most folks return to normal activity a few days
after surgery I'm wondering if I will be able to drive, read, and
function since I don't think I can have new glasses for a while.

If anyone can ease my mind on this whole thing, I'd appreciate it.

Myrna

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> I'm hoping you can help me figure out how things will work for me. I
> will be having cataract surgery on both eyes with one week between. I
> am quite nearsigted and have a lot of asigmatism. I currently wear
> progressive lenses.

It could be helpful if you post the numbers of your Rx.

>
> Once the first eye is done, I'm assuming that I won't be able to see
> clearly out of eyeglass on that side. I can't imagine how I will
> manage. I will have somewhat better vision in that eye but the
> astigmatism will still be there. Will we remove the lense from my
> glasses?

That can done, even though it looks wierd. Depending on how much better
the operated eye sees than the other, you may prefer to just go without
(plan on picking up some OTC readers)

>
> One week later, I'm guessing I will have the same problem with the
> second lense. While most folks return to normal activity a few days
> after surgery I'm wondering if I will be able to drive, read, and
> function since I don't think I can have new glasses for a while.

Right. At that point you can discard both old lenses and use OTC
readers. It's a snap. I know, I've been there.

w.stacy, o.d.

Here are the numbers:

OD 6.50- 2.25,x061 and OS 4.50 - 2,25 x 121

The better eye is being done first. I'm not sure how I can go without
the corrective lens on the second eye. And will I be able to drive to
work?

Forget to add that there is +2.5 at the end of each string of numbers.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> Here are the numbers:
>
> OD 6.50- 2.25,x061 and OS 4.50 - 2,25 x 121
>
> The better eye is being done first. I'm not sure how I can go without
> the corrective lens on the second eye. And will I be able to drive to
> work?
>
Since your first post said you're nearsighted, I'll assume the "OD 6.50"
and the "OS 4.50" had minus signs before the numeric portion...

Either way, I'll also assume the better eye is the left eye (unless it
has a worse cataract, in which case it might be the worse eye.

Whatever, you will probably have a problem, and I have no real way of
knowing which is going to be your best situation. I suggest you wait to
do anything until the day after surgery. At that point, if your old
glasses seem not too bad as is, just wear them. If it's better without
them than with them, I'd remove the lens from the operative side and see
how things look to you. If this is intolerable, just go without glasses
(except for the otc readers as needed). Good luck.

w.stacy, o.d.

"(E-Mail Removed)" wrote:
>
> Here are the numbers:
>
> OD 6.50- 2.25,x061 and OS 4.50 - 2,25 x 121
>
> The better eye is being done first. I'm not sure how I can go without
> the corrective lens on the second eye. And will I be able to drive to
> work?

Why would they do the better eye first? That doesn't sound right -- if
something nasty happens (unlikely, but still...) it would be better if it
happened to your worse eye, right?

--
Cheers,
Bev
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++
"History I believe furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people
maintaining a free civil government."
-- letter from Thomas Jefferson to Baron vonHumboldt, 1813

Not only that, but I thought it was more common to wait a bit longer
between the two surgeries.

DrG

Dr. Leukoma wrote:
> Not only that, but I thought it was more common to wait a bit longer
> between the two surgeries.

I only waited 1 week, and appreciated only having one week of
significant anisometropia. With small, self-sealing incisions and
no-injection anesthetic, there is no reason to wait. My vision has been
very stable since day 1 post-op, and there is no restriction in
activity, unlike LASIK. That's why I now recommend lens exchanges (by
the right surgeon) for all presbyopic hyperopes (plus relaxing incision
for those with significant astigmatism) who desire refractive surgery.

w.stacy, o.d.

The Real Bev wrote:

> "(E-Mail Removed)" wrote:
>
>>Here are the numbers:
>>
>>OD 6.50- 2.25,x061 and OS 4.50 - 2,25 x 121
>>
>>The better eye is being done first. I'm not sure how I can go without
>>the corrective lens on the second eye. And will I be able to drive to
>>work?
>
>
> Why would they do the better eye first? That doesn't sound right -- if
> something nasty happens (unlikely, but still...) it would be better if it
> happened to your worse eye, right?
>

It isn't clear what she meant by "better". It could be the less myopic
eye, but it could mean the more myopic eye if the cataract were more
dense in that eye. It also could mean that there is another unmentioned
defect in the "worse" eye. That said, I don't think it's a big deal,
but yes, the "norm" is to do the more cataractous eye first, all other
things being equal.

Oops, make that "less dense"

> It isn't clear what she meant by "better". It could be the less myopic
> eye, but it could mean the more myopic eye if the cataract were more
> dense in that eye.