Cataracts Getting Worse - Page 2

isisagate · 03-06-2010, 03:13

Sucks your now cataract free yet, but glad it's getting closer... Gotta take pleasure in the little things like a nice salad and cod =)

breezeonby · 03-06-2010, 05:10

I am glad you got some good news! Hopefully, you will get your surgery date soon and you will no longer be seeing through a cloud. I snickered to myself when I read you took the dog with you! As a child we named our first dog "Fritz" he was a mini dachshund. He ran the household. That dog was so stubborn, there were times that we could not get him out of a certain room when we were going to go away...that dog even went to church a couple of times. I love dogs & cats! Anyway, thanks for the low down!

breezeonby · 03-26-2010, 03:46

Went to the ophthalmologist today for 6 month check up and found out that my cataracts are bad. When I went to the optometrist a month ago, he said I was 10 years away from surgery. Now another eye doctor tells me that I need to have my cataracts removed, in both eyes. My eyeglass prescription changed in one months time. The doctor said that I will be forever changing eyeglass prescriptions and will be seeing more ghost images if I don't have the right prescription. The cataracts are progressing rapidly and the doctor said this is the best thing for me. He said people with diabetes are 60% more likely to have cataracts. I am scared. I had so many tests done on my eyes today and this is a huge eye practice and I believe that their equipment is much more sophisticated than what an optometrist has. There are risks to the surgery. I have never seen such a laundry list of possible complications. I thought about getting another opinion but I am afraid this will confuse me even more. I went ahead and signed the paperwork and set a surgery date. I am still apprehensive about the surgery though.

Shanny · 03-26-2010, 06:21

You'll be fine . . . just follow me! heheh! Did they tell you that the implant will be ground to your prescription, so you may not need glasses as much as before? That's the part I LOVE about this!

I'm glad you're consulting with an ophthalmologist. Optometrists just don't have the medical background to treat all of our diabetes-related eye problems. I use the ophthalmologists even just for vision checks, since I have to see one anyhow for diabetes.

breezeonby · 03-26-2010, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanny

You'll be fine . . . just follow me! heheh! Did they tell you that the implant will be ground to your prescription, so you may not need glasses as much as before? That's the part I LOVE about this!

I'm glad you're consulting with an ophthalmologist. Optometrists just don't have the medical background to treat all of our diabetes-related eye problems. I use the ophthalmologists even just for vision checks, since I have to see one anyhow for diabetes.

I will follow you and after you have your surgery, I may ask alot of questions. I didn't have many questions for the doctor until I had to sign all of the paperwork. Did they try to sell the crystalline lens to you? My doctor told me that lens would be an additional $2600 per eye. If I had that type of cash, I would have that implanted. I picked up my prescription eye drops today. They told me that those eye drops are generic, if so, I would hate to see the brand name cost. I have to find something positive about the surgery and that is the fact that my vision will be better. My surgery date for my left eye is May 12. I have plenty of time to search the net for answers to my questions. I will not know that surgery date for my right eye until after May 19. Oh by the way, did they tell you that you would need new glasses? My health insurance will pay for the cost of new glasses following the cataract surgery. I don't have vision insurance. My insurance kind of follows Medicare guidelines and Medicare will pay for one pair of glasses following cataract surgery. You probably already know that. Still kind of scared.

Shanny · 03-26-2010, 22:11

No mention made of a crystalline lens . . . I know it's a foldable lens though - and the incision is so small it requires about one stitch to close. They dissolve the old clouded lens with laser, then vacuum out the debris & insert the foldable lens which unfolds & pops into place. It takes 29-30 minutes total!

Have been advised to hold all my diabetes meds the day before surgery, as well as my 81mg aspirin for the week. That's about it. I'm afraid I'm so excited that it's bumping my BG! Better get a grip on this, hadn't I?!

Oh yeah - I'll need new glasses . . . my frames are falling apart as it is, and my old lenses are about half-an-inch thick. So I'll need everything new. I just don't know if they'll do it after THIS surgery, or wait until I get the other eye done.

breezeonby · 03-27-2010, 01:50

Shanny, the eye doc said that the crystalline lens would be the best lens to have implanted. You may not need to have to use glasses if you use this lens. Too bad it costs so much. I would love to not wear glasses ever again. I am getting what they called the standard lens. Insurance companies only pay for this lens.

Shanny · 03-27-2010, 02:22

From what they said, I won't need glasses for distance at all. But for close work, reading, computer - I may need reading glasses. Shoot - I can live with that - back when I wore contact lenses, I still needed reading glasses then. I could prob'ly even find those old ones if I'd clean out a few closets around here!

breezeonby · 03-27-2010, 02:39

I hope this is the case. I tried contacts when I was in my 20's but was allergic to the thermisol in the solutions. I tried every solution there was. So, I just stuck to glasses. Shanny-after you get your new eye-splurge if you can afford to and get some new specs!

Shanny · 03-27-2010, 02:52

If Medicare includes new specs after this type of procedure, then they should be covered. I'll keep my fingers crossed. At least they won't be the $600-a-pair kind I've needed all these years with trifocals & half-inch-thick lenses. Thank heaven!

And hey! I'll have to remove the specs from my avatar! How about THAT?! heehee

Quote:

Originally Posted by breezeonby

I hope this is the case. I tried contacts when I was in my 20's but was allergic to the thermisol in the solutions. I tried every solution there was. So, I just stuck to glasses. Shanny-after you get your new eye-splurge if you can afford to and get some new specs!