The @#%#% LIGHTS!!!
Had the next step in my cataract surgery yesterday, with the measurement of my eyeball for the new lens.
I ‘know’ they need to get good pictures and other things for the measurements, but dayum…
Four different stations, two different medications (one was a dilator), and BRIGHT lights not once, not twice, but 3, 4, or 5 times in each eye. Thankfully, JimJim was good enough to ride along to OKC and drive me back.
I was still seeing ‘images’ of the light bars five hours later, and one helluva headache, so this post is a bit short, BUT it was progress! Now it’s just waiting for the next step, which should be the actual lens replacement and being able to see clearly again!
Oh, and sections of I-44 now have a speed limit of 80 mph!
Four lights? Or were there five?
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Hope you recover, and good news on the getting it fixed front!
My wife had hers done and says she can see much better. She also had a torn retina repaired at the same time. She does need reading glasses for the fine print but does not need then all the time. Mine are not ripe enough to go through what she already has and you are going to go through. Good luck and God speed.
I have a yearly diabetic eye exam (blood vessel inspection) that requires eye pupil dilation. But that is cost of keeping up with vision and I grudgingly accept it. At least for peace of mind – becoming blind because of MY neglect would not sit well with me.
Yeah, that light is pretty bright. One of coworkers tells me of a method not having dilation, using a dark room and sudden bright light photo of eye.
Feel better soon.
Yeah, those lights are something alright. I had my cataracts done 4 years ago and it brought me back to nearly 20/20. It is weird being awake while they do it though.
Do not envy at all. Had an optical migraine a few months ago which was an interesting experience and similar to what you described.
EVERYTHING will be bright after the procedure!
Both eyes done about 4 years ago; mixed results. On the positive side, I require a LOT less light and colors are much more vivid. Afterward I’d have thought the wife had bought a new TV while I was having the first procedure! On the negative, I was corrected prior for distance and wore reading glasses. Now still reading glasses, but the monofocal lenses they installed bring me to NOT normal but not far enough to cut corrective glasses. So in the long run I have better colors and light, but my distance is an uncorrectable worse than before. Tech told me the multifocal recipients complain of the same results, so that would have been an expensive non-solution. Hope your results are better.
My left cornea has some interesting scars, so when it was time for cataract lenses, the surgeon and I agreed to configure that eye for close work, and the right (unscarred) eye for distance. It sort of works, though image sizes are different between the eyes. I came out 20/20 in the right eye. Whether it was worth it is open for debate.
OTOH, I had a different cornea issue in both eyes that needed buff&polish with a diamond burr. Most eyes go farsighted after that, but my right eye came out quite nearsighted. Go figure. OTOH, with corrections, there’s a lot less glare after the polish, and it’s still good 5 years later. And yes, it hurt a bit.
I get my retinas checked yearly, and after the bright lights, everything is magenta for a half hour. I stay at a hotel that’s walking distance from the doc’s and I won’t drive that day if I can help it. It usually takes 12 hours for the dilation to wear off.
Had mine done in 2021 and yeah, them lights are BRIGHT. The imagery they get of your eyeball is amazing. Colors will be brighter as I’m sure you have heard. Mine were done a week apart, left eye first. So the day came when the patch came off my left eye, and I took my first look in the bathroom mirror. Note to self: “Damn son, you just THOUGHT you were white”. Could really see the yellowish cast in the cataract in my right eye.
I chose to get the Toric lenses and also chose the distance focus as opposed to near. Weird week wearing my glasses with one lens. I now have a small collection of $10 drugstore readers scattered about from my desk to my workbench. I just worked my way down the display rack, trying out different power diopters reading the fine print on the labels.
Biggest plus for me is that I can once again see the iron sights on my lever guns. Having worn glasses since age 7, amazing to be able to go through my day without them. Biggest problem is remembering to wear safety glasses.
Good luck! Hope your future looks ‘bright’.
Sympathies from T-90min on my left eye! BP here is likely 10k/70. 😉
All- Thanks, and yes, I could ‘see’ again this morning… I am looking forward to it, and will go for the distance vision not the near vision, since I already use readers/computer glasses.
Nice to have a heads up on what to look forward to.
I need my eyes fixed, too. Maybe later this year…or next. Knees first.
Had mine done last March and my night vision improved. My exams weren’t as extreme as yours.
Story: My friend, Dirty Al, had extensive eye surgery done by the VA. Detached retinas and cataracts removed. He was in the hospital three days. Later, when I asked him if he experienced side effects, he replied while he was gone the county put up a bunch of new stop signs.
Hope all goes well! My SLW is having it done next month.
With any luck, you’ll love the result. Had mine done 3 years ago, like RHT had Toric lenses, distance. Have to use readers for close work, computer, reloading, but I can now see trees on the ridgeline of Taylor Mountain, 12+ miles from my back door. Improved my fly fishing immeasurably, even though I have to haul out the readers to tie on a new fly.
Left eye +30min. The world is *BLUE* now. Worst was getting IV in.
ONFO: Good luck! I predict you will be a happy camper.
Try laser spot-welding of your retina for an entertaining light show. Like watching a nuclear explosion without eye protection. Repeatedly. Or so I imagine…
Reading this comment about them shining bright lights in your eyes had me twitching a bit after having just read your “April Fool” short story.
Glad you can see again this morning though.
All- Thanks and yes, I’m looking forward to ‘seeing’ again. The grainy/blurry right eye is NOT fun by any means.
One thing they may not warn you about, mine “fogged” after a couple of years and made everything blurry again. I just went back and they use a laser to polish the lens implants. It’s a weird procedure. Kinda looking at a flashy thingy from MIB. Takes about 5 minutes an eye and works great!
I relate. After my cataract surgery, I have to see the Opthamologist regularly. Now, instead of the dilation and him patiently looking at my eyes’ quarters and me looking at his ear, they take a photo.
The first time the “flash” so they could get the photo made my body knock itself from the chair onto my knees. Then they wanted to do the other eye.
Mike V.: there’s a clear membrane behind the lens and sometimes proteins will start to stick to it. To me it was like looking through translucent plastic wrap. A few minutes of laser blasting and no more membrane. “Uh, Doc, if it’s there, don’t I need it?” Doc said nope. ZAP!
CC: every six months I get: an ultrasound; a pic taken; an old-school retinal exam by whichever intern needs the experience. No bright flashes, though. I’m starting to feel cheated.
I had that done to me to. I described it as the Doctor him playing Call of Duty with the laser.
Looking through translucent plastic is an apt description, or looking through fog.
Mike- Thanks for the heads up!
Candi- Ouch!!!
Robert- Yeah, I already see an Opthamologist already, so it won’t be anything new.
OldNFO, good move going for distance vision on both eyes and use glasses for close up.
I have glasses for close up at home all day, near focus for reading etc. Bifocals for driving and flying. Get the ones with the entire lower half for close up and have them focus at wrist distance. The top half sits on top of the instrument panel in car or aircraft, the lower half keeps the panel in focus and you go from inside to outside and back again instantaneously with perfect focus.