I had the second cataract surgery yesterday, on the left eye, and had the same lens implanted as I did in the right – closer focus vs. distance. The eye surgeon called me one evening to discuss choices, so I went with his recommendation.
Visual Pun?
Today, I had the 24-hour post-op check, and everything is doing very well! Eye pressure = 17 (normal is 12-25 per the optometrist) in both eyes, and I can see clearly between a distance of 8-24 inches. I used to only be able to see clearly if things were within an inch of the tip of my nose, if that gives you any idea of the change in vision.
The other rather shocking – but amazing! – thing is that I cannot wear ANY pair of my old glasses, and have to wear non-prescription sunglasses. My eyes are sensitive to the light, the left very much so, which is normal post-op. Currently I am using the wrap-around cataract sunglasses, and they really do help.
I have another post-op visit in a week, and then 2 weeks later an appointment for new glasses altogether!
I am honestly so pleased with the results so far. I have worn glasses nonstop since I was 8 or 9. Right now, none are on my face, and I can function well enough to probably drive without corrective lenses. In the mirror, I look very strange because there are no frames on my face. I will get them back soon enough – not as soon as I would like, but c’est la vie. Then the world will be even more perfect.
I had my first cataract surgery last Tuesday, and the simplest most basic lens implanted in my right eye. I did not have a fancy lens implanted to allow this or that, such as shifting my vision near to far, but simple and close-focused to about 20 inches. In about 10 days I have the other one done with the distance-focused lens implanted.
Meanwhile, I wear an eye-guard at night. During the day, a pair of old glasses with a weaker prescription does the job. Add a layer of large sunglasses with shading on all sides for outdoors. Indoors, no sunglasses needed. The movie star look, I guess.
My vision is off, but livable. I can drive and read, watch television, and navigate the world as before . . . except no aerobics, bending at the waist, jumping up and down, lifting more than 5 lbs. This means no picking things up off the floor, carrying items, putting items onto the lower dishwasher tier, and any interesting number of things. I need an attendant or a mechanical arm, or “grabber” if you will. I have two of the latter, one long, one short, and they are definitely worthwhile.
I cannot pick up dog fur with them. Sigh.
The first day I had the eye guard on until my first post-op visit the next day. The eye guard is worn for the first 24 hours to prevent my rubbing the eye and to allow it to heal. There was a sense of scratchiness and itchiness, reminiscent of hay fever, but blinking to lubricate the eye, as well as closing it to rest, helped. The eye guard is taped in place at night to keep unconscious scratching and rubbing at bay, but during the day, conscious thought has to prevail. I’ve slipped up a few times, but am pretty good. I try to think “eye drops!” whenever the urge to scratch hits.
The eye guard is weird. It protects the eye, is firm, and has oodles of little holes throughout. As soon as I was conscious from the surgery, I could see. Peripheral vision was there because of the eye guard, and the ability to move around was good. Navigating space and such was rather dicey, but that is partly because of the remnants of anaesthesia.
I didn’t put on my glasses until the day after surgery, but wore them the next day as I was going to have the eye guard removed. I could have worn them the same day!
After about 48 hours, the itchiness of my eye stopped. It feels normal. To promote healing, I take antibiotic drops 3x a day, and 2 different steroids 3 x a day as well – 2 drops of one, and one drop of another. I have a check-off sheet because they go on and on for three weeks, doses decreasing over time.
I live in earthquake country. Catastrophic thinking is my forte. Visions of a major earthquake during surgery and subsequent blindness have wandered through my head.
One done, one to go.
The benefits of the surgery were immediately obvious. Colors impeded by the cataract no longer exist in the right eye. The world is a brighter place! I can see things close up more clearly. Putting a hand over my left eye, without my specs, and 3D becomes more of a reality than it has been in years. Hiding the right eye, I see that my world is dull indeed. It’s like being a little kid again, waiting for that gift you know is hidden in your parents’ closet – the anticipation is great and certainly appreciated. Hopefully no earthquakes on August 4th . . .
One more benefit of the surgery is I don’t have to clean house since I am limited. I got a housecleaning service in, and I am horrified by how dirty my house really is, and delighted at how clean it is becoming.
Having worked in the medical field, roaming through the emergency room and surgery, on and off varied floors, I am always interested in learning something I don’t know about things medical. Today I came across this video on YouTube, from the channel “Townsends” – purveyors of re-enactment clothing and utensils, and just a wonderful channel for learning all sorts of things.
Today, I watched and learned all about the St. Augustine, Florida, Spanish Military Hospital of 1784. View the video to find out just what amazing things were going on in 18th century medicine . . . if you were Spanish, you were lucky. Doctors had to be educated, licensed, and show they were still competent every 5 years to maintain their right to practice. Elsewhere, your life was at risk if a “doctor” touched you. Learn about bullet removal, amputation, trepanning, patient care, sterile and antiseptic bandages, post-op care, and more!
Ouch! My radial nerve is hurting. I hope that it is only temporary, from pressure from the healing process.
One of the best things to treat the swelling from the inflammation which is part of the body’s healing process is cold. My MD recommended the Polar Care 300, which is a portable, electric ice pack. An igloo cooler is modified, or specially made by Breg (the manufacturer), to pump cold water through a baffled pack. This acts like an ice pack, and helps reduce post-op swelling. Unfortunately, the bandages on my arm were so big that the ice pack did not get employed as it should have, which is very important during the first 72 hours. Ah, well.
My surgery was done in Valencia, and the Polar Care 300 unit is sold by DME nearby. Unlike other cold pack set-ups, the Polar Care is not bulky, very portable, extremely quiet, and incredibly well thought out. We paid about 189.00 at DME. Today, I am walking around with a tube to connect me to the unit, which I need to do hourly. Hopefully the burning of the radial nerve will diminish, cuz it hurts more than the surgery!
Ink, Yarn & Beer 