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Diary Leading up to Surgery

Posted , 5 users are following.

indygeo
indygeo

Hi All, 

If this topic is unacceptable to the moderators (being that it's not a question per se), I'm happy for this thread to be deleted.  I've been pining for a couple of days whether I should write a brief diary or not as I lead up to my surgery on Monday.  I just wanted to express my thoughts on this whole experience for my and others' benefit so that those who wish to relate to these feelings can do so. 

My situation, as some on this forum may know from some of my previous posts, is that I'm in my early 50's with a cataract in my left eye.  My right eye is more or less cataract-free and nearsighted.  I noticed my vision slowly deteriorating in my left eye (or maybe I was just becoming more progressively aware of it) over the past couple of years. With that has come a bit of depression, a loss of confidence, and overall frustration at not being able to see well in dim light (or any light).  It really snuck up on me.  I found myself wiping my glasses more frequently thinking I was clearing off the "fog", and oftentimes wondered if I just needed a new prescription.   It came as a shock nevertheless when I found out it was a cataract and I was told it might have developed as a result of the use of steroid nasal sprays that I had used at various times in the past.  I'll probably never know for sure if that's true or not.   It has been taking me some time to adjust psychologically to the notion of having a piece of plastic inserted into my eye.  I feel that some intimate part of me is being taken away, and indeed that is literally the case.  Virtually everything I've experienced in my life has passed through the cloudy lens my surgeon is going to take out next Monday the 19th with a phacoemulsification machine.  It's a bit weird to think it that way perhaps, but I do.   Being a rather analytical person, I've been doing all sorts of research (as many of you have been doing as well) in an effort to both understand the process and, through that understanding, to ease some of the fear of the procedure itself, however safe and effective  it is statistically speaking.  I've been to the NHS (I'm an American but live in the UK), a chain clinic, and a couple of private clinics.   I've tried to find the best surgeon I can, read the reviews, checked out YouTube videos, etc.

I've opted to go with a mono-focal lens in that left eye, set for distance, with the hope that I might be able to cope on the extreme side of a mono-vision strategy (2 diopter difference approximately).  I figure with my right eye I can either use it as is for close reading, or either put a contact lens in that eye or do a laser correction if I have trouble tolerating the mono-vision.   I don't feel I need to be completely spectacle free, but I would like to go "generally" about my day without glasses.  My father, who is in his upper 80's)  had both his eyes done a few months ago with mono-focals set for distance and he tells me he hardly ever wears glasses anymore.  What a great feeling it will be to see clearly again, assuming all goes well.   I feel optimistic and nervous at the same time.  

Can anyone out there relate to this? What kind of research have you done? Are/Were you confident of a good outcome?  Is it a big thing for you in your mind? or do you have a "business as usual" mindset with no worries?     Would be interesting to hear your experiences as well.    

G

 

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  • indygeo
    indygeo

    Posted

    Day 0.    Okay, so later today I've got the op.  Yes, a bit nervous but not too bad.  I plan to have a meal before noon at which point I'll not eat again and have very little water per the instructions I've been given.  Had my drop of Yellox this morning as well.   If I'm not mistaken I think I'll be able to listen to some music on my mobile phone during the procedure.  I hope that's in fact the case.  I'm trying to decide what song or songs to play.  I'm a musician of sorts and so I often know the duration of songs.  I figure if I have a long song on repeat, the procedure may very well be done by the time the second playing ends.   I'm thinking listening to music will also help me get focussed on something other than the procedure.   Not much else to say.  I'll be meeting a friend in a couple of hours who will then drive me up to the hospital.   It's going to be a long day.  I need to show up an hour and a 1/2 early and it takes about an hour to get to the hospital.   I just hope I'm happy with the outcome.   Will let you all know how it works out.  Cheers, G

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An indygeo

      Posted

      Best of luck.  Yes I have read some places allow  ear buds and you can listen to music.  I didn’t even think to ask - but my surgeon chatted with me during the procedure and he had a calm voice.
  • indygeo
    indygeo

    Posted

    Hi Everyone who might be following this: 

    Well, finally back home after a long day.  Arrived an hour and a half early for the surgery as required.  Nice hospital staff.  Finally went in for the procedure and was somewhat nervous but not overly so.  Was given a sedative delivered through a shot which took quick hold of me and put me in a good place.   Received numbing drops for my eye as well.   I think I may have lost consciousness through at least part of the procedure for I don't recall all of it.  Basically, I saw nothing but pleasant patterns of lights and the "washing" feeling within my eye as I presume they flushed out or sanitized the capsular bag I think they call it.   Within 20 minutes or so my surgeon was done and I was wheeled out back to my room.   

    My vision is still somewhat blurry in my operated eye and I'm hoping this clears up in a day or two.  I'm not quite sure how long it takes for that to settle out.   I'm perhaps too prematurely frustrated at present with the results because I was hoping for out-of-the-box great results.   I'm not sure how I'm going to adapt to this extreme side of mono- vision with my still good nearsighted right eye.  What has occurred so far is definitely an improvement over what I"d had before, but that in itself is not saying much.  Is it normal to have blurred vision the day of surgery?  I have to think that the dilating drops I was given are partially to blame.  It's late now... need to get some rest..  More soon. 

    G

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An indygeo

      Posted

      I bet you’re glad to have the day behind you.   It is completely normal to have blurred vision day of surgery.  They dialated your eye and that takes time to wear off.  I recall after 2 hours I could remove the patch and everything was blurry and lights streaked at odd angles.  You’ll very likely see improvement tomorrow.  For a number of people it is blurry or goes from blurry to clear for awhile.  Best thing for now is to get a good night’s rest.  I assume they gave you an eye guard.  I was asked to purchase surgical tape ahead of surgery so that I could use it to tape on the guard each night.

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