Follow up to my "Walk in the park"
Posted , 5 users are following.
I should clarify my post, and am sure sorry if I caused anyone undue concern.
My procedure wasn't necessary. In fact, some insurances wouldn't have covered it. My doctor told me that the cataracts were so minimal I could go a number of years w/o surgery. He followed by saying that on the other hand, no need to wait til it was bad.
It made perfect sense to me, in great part because the surgery is considered incredibly safe.
A week before meeting with this doc, I'd seen an optometrist who had told me that cataracts were just forming. I asked why she would have said that, and he told me that she was in the business of selling glasses. What would these things add up to for you?
I most assuredly would never attempt to steer anyone away from surgery. My concern is for those who aren't in need of removal. My doc made it sound easy and great. Had I known then what I know now, I would have been far more careful!!
My gramma would have gone blind had her cataracts not been removed. Totally different scenario!!
I do apologize if I caused anyone unnecessary fear or anxiousness!
1 like, 41 replies
lin59 janet1974
Posted
Sometimes the insurance companies will approve cataract surgery if there's a problem with things like depth perception or driving at night due to symptoms of the cataracts even if there's no change in the person's actual vision. When my cataract in my left eye was causing 20/40 vision in that eye, I was seeing perfectly out of it. I think either you had 20/40 vision in both eyes and were still seeing what to you was "perfectly" or you were deemed by the doctor to be having some other problem with your vision and that's why you were approved for the surgery even if you don't know it (you can ask though).
janet1974 lin59
Posted
Hi Nina,
BC/BS is our insurance company and they definitely don't pay for elective surgery.
I can't believe how little I knew about the surgery I had.
I know that my vision has never been corrected to 20/20. I've had issues with depth perception all my life, but never as bad as it is now.
I wonder if I should request my records from the optician and see what she noted regarding cataracts.
lin59 janet1974
Posted
Yes I think you should get your records from your optician Janet. And whatever was in your records about your eyes convinced your insurance company to cover the surgery. Why not get the surgeon's records also?
janet1974 lin59
Posted
I could certainly gather all my records and take them to another doc. Actually, I should just mail them to some of you guys!
When I saw the retinologist, he said that I should have the refractive surgery and following that, if I chose to, he could clean up the debris and whatever else gathers behind the eye.
After reading different posts on this site, however, I don't think refractive and cataract procedures are the same, are they?
During one of the discussions with the surgeon, he told me that I had decided to delay any retinal procedure until post cataract. That is not the case, however. I reported to the surgeon exactly what retina doc said. Also, his notes were sent to my referring doctor. Strange things.
Sue.An janet1974
Posted
Refractive is performed same way as cataract surgery. However in cataract surgery a cloudy lens is being replaced by a lens (iol) whereas in refractive (often called clear lens exchange) is replacing your clear lens (not cloudy) with an IOL. This isn't covered by insurance. It is to avoid wearing g glasses vs opting for lasik surgery. In my opinion this surgery should never be performed on a natural lens that is clear. Just not perfected enough and you risk something going wrong.