Measurements for the lens before cataract surgery
Posted , 11 users are following.
I have been developing cataracts for a couple of years now and finally my vision has gotten pretty bad.Last week my eye doctor proposed the surgery. I am highly myopic so she wants me to wear glasses for 2 weeks before I come back to take measurements. The problem is that my glasses are not up to date and I don't see well with them driving at night or at work. I wear glasses at home and day driving but put my contacts in for 3-4 hours while I am out at night or at work.Does anyone know how much this will affect my measurements? The doctor said wearing contacts sometimes during this period is ok but didn't specify how much is too much.
0 likes, 32 replies
soks rusanna
Posted
contact lenses change the shape of your eye ball. so they kind induce temporary astigmatism. this astigmatism could throw your measurements off. hence the advice.
rusanna soks
Posted
Thats what I was told, I do have astigmatism already and one of the contact lenses is suppose to be correcting that.
soks rusanna
Posted
astigmatism correcting contact lens have specific weight distribution so that they rotate to the correct axis. all the more reason for you to NOT wear them for as much time as possible before measurements. the eyeball will get to its normal shape after a period of time of stopping the use of contact lenses,
mak73 soks
Posted
Acuvue contact lenses for astigmatism work differently. They are eyelid stabilized. Do you think they still change the eyeball shape?
soks mak73
Posted
all contact lenses change the eyeball shape even the non-astigmatism ones. i would like to think that eyelid stabilized one would be like the non-astigmatism ones. but i dont know how they work.
mjcg rusanna
Posted
I've been told my a surgeon that the most important thing a patient can do to insure there is a successful outcome for eye surgery is to carefully follow the pre-op and post-op instructions. I would not wear your contacts even for 3-4 hours (that's actually a long time). Why not visit a local eyeglass place where they provide 30 day returns? I don't know where you live, but there are a number of good optical stores that provide reasonably priced glasses with 30 day return guarantee, or exchange. You're going to need a new pair of glasses anyway, so you could return with a new prescription two weeks after surgery (although I didn't get a new prescription until six weeks after surgery). Otherwise, give your surgeon's office a call and ask them the question about how long is too long. Good luck on your surgery, you're going to be glad you did it! Keep us posted!
Sue.An2 rusanna
Posted
Hi rusanna. As other have said to get a curate measurements you would need to remove your contact lenses for several weeks. I know it will be inconvenient and obviously additional expense but really important to get more accurate readings for cataract surgery.
ara21947 rusanna
Posted
Someone else suggested getting inexpensive glasses for now and I agree. I too am myopic with astigmatism and kept my nearsightedness with toric tecnis lens on my right eye. I am doing my left in December. I was surprised I can still use my same glasses without much difficulty since I use them for distance and I still need distant viewing assistance. I take them off to read. I will most likely have the left eye done with similar vision as the right. This is how I have lived most of my life and am used to it. Not fooling with monovision. I read better with both the same and my intermediate vision is better with the astigmatism gone.
rusanna ara21947
Posted
So you will have good near vision in both eyes and will need glasses for distance?
ara21947 rusanna
Posted
yes.
I know most of this group has a goal of no glasses ever after this surgery but some seem to think reading glasses count as "not glasses", as in just readers. For those of us near sighted most of our lives, its a different story. I didnt want to flip my vision world. I see people rooting around in their purses and pockets and everywhere for glasses when they have to read something. All I do is either look over or under my glasses or take them off. I dont need to search for glasses upon awakening or struggle to see clock or computer. When I leave my house I put my light weight barely visible glasses on and the same when I drive. Minimal to no halos.
At the moment I am reading well with my operated eye and also using the eye with the cataract for help. Hopefully it will only be better when both eyes work together and see close up . I have toric lens too so that helps intermediate. This is first time I can see the scale when I stand on it, without glasses (not always a good thing).
It was quite scary waiting for the eye to adjust to the implant; that time helped me realize staying near sighted was right for me. Everyone is different. I still had to pay extra for toric.
soks ara21947
Posted
" This is first time I can see the scale when I stand on it, without glasses (not always a good thing)." -- ha ha ha
rusanna ara21947
Posted
Thats kind of the way I feel ,I don't want reading glasses for everything ,I want to be able to see up close like I was my whole life. I wouldn't mind correction for distance like glasses
ara21947 rusanna
Posted
Its an important decision. There are numerous things we do close up and those of us with myopia take it for granted. How would you feel suddenly lost from your near world and reaching for glasses? Similarly, those who have used reading glasses for years see that as no problem since its something they are used to.
Sometimes I had to read what people wrote a few times when they said they no longer needed glasses except "cheap glasses" occasionally to read. If you accept glasses are glasses, then choose your poison, near or far. The exception is the premium lens where people really get both near and far. Monofocal is a choice and very individual. Even correcting astigmatism is a choice since you can get glasses that correct that.