When is the right time to do cataract surgery?
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi folks.
55 year old male, in the UK. Was first told I have cataracts just over two years ago. I've been myopic since my teens and current prescription is -4 in both eyes. No other issues except I had PVD in both eyes last year which has left me with floaters (I understand that this is a normal age related thing and is not concerning). Not diabetic, no other health problems.
I have seen two opthalmologists who have both advised me to wait as my corrected vision is still good. This is true when reading an illuminated black on white eye chart in "laboratory conditions" but my low light vision and contrast sensitivity have deteriorated. I still drive at night but am aware of needing to be more careful and get halos around lights at night and sometimes glare. Also I ski quite a lot in winter & have increasing difficulty in low light conditions (not being able to see the contrast of bumps and terrain on the snow unless it's a sunny day).
I explained the above to the surgeons I have seen but didn't think they really listened to me, just relying on the prescription and slit lamp exam. One of them said he would do it but call it "lens replacement" not "cataract surgery" (this would mean I would have to pay 100% out of pocket as my insurance company would only contribute if it was deemed necessary)
My vision is functional. I only have difficulties in low light or at night. I would quite like to ditch the spectacles (in so far as that might be possible) and now I know that I will require lens replacement surgery at some stage, I would quite like to do it before I start getting more serious visual problems.
So should I keep looking for a surgeon who will do this now or am I being a bit obsessive?
0 likes, 41 replies
Lynda111 BlimeyORiley
Edited
What stage are your cataracts? How dense are they? Mine were +4 and very dense. It made my surgeon's job more difficult.
BlimeyORiley Lynda111
Posted
Early stage. First mentioned during an eye exam two years ago. I hadn't really noticed at that stage (aside from noticing that my contrast when skiing wasn't as it was). Only in the last year that I've started noticing problems, and then mostly in low light.
Lynda111 BlimeyORiley
Edited
Early stage. That's good
Anyway since you get your health care through the NHS, they will only do your cataracts when they want to.
BlimeyORiley Lynda111
Posted
True, but I won't be using the NHS. I have insurance and could pay out of pocket if needed.
Lynda111 BlimeyORiley
Edited
Since you have early stage cataracts, there is no hurry. Take your time and consider all your options.
BlimeyORiley Lynda111
Edited
Thanks. I think that's the conclusion I'm coming to
RonAKA BlimeyORiley
Edited
One of the best things you could do now while you still have vision correctable to 20/20 or so is to do a trial of mini-monovision by using contacts. This is very simple to do. For example if your current prescription is -4.0 D in both eyes, you would fully correct your dominant eye, while under correcting your non dominant eye to leave you slightly myopic in that eye at -1.50 D. There are some small corrections to be made in converting from eyeglass to contact lens powers, but that would take about a -2.5 D lens instead of a -4.0 D.
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When I was doing this I found the UK made CooperVision MyDay contacts to be very good. I would expect they should be readily available in the UK.
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Not everyone is going to like monovision, but most do especially after they have done a trial run using contacts. Many leave their cataracts to the point where they can't see well enough to evaluate monovision with contacts. You have that opportunity now, but may not have it later if the cataracts take a turn for the worse.
BlimeyORiley RonAKA
Posted
Thanks I have tried monovision with contact a couple of times before but didn't get along with it. Perhaps I should have been more persistent. Only lasted a week at most.
I've booked a contact lens consult for a few days to try some different lenses so will mention it.
RonAKA BlimeyORiley
Edited
You have to be careful not to overdo it with monovision. When you get an "add" in bifocal or progressive glasses the typical amount used is +2.50 D. That is quite a lot, and certainly does give crisp reading vision. Using that much monovision is old school. The more recent trend is towards mini-monovision which is a "just enough" myopia solution in the range of -1.25 to -1.5 D of myopia. No, it is not going to give you the supervision close up like taking your glasses off when you are -4.0 D myopic. But, it is enough for reading the computer, your smart phone, and even printed materials in reasonable font size 8+, with decent light.