• I am told that while I was out....
• Then, 10 minutes later, I woke again....
• ...I wasn’t wearing glasses.
This is different from my own experience at cataract surgery 2 years ago. While it was a great relief – since I'm an artist, a painter – I can't really say it "changed my life". I did see clearly, the brownish tinge in my vision gone, though I still wear glasses.
But, in my experience or that of anyone I know who has had cataract surgery, I was never 'out'. My eyes were desensitized through freezing. I was never fully 'anesthetized'. I was always fully aware and awake.
You missed the best part, the part that I, being visual, found most fascinating, the colourful 'fireworks' inside my eyeball as the old lens came out and the new one set in. It was a trip like none under hallucinogenic influence.
You missed the fun during your “twilight sleep”!!!
After surgery, you must have had to wear the ugliest, clunkiest, most uncomfortable shades for days.
You leave these minor details out of your narrative.
The worst of it was the flood of sequential eyedrops that went on for days after each operation in diminishing order.
Mind you, none of this was painful and only mildly uncomfortable.
I hope this will give readers facing the prospect a clearer view and and greater 'in-sight' into what to realistically expect.
I still say the 'fireworks' were the best of it all. Enjoy them and best of luck!
1
Do you really have to make everything political?
1
Jennifer, don’t turn this column into another political diatribe. If you’d done your research, you would easily have found that Medicare pays for cataract surgery, as well as prescription glasses one may need afterwards. I’m waiting to schedule my second eye. I can see clearly now, and with no glare from oncoming cars, I can drive again at night
7
What is this Facebook post doing in the Op-Ed pages?
8
Yup! It's like a whole new life!!!!
4
My mother, blind in one eye since childhood, was too afraid to have cataract surgery on her good eye lest something "goes wrong". Her eyesight deteriorated until, at 82 years old, she was legally blind and started hallucinating - a condition called Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
With much persuasion and reassurance she had the surgery. The moment she took off the dark glasses provided, she got on the phone to bring in the house painters and upholsters and spent at least an hour berating my father and their housekeeper for "letting the house go to hell".
It's my turn now, at age 73, for cataract surgery; my husband says he may hide for a while!
11
If you used a violin bow to play a hand saw you destroyed the violin bow.
2
That full one-octave interval between the first and second notes must be tricky to hit on a hand saw.
1
"As I drove home from the Maine Eye Center — without glasses"
I assume your driver's license said that you needed corrective glasses. I hope you remembered to inform your local DMV.
4
And, imagine as well, adding to your well written sharing, that in addition to the restoration of sight, hearing, as well as needed profound knowing and understanding, during these conflicted, difficult, violating times that we could innovate ways to immunize against wilful blindness. Deafness. Ignorance. The everpresent, toxic, infectious, WE-THEY weltanschauung and fostered life style of so many.Man-made darknesses! Meaningless mantras garbed as explanatory answers for "illegitimate" questions presented in order to darken light-giving-menschlich qualities of equitable living. For ALL of US. Used By agendaed individual and systemic stakeholders of certitudinous TRUTHS. Imagine if all of such changes were available for ALL and as easy and safe to implement as removing a cataract and changing a darkened weltanschauung!
1
This came the same day a family member was diagnosed— thank you!
2
Brilliant essay. Absolutely brilliant.
4
I will be undergoing this myself in the near future, and in preparation will bone up on presidential order.
1
I am lucky enough to have no cataract issues, and also to be lucky enough to read Jennifer Finney Boylan.
3
I had a bad experience. The surgeon was recommended by another doctor. She was awful. I have double vision in one eye which so far is tolerable. My distance vision is not great even with Toric lenses but I read and use the computer without glasses, just as I did before. The doc flat out lied about several things. The hospital for outpatient was awful. Rude nurses and stupid techs, noisy waiting room, late even when I was first appointment, no response to complaint letters. They’re supposedly famous. I found another eye doctor for follow up. Be careful. If I were doing this again, I’d ask an optometrist for a referral, not an MD.
6
Store stockists will stock better. Customers will see more to buy. For starters. Tax payments will rise. Can one not blind spell win?
Cateract is one of the simplest surgeries available. Complications are very rare, and it could even be safely performed in a very basic facility. In the developing world, where 90% or so of the world’s blindness occurs, it can be done in minutes at a cost of as low as $25. Mine took 15 minutes in an outpatient center, I walked out with no bandages, and had lunch with a friend. Some people go back to work later in the day. For those interested in the situation in the developing world https://www.cureblindness.org/eye-on-the-world/features/one-life-changed
1
Congratulations Jennifer!
Your bright new outlook -- don't look now... -- helped you to write an entire column devoid of political mention or blame. I knew you had it in you! May your newfound sense of well-being help you to avoid the negativity of the shadows. For it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness... and you were getting to be a real Debbie Downer there making everything you wrote about your political opponents -- people who simply disagreed with your political take.. (Where you stand on the issues often depends on where you sit, and life has served you up some fine seats to the show, ma'am.) Keep up the good work. I lke the less-alienating-of-others look. Practice tolerance (but don't go overboard and become pollyannishtic, like David Brooks of late. thanks!)
A show of hands please:
Who believes in science?
2
Dear New York Times: You are a great newspaper, but a column on cataract surgery? Oh, please. This is a routine and highly successful procedure for many of us of a certain age. (I’ve had both eyes done). I am glad it worked out for the writer. But I have to say this seems more than a little self-indulgent. Or maybe it is just a case of rose-colored post-cataract lenses.
7
The point is that you 'sense' with your brain, not with your sensory organs. So, what is true for cataracts is also true for a hearing aid. It will jolt your brain into hyper-acuity. Also will ward off Alzheimers.
I am about to have cataract surgery in Vancouver, Canada where everyone is entitled to this operation paid by Canadian Health Care.
3
I’m sitting in my ophthalmologist’s office about to learn more about the cataract surgery I’ll be getting in June when I found the item. Great timing. Can’t wait to get rid of my glasses.
1
I loved this column, a well-articulated respite from the ceaseless bile that emanates from the spine-free bowels of Congress and the White House.
As a cataract-removed alumnus, I also spirt hearing aids. Hearing loss is another isolating sensory deprivation associated with depression. Ms. Boylan makes the point that too many Americans lack the resources to sustain their receptors of sight and sound into their later years.
I believe that we Americans share this collectively depressing medical deprivation with Syria. Aim high!
3
Congratulations! When my mother had cataract surgery, she came home, looked around and then asked me "Why did you not tell me my house was so dirty?" As if!!!!!!
2
Another terrific column, thanks! I’m really hoping that I’m not the only person to ask if you can still play the saw and how in the world you learned to in the first place? What occurred to you to try? You almost needn’t answer; for whatever reason I totally get it.
Cataract surgery is covered by Medicare, which makes it available to all over age 65.
2
I am glad that the writer's surgery was so successful. Her comment about cataract surgery being "limited to people of privilege" when referring to patients in the US is untrue, and an unneeded statement of political correctness. The surgery is covered by Medicare and Medicaid as well as by all private insurance companies. Thus, virtually all elderly and most of the disabled have coverage. There might be a co-payment depending on the plan, but for the people with the greatest medical and financial difficulties, namely the Medi-Medi dually insured, there is zero out of pocket cost. Repeat. Zero. And there also are ophthalmologists who donate their time for free surgeries for the handful of patients who honestly don't have sponsorship of some sort. I know more than a few of them. Some of us object to the rampant political correctness and proselytizing for socialism that masks for journalism these days, even if more acceptable in an opinion piece.
4
"I hadn’t seen him for 40 years, and his appearance had changed. But then, this could be said of me, too." Hmmm!! Great line! Thank you Charlie for fixing these small things, and thank you Jennifer for sharing the story. This cataract free guy agrees: it's magical!
I developed a cataract in my left eye very quickly...over the course of one year. I knew my glasses weren’t correcting my sight the way they should, so I mentioned it to my doctor at my annual visit. He scheduled me for surgery on that eye.
I don’t need glasses for the first time in over 50 years (I am almost 68). I see distance with the left eye and still see close with the right (never needed reading glasses). But...I couldn’t pass the vision test to renew my driver’s license. So...I removed the left lens from the glasses I wore before the surgery...going back next week!
It is a miracle surgery! When my right eye requires it, I will have that one fixed...of course, I will probably need reading glasses then!
I agree with all that has been said about the miraculous effects of having this surgery. I, too, had several years of being afraid to drive at night, being unable to distinguish faces when seeing them with a background of light, and having colors dim. No one has mentioned the other unavoidable impacts of better sight. Luckily, my mom was still alive when I had my surgery and she warned me....when your sight is perfect again, you will not believe how old you have become and how dirty your house is. Completely true - who knew I had aged many years and that there were dust bunnies in every corner of my house? I ended up thinking that it would be a profitable business model to position the plastic surgery office next to the cataract removal surgery suite.
1
Yes, my insurance covers it but we have an HSA so...have to save up for three years to cover the deductible. IF we don't need anything but routine medical care during that time. By then, I will be 65, so hello Medicare. However, I need a special type of lens that Medicare and insurance do not cover and the cost is $7200. And because of the six-month look-back I'm not sure I'll be able to use the HSA savings to cover that.
The whole health coverage situation is ridiculous. We need single payer, Medicare for all NOW.
10
Much like our accommodating to a pockmarked windshield, we don't notice what we don't notice ourselves. I, twice, had no idea I needed such surgery as I was just fine - right?
Cataract surgery is worth the painless effort and is indeed my only encounter with the medical profession in 65 years that actually had an outcome. I had to have two surgeries a few years apart, bc I didn't notice the appearance of the cataracts again until I traveled and couldn't read street signs. Insurance covers it as a medical condition, thus no need for specific vision insurance - if you have substantive insurance, that is.
2
I am curious about the bandages. I had my first cataract operation in Stockholm - right eye - and my second in Attleboro MA. Both were carried out in minutes and there were no bandages.
Perhaps you could explain.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
1
In spring of 2014, my ophthalmologist told me that, if I had a car, I would no longer be allowed to drive as my cataracts had worsened. In fact, correcting the 26 graduation tests I had was a task, as I saw everything double. To make a long story short, in September / October of 2014 I had surgery, went American (paid the procedure myself) as my doctor strongly recommended they be lenses to correct astigmatism as well. In addition I opted for far-sightedness. When the first eye was uncovered, a week later the other operated as well, I faced a whole new world: no contact lenses, no grey veil over everything, just pure contours and colours. As MSC writes, it was and still is a miracle, and I am thankful to be born in a day and age in which that condition can be treated.
1
I was awaiting my own cataract surgery in January 2018 when I began seeing double in my left eye.
One ophthalmologist said no worries. Once the cataracts are removed your vision will be fine.
My regular ophthalmologist saw me a month later and said it wasn’t my cataracts causing my diplopia but an ocular stroke affecting my 6 th cranial nerve. After my cataract surgery I had clear vision with more brightness but still had diplopia which required prisms so thick I saw rainbows. Literally.
Another neuroopthalmologist saw me and repeated all the tests and said I have.....
A brain tumor ..,,,
Wrapped around my 6 th cranial nerve about the size of a thumbnail .
I am now awaiting another MRI in 6 months and have to wear a frosted lens and see only out of my right eye
Cataract free
Moral of this story
Double vision isn’t from cataracts. In most cases.
And the cataract surgery is easy and effective in most cases.
May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month.
For support in my area call
Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance in Hartford Ct.
4
This article reminds of something we shouldn't need reminding about.
Everyone should have a yearly eye exam, preferably by an ophthalmologist (an MD).
That's how my early-onset cataract was found before I was even aware of it. I believe Medicare pays for this. If not, try to save to pay for it. There are also low cost clinics. It's your eyes, for heaven's sake. An exam can also detect glaucoma, retina problems, macula problems, etc.
And as I said to someone fearful of going blind after cataract surgery, without it, you have a 100% chance of blindness; with it, maybe a 1%, or probably less, chance.
3
Twenty years ago, the Portland, Oregon Art Museum ran an exhibit showing Monet's art as affected by cataracts and the treatments available at the time. His struggles were heroic. Since then, I've finally gotten around to visiting Paris and the Orangerie museum's grand water lilies.
I've got a cataract in the right eye, but the need for treatment keeps getting pushed back.
If you zare disgnosed with cataracts, ask about the new torus-shaped lenses if you can. Amazing results!
Thanks for this piece. I have a serious cataract condition but have been putting the surgery off because I felt it was too risky. After reading the comments and your well-written case for the benefits of the surgery, I intend to schedule the surgery this year.
I like to read and cannot read books with regular font size even with my very strong reading glasses unless I am in very bright light. So I now read on a very large computer screen, which I am doing now to type my comment and the background for the words is white and bright so it is more comfortable to read. However, I miss reading books.
4
Daniel Akst wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal (November 20, 2018) entitled "What Doctors Don’t Tell You About Cataract Surgery" subtitle "Patients should know about choices to be made about the procedure and postsurgery adjustments that may be unexpected." He mentioned things potential patients should think about before they say yes to anything besides the standard "cloudy to clear" lens replacement.
I totally support cataract surgery with no prescription change but people who think that cataract surgery that is designed to just treat the cloudy lens is also designed to correct their other vision problems with no side effects should be forewarned about the potential problems. Too many friends said they should have just had the clouding of their lens fixed and stopped there.
Also Medicare will only pay for replacing your cloudy lens with a nonprescription clear version. Want anything else? You get to pay for it out of pocket (Medicare Supplemental plans won't pay for it either). Maybe folks who have decent health insurance but are not on Medicare won't have that problem, check out the cost before you get too excited.
2
My mother had been a beauty when young, but as she got older, she resented and suffered about "losing her looks." I even offered to buy her a facelift when I had gotten a windfall bonus at work, but she turned it down. Her reason was that she was against plastic surgery on principle as frivolous and unnecessary.
When she was in her eighties, she got cataract surgery on the first eye; rather than being delighted, she was dismayed that she could now see her wrinkles so clearly. and complained bitterly. She then refused surgery on the second eye. Incredible, but true. Yes, she was a very difficult person. She provided a sort of guide for me on how NOT to age.
10
Or you could be like my Mom, who has access to free cataract surgery and refuses to do it, because she's convinced she will go blind, even though I and her doctors have talked to her about the risks. It's really sad.
3
My early onset cataract was only in my right eye and was due to the impact on that eye during a high school sports accident some 35 or so years earlier. I only had that eye done, which I don't regret because my ability for focus my left eye remains better, even though my vision is slightly darker in the left eye compared to the artificial lens in my right. I'm waiting as long as I can before I have the left eye done, hoping that they'll have lenses that can readily change focal distance before that one becomes a problem.
I'm 55 and blind in my right eye from birth due to prenatal toxoplasmosis exposure. The vision in my left eye was blessedly always perfect, or at least correctible with distance glasses. Two years ago this month the doctor did laser cataract surgery on my good/left eye. I must admit that I was terrified of complications from surgery and thus total vision loss. The opposite has happened. I continue to adjust well to the newly implanted lens to the point that I do not even need night glasses for driving. What a blessing. Ms. Finney Boylan -- your byline always presents something interesting. Thank you.
5
Cataract surgery sounds life changing. A family member recently had cataract surgery though, with one eye suffering from what specialists believe was an eye stroke as she went through intense and sustained eye pressure. She has lost most of her vision in that eye and has been told there is not much that can be done. I am a little more wary now...
Amazing wonderful story
best I've heard today!
Not only does having successful cataract surgery enhance a patient's feeling of well being, it also makes the recipient of the surgery less likely to fall or to get in a traffic accident while driving at night. This results in an overall savings to the health care system. Not making it available to all regardless of income or level of insurance coverage is ... shortsighted.
8
After much procrastination, my husband had this surgery on both eyes last fall, with similarly miraculous results. I asked his surgeon for the name of an international charity to which we could contribute so that others might benefit similarly. He was speechless, and told us that nobody had ever asked before. We walked away and I admit, we've since forgotten. Does anybody know a charity to which we can send a donation?
4
@SLP Lionsclub.org. They address many vision issues. Check it out and see if their goals match yours!
1
Himalayan Cataract Project
1
I am an exception to the rule. I had a cataract removed and a multifocal lens inserted in November. My vision was much worse in the days and weeks following surgery despite the improved brightness. The surgeon, a well respected Wills Eye/Penn ophthalmologist, said it looked good and there was no apparent reason. I couldn't read a book and my distance vision was poor. It never got better. The worst part was that two respected ophthalmologists could not improve my vision with glasses. Despite advice not to re-do the surgery, I had that lens removed a couple of months later and replaced with a standard distance lens. Following a substantial healing time, I now have glasses and can read again.
Please be aware of the manufacturer's fine print which, for my first lens, indicates that there is a small percentage of people whose vision ends up worse. There is an unfortunate and frequently repeated ophthalmologic term for this. "The patient is unhappy". The implication is one of a minor inconvenience. Losing your vision is no minor inconvenience.
11
Jennifer, I had cataract surgery at age 42, around the time I first talked to you about Centralia. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and being able to read the time on the clock radio without my glasses. Miracle!
5
I had cataract surgery but frankly the result was not awesome. My distance vision improved, but I still need glasses, and the fuzziness around car lights is still there. Is it me or my doctor? He has an excellent reputation.
1
@Allison
My doctor was quite up front with me about the possibility of difficulties and complications, and explained it was quite easy to come back for follow ups (such as laser surgery, which several other commenters mentioned). If you haven’t gone back to ask your doctor about it, I highly recommend it.
Same for me too, Jennifer. It is such a joy to read road signs again, and recognize students in the hallway that are 30’ from me.
1
I had my cataracts removed three years ago, and the surgeon operated on both eyes. I had been wearing glasses since the fourth grade, and they eventually became soda bottle bottom thick. I selected computer vision distance for my lenses, which allows me to read and see the screen without glasses. For the first time in many decades I could brush my teeth and see my face in the mirror without glasses. It was a face of a stranger, which caused me to laugh. It took me several months to become accustomed to my glassless. face.
5
Professor Boylan, you tell a great story, with humor and kindness.
I think your writing has improved over the last year.
6
A lovely piece! Especially the re-connection with a long-ago friend.
No question in my mind that cataract surgery and lens replacement is so life-improving: my mother, my husband, me, lots of friends of a certain age!!
4
I'm not an investigative reporter and can't verify this, but I have been told that with all the UV radiation in sunny southern France, most of the impressionist painters had to have had cataracts. Perhaps they took what they actually saw and added the brilliant colors that they remembered.
5
Honestly, the idea of eye surgery gets me pretty freaked out. If I had to choose between eye surgery and learning to read braille, braille sometimes seems awfully tempting.
In the spirit of the piece though, we should celebrate less complicated steps that enable vision around the world.
I personally like the story of Oxford Professor Josh Silver. Dr. Silver invented an adjustable prescription lens for use throughout the developing world. You don't need a professional optometrist and all the associated gear in order to correct someone's vision. You add water to the lens until you find the correct prescription. Tah-dah! Vision.
People who never even had the privilege of wearing glasses in grade now have an easily affordable was to see. Bravo Dr. Silver.
7
Oddly enough, I am extremely affected for several years now by the sun being too BRIGHT, and was told that it is from my developing cataracts! I want to wear sunglasses on top of my (prescription) sunglasses!
2
I’ve been performing cataract surgery since 1985, and have treated more than 22,000 patients with cataracts. In terms of safety, effectiveness, and the ability to rapidly and painlessly improve vision and quality-of-life, cataract surgery is the greatest success story in modern medicine.
In fact, with latest generation multifocal lenses, Most patients in their 60s 70s and 80s no longer need to wear glasses at all after cataract surgery. I predict that the paradigm will shift, and that in 20 years people consider wearing glasses a outmoded relic of ancient medicine prompting many people who do not have cataracts to undergo lens implant procedures Simply so they no longer have to wear glasses.
13
My 86-year-old father had cataract surgery five years ago, with almost no discomfort in either eye and excellent results. Last year at age 89, he complained about blurry vision that kept him from being able to read his beloved books. A follow up trip to the eye doc revealed a thin layer of tissue had grown over the recently-implanted lenses. In less than 30 seconds per eye, the surgeon was able to painlessly remove the regrown tissue. My father still uses weak power reading glasses, but he has 20/20 distance vision that is perfectly clear. That’s two miracles with his eyes. I am about to go for early onset cataract surgery in one eye, looking forward to clear vision in both eyes again.
It is obscene to me that such a blessing as this kind of procedure offers to most patients should be doled out only to those with a certain kind of medical insurance or above average wealth.
4
@Richard Levine MD: I pray someday that all people can have lens implants which are (in the long run) cheaper, safer, more natural and effective than eye glasses.
HOWEVER...to the best of my knowledge, MEDICARE -- which pays for the vast majority of cataract surgeries -- will NOT cover a multi-focal lens. They pay 100% of a single focus lens, meaning good distance vision but the patient still needs reading glasses.
The multi-focal lens is not a couple hundred dollars more but THOUSANDS MORE -- I think someone quoted me $6500. Medicare still pays for the surgery and pre surgical testing, and post surgical after care.
I begged for lens implants 12 years ago, but almost nobody would do them for me because I did not have cataracts (and was only 51). I had to settle for Lasik -- pretty good results, but nothing like a lens implant and Lasik wears off over time.
1
My mother left her cataract surgery and ordered us to pull over -- at a Burger King. So painless and successful was her surgery, a cheeseburger was all that was on her mind.
7
@Andy: normally there is zero pain with either cataract surgery, lens implants OR even Lasik.
Interesting that this column appears in the same week that me own check up revealed that I will have the surgery as well.
It's not something that has crept up on me (the darkness), but rather has happened all of a sudden. (to the point of reading glasses for the first time). I find there to be a blurriness occasionally when reading, but nothing really major. Just an irritant.
I look forward to ''seeing the light'' as well.
6
I recently had this surgery and it was far from a life changing experience. The only benefit is that now I can pass the vision test for driving. I see somewhat better but still can't read small print. So it is nice, but I bet the cumulative costs for Medicare is immense, perhaps more than the cumulative benefit.
@vulcanalex
It always amazes me when people are totally unable to understand that their particular experience might not be the same as everyone else's. So your surgery didn't seem to make a lot of difference to you and so you surmise it must not make much difference to anyone else either. Perhaps you had your surgery before your cataracts had advanced to the point where the difference would have been more dramatic or perhaps you just aren't the sort of person to really notice that sort of thing. Bottom line is your experience is your, but not necessarily everyone else's.
33
@vulcanalex
Do you think that that scientists, who have done extensive and careful research and concluded that the large majority of individuals with cataracts would go blind without the surgery, are wrong?
If so, do you have any credible sources to back up your disagreement?
4
Classic narcissism.
2
I had had cataract surgery a number of years after I had viewed in Paris a number of very large paintings by Monet he painted near the end of his life. Those paintings are more abstract with very vibrant colors - in contrast to the muted colors of his earlier work. It is now clear to me he had cataracts and was compensating with the color pallet.
4
Money did have cataracts. After he had them taken care of his paintings were nowhere near as interesting.
Cataract surgery is pretty amazing. The day after each surgery I was in the ophthalmologist's office for a post-op check, with better than 20/20 distant vision both times. I chose to go with the single focus lens that Medicare covers at no extra out of pocket, which was the recommendation of my optometrist. He said the disappointment rate among his patients who chose the high-dollar multi-focal lenses was high enough he could not in good faith advise them.
I use "readers," the half lens type that perch low on the nose for close work and just look over the top of them for everything else. This made much more sense than getting lenses that provide sharp close vision but require correction for distance, like when driving. Besides, I've never seen "drivers," which would need to be a half lens you look under to read.
The first thing I noticed after the first eye was done was how not-white white was when I compared the new lens with the one I grew up with. And colors are so vivid. Lines are crisp, not fuzzy.
For months the world was so bright, I needed wrap-around sunglasses to go outside, even when it was cloudy. Not so much anymore, but I keep them handy for those really bright sunny days.
7
It’s probably important not to confuse multifocal vs single focus implant results. The patient getting single focus lenses gets a choice of good close OR good distance vision. Usually the doc advises the patient to choose better distance vision and to use readers for close work. My father’s surgeon advised against trying multifocal implants as “potentially disappointing for his patients in his experience.” Your mileage may vary, however. There are no guarantees, but when it works, it is seemingly miraculous.
@Glen: I had bifocal contact lenses for a year, trying desperately to cope with the presbyopia that was making my life miserable.
I adapted to the focusing rings, but it was a real challenge. Not everyone do this. You basically see 3 different "rings" of focal imagery and your brain LEARNS to pick the one that is crispest. (Vision happens mostly in the BRAIN not your eyeballs; nobody knows this better than I do with amblyopia, strabismus, astigmatism and presbyopia, plus nearly legally blind in my weaker eye.)
That's why people who spring $6000 or more for the "fancier" bifocal lenses are disappointed. They think they will get the flawless 20/20 binocular vision of their youth, when it SEEMS everything is in focus from a few inches away to 1000 ft away -- because your flexible young eye can focus and refocus in a nanosecond. No older eye can do this.
However, almost everyone I know who has had cataract lens replacement is THRILLED with it -- absolutely thrilled. It is better than any contacts, better than any Lasik procedure. it is the absolute gold standard and has saved countless millions from eventual BLINDNESS.....with almost zero risk and zero pain.
1
My husband is a retired ophthalmlic surgeon who performed six thousand cataract procedures in a long career, as well as performing glaucoma surgery. It always made him proud that his patients saw better or retained their sight. There's an expression for this: doing well by doing GOOD.
24
"In 2015, more than 3.6 million cataract procedures were performed in the United States. For many Americans — including me — the procedure is covered by insurance. That’s a lot, but the American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that more than 24.4 million Americans have cataracts, including half of all those over 70 years old. Surely such surgery should not be limited to people of privilege.
"I’ll leave it to someone to the right of me to explain why the ability to see should not be the right of every citizen."
I'm still pondering the lack of logic (and leap of logic!) in these two paragraphs, and how this escaped editorial review at The New York Times, but given the sheer number of comments from outraged readers about the intrinsic evil of US health care, some fact-checking:
1. Medicare covers cataract surgery, at any stage an ophthalmologist deems the disease affects eyesight. Period.
2. The majority, vast majority, of patients with cataracts that affect eyesight are covered by Medicare (ie, it really affects older eyes)
3. Private health care insurance plans cover the surgery as well, spreading to the vast majority of Americans under Obamacare.
So, the argument that cataract surgery is "limited to people of privilege" is not just a non sequitur, it's just plain not true.
I get it, many many Americans are incensed at the medical care system we have here, but on cataract surgery the system works and works well. Let's not make stuff up just because it feels good.
19
@BGA
I'm 55 and on Medicare did to disability. Medicare would have paid for old fashioned cataract surgery with a scalpel. Due to my particular medical condition and having blindness in one eye, my surgeon highly recommended the more expensive and precise laser procedure. We ended up with out of pocket expenses of about $3500 for one eye, though we met the threshold for it being tax deductible.
@BGA
I began developing cataracts when I was 59. It was hardly an issue then, but by the time I reached 63 I was having to curtail driving.
I had eye exams every year, and my doctor kept telling me (a) I probably could wait till I turned 65 to have Medicare pay for it; but (b) if not, it would cost me many thousands of dollars (as, by then, the Republicans had already weakened the ACA enough that it wouldn’t begin to cover surgery)
There are actualy many people who begin to develop cataracts earlier than I did.
So, to repeat, tell me why the ability to see should not be the right of every citizen.
4
I had my cataracts fixed 5 years apart.
#2 didn't start until #1 had been fixed.
But I had the same reaction after #2 that the author had, It just creates a better brighter world.
My opthamologist did a wonderful job for me and also helped through a frightening period when I had a severe Bell's Palsy which delayed for 6 months repair #2.
This procedure is truly a modern miracle!!
4
Medicare does not pay for laser cataract surgery. It's free if you are willing to go under the knife, but if you opt for lassik you have to pay the difference (1000 to 1600 per eye) yourself. I opted for the laser and luckily my HSA eventually had enough to cover it. But Medicare needs to fund the latest advances in surgery, not only pay for the old, out-moded ones.
9
Welcome to the club. Except for hip replacement, it's the best surgery ever.
7
@John Bassler: although hip replacements are good things too -- they involve major surgery and a long hospitalization and rehab to get back anything close to normal activity.
Cataract surgery is a very safe, painless OUTPATIENT surgery that takes an hour or so, and instantly gives almost perfect vision to someone who was otherwise going BLIND from cataracts….there is barely any recovery, a few bandages for a few days. Zero pain.
I've known people with mixed results from hip or knee surgeries, but everyone I have EVER met who had cataract surgery was thrilled and overjoyed with the results.
1
The same thing happened to me--early onset cataracts in my 50s, with declining sight over two years. Sometimes it looked like I was viewing the world through a screen. It finally got so bad, I was all but blind at night, and couldn't drive past dusk anymore. I knew exactly what it was, but fear of going blind finally drove me to the eye doctors. I had cataracts in both eyes, most likely from extreme nearsightedness my whole life. I had two surgeries three months apart with a wonderful surgeon, and opted for the the progressive type of lens--which were pricey, $2500 a lens. I was able to pay them off interest-free over two years through a medical credit service. I must say it was the best decision I ever made health-wise. Four years later I'm still seeing incredibly well. The only drawback are a slight variation discerning some color tones, and I can't see well extremely close up. Other than that I've never seen sharper, and the lens have paid for themselves. No more glasses or contact lens!
4
What a coincidence! I just got home from my 1 week checkup after last week's cataract surgery, and I find this op ed.
They said it was elective, and I chose to do it. Vision much clearer. This cataract didn't interfere with my activitis, since the other eyes was done in 2013, but I didn't want it to get worse.
No pain, no problems. Took 15 or 20 minutes. Had sedatives and an escort to pick me up, but I felt fine.
I had a large cataract they said. And later they will remove the last little bit in an office visit, with laser. That was risky to take out now due to psbl infection, they say. Says about 1/3 of patients need that additional procedure.
I have to take 3 different eyedrops on a daily schedule, before and then after for weeks. No eye make up and no exercise for a week or so.
In 2013 I don't think the eye drops price was so high. This time the price of the Ilevro eye drops was $180.00. Shocking!
I called the doctor and he changed it to the cheaper Kotorolac--about 20.00. And he later gave me free samples of the Ilevro.
Glad I only have 2 eyes.
6
Cataract surgery truly is miraculous. A day after my first eye was done, I took a brief walk outside and was overwhelmed by the brilliant colors. It was February. But still, the world looked like Peter Max artwork. I realized that I had been living with shades of grey for a long time.
171
@MSC Exactly what my experience was. The return to vivid colors and being able to drive at night were temporarily taken away by secondary cataracts, which were finally dealt with laser surgery.
But it took years and years of diminishing sight to finally get the cataract surgery.
10
I have been performing Cataract Surgery for over 30 years, and I am still thrilled to see how it changes people’s lives in addition to improving their vision. Patients with Alzheimer’s often improve their interactions when their vision improves.
221
Sadly, in developing countries this surgery is oftentimes unavailable. My mother in law, a citizen of Jamaica (rural region), lived to be 100 but spent the last 2 or 3 decades completely blind because of cataracts. I wonder if this also contributed to her early-onset Alzheimer’s. I’ve met many people there who suffered needlessly from easily treatable conditions, like urinary tract infections. So sad!
90
@Judith
Vision and hearing loss are both associated with dementia, and both can cause pseudodementia. This is a condition where a person appears to not be relating properly to the world due to lack of or distorted sensory input.
In addition the loss of vision and/or hearing can cause depression which may also be mistaken for dementia.
32
I too had cataract surgery a few years ago, and the results were similar to the writer's. But recently when I had to renew my driver's license and almost failed the eye exam, I went back to the doctor to find out what was happening. He examined my eyes and told me that 10% of patients have to have another procedure for a "secondary" cataract—this time though it was handled by a laser, that in itself was interesting. He also told me that most likely the other eye would require it as well.
65
@barkeditor
I have to have that procedure as well. It was done for one eye two years ago, and this June I'll have treatment for the other. It makes quite a difference and is no big deal. I wish you renewed excellent vision.
7
@barkeditor
I had cataract surgery in September and the world was very bright, but soon I developed cysts in my retinas. They were a side effect of the surgery but completely treatable. I have been in treatment forthis condition since November and it is almost cleared up. My vision was also clouded by this “second cataract” condition which is also a side effect of the surgery. I am scheduled for the laser surgery next week and the week after. So in April I expect to have the vision we all thought i would have six months ago after the surgery. I am very grateful these conditions are treatable. My emotional stress would have been much less if I had known these side effects can happen. As a sometimes artist it has been perhaps more of a challenge. I just know my life has been on hold for over six months and i am eager to get it back.
11
what a wonderful outcome. I also have had to have cataract surgery -twice- and the results were quite literally magical. I am in awe of my doctors who can indeed fix small things -small things that make all the difference. I really appreciate you bringing up the issue in your column, I suspect that you will help bring sight back to thousands of us! Well done!
63
Nice article about one of modern medicine’s quiet revolutions... the ability to safely and effectively remove cataracts. But as a practicing cataract surgeon I’m not sure what the statement “surely such surgery should not be limited to people of privilege “ is based on. I can assure the author that in my practice, and in the vast majority of my colleague’s practices here in the US, cataract surgery, which is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers, is performed on all patients based on their need for the surgery, not on their ability to pay. The only exception to this would be the uninsured, and even then creative avenues do exist to provide the needed funds for the surgery.
There are a lot of great arguments for the US to strive toward a system of universal health insurance coverage, but I’m not sure this would be anywhere near the top of the list.
11
Cataract surgery has come a very long way and in the hands of a skilled, Board Certified provider, with surgery performed at an Accredited, Medicare-approved Surgery Center under minimal sedation you can have a great outcome.
Choosing the right provider is critical to the success of your procedure. Ensure you are selecting a Board Certified Physician. As a Nurse with 20+ years experience managing high volume (mainly Cataract) Ophthalmology Surgery Centers- your outcomes, your safety and your positive experience are of the utmost importance to the staff and the Surgeons. The happiness of patients who come back for their "second eye' can be seen in many of the comments here.
Re: comments here about insurance & affordability of these procedures- many Surgery Centers have a state-mandated Charity Care requirement. Ask for an application from your Surgeon or their affiliated Surgery Center.
ASCRS, the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, conducts programs through their Operation Sight Program and provides free cataract surgery to eligible patients. Each October they sponsor a NATIONAL SIGHT WEEK; with volunteer Surgeons, teams and Surgery Centers performing these procedures. If you know someone who needs Cataract surgery but can't afford it there are avenues of assistance.
Yes, there can be complications, as with any surgery, but the vast majority of procedures are performed seamlessly.
5
Depending on the type of lens you choose, your insurance may cover the cost of surgery or the surgery may cost you thousands of dollars. The first surgeon I consulted recommended the high price option and treated my decision like a used car salesman. I found another surgeon who was medically-minded and barely mentioned the high price surgery. I though that was a good sign.
The operation by the second surgeon was successful and I was totally satisfied. I told the surgeon that it must be rewarding to perform high success surgery. But he said that he is haunted by the 5% or so of failures.
A piece of advice — avoid the surgeons like the first I consulted and thank your lucky stars if you get one like the second.
6
@michjas Not all surgeons who present the different kinds of replacement lenses are out to scam you. Mine explained both kinds impartially. I had been wearing increasingly stronger, heavier, costlier glasses (or, sometimes, bothersome and expensive contacts) just about every waking minute since I was nine years old. When offered the choice of paying a few thousand dollars more up-front for implanted lenses that let me see near and far without glasses, I did the math. Fancy lenses vs. the cost of eyeglasses for the length of my life expectancy turned out to be very close to a wash. But seeing without glasses? Priceless!
5
I can relate to your experience, since I also had an early onset of cataracts. I was operated on my right eye at the age of 40 and on the left at 50. The cataracts, in my case, was probably precipitated by my extreme nearsightedness (left eye, -11; right eye, -22).I have only good things to say about the surgeries and their results.
3
I found out I needed cataract surgery when I thought my computer at work was blurry but nobody else had that problem. Went for an eye exam and the cataract was so advanced in one eye that the automated exam equipment couldn’t get a reading. It was also possible, in retrospect, that my blurry vision contributed to a bad fall I had about a month earlier.
I wore glasses since second grade (I’m 67 now) and it’s wonderful to drive, watch tv, garden etc without glasses. I had severe astigmatism so while my insurance paid for the surgery, I paid more for my Toric lenses. But now I just need reading glasses. I noticed the difference in the vibrancy of colors the day after surgery.
3
I love that your old friend, who liked to work with small things, was able to help you see better!
3
An unexpected benefit for me after the operation, was needing to use glasses for close work, since, as nearsighted, my unprotected eyes were always too close to grinding wheels, torches, chemical splashes, etc. I never had a bad accident, but now I’m forced to have some protection. (Also, as someone often using tools and optical gear, I opted to not get multi-focal lenses as they are a compromise that I might find wrong for my activities. I’m sure that they are fine for many people.)
I experienced what my optometrist called a "side-effect" of cataract surgery in one eye, which had a life-long and increasing astigmatism. Before surgery, I saw halos around lights with that eye at night. After surgery with an astigmatism-correcting lens, the astigmatism was greatly reduced. The halo, however, was replaced with horiztonal light bands extending brightly to both sides of any bright lights seen against a dark background. New glasses do not solve this problem, which is distracting when I drive at night.
I have no idea if others have this "side-effect".
1
@Cerky I have. I had various things corrected, which may be why it was less successful, but I am not that thrilled with the result, still having to wear lasses for screens and reading plus quite a touch of astigmatism still going on.
I just had cataract surgery (I'm 60) and I could not agree with you more. This has changed my life so much. I can see at night and I don't really need glasses or contacts (just for astigmatism which is minimal). I have not seen this well since I was 5!!! What a blessing to be able to see so well again.
3
I became an Ophthalmologist because of how amazing cataract surgery was for patients, and as a procedure. I now primarily focus in Vitreoretinal Surgery and Ocular Oncology. I agree with other commenters - not all results are great, usually because there exists another problem in the eye resulting in vision loss - so that a great cataract surgery still does not result in outstanding vision. Because cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective procedures that Medicine has ever achieved, patients tend to have very high expectations regarding clarity of vision and spectacle independence. I implore readers to remember that cataract surgery is an extremely delicate procedure that is quite difficult to learn and is by no means a "success" every time - especially in the eyes of patients with high expectations. As I tell my patients, I only recommend "taking a knife to your eye" when less invasive options (such as glasses) are not enough. PS - I get my glasses cheap at www.zennioptical.com (even though I have vision insurance, great quality).
10
You are a very interesting writer with life experiences and a sense of humor most people don’t have. Diet Coke we can get anywhere. You are much, much better than this essay.
1
I had a similar epiphany with my hearing aides. I kept putting off getting them for a number of reasons, including denial, feared disappointment if they did not work, Laziness.
My world got smaller and smaller until conversations were exasperating and listening became frustrating. I became depressed and disgusted with myself.
Finally got state of the art hearing aides. They are not covered by insurance and cost seven thousand dollars.
But They are an investment and necessity for carrying on life. I realize I am lucky I can afford them and feel incredibly guilty than many people cannot. They should be covered by Medicare. They are not a luxury.
By the way, cataract surgery is remarkably successful for dogs. My aged dog was bumping into walls before surgery. Afterwards he could see and enjoyed life again. I felt his exuberance and joy. Also worth the expense.
21
I may be a candidate for this surgery at some point. I'm glad for all the people who've had great results with cataract surgery. That's all I've read about here, and in other places I've looked.
But, I know of three people who haven't. Either the recovery was complicated, necessitating further surgery, or the results did not improve the vision. This makes me very anxious about considering the surgery. Is there anyone who could come forward and be willing to talk about a less-than-great result? We need to get the full picture.
7
Yes Jennifer, I agree. I was Blind Melon Chitlin (to coin Cheech & Chong's character) before I got the lens replacement. I was very nervous about the procedure and put it off for a long time, until I was peering through a cloud of smoke all the time. Finally, abgout 2 minutes under the knife and maybe 1/2 hour in the recovery room for the first side, and it was a "Come to Jesus" moment, I could see 100% better. A month later, they did the other, and it was trouble free. Don't put it off, it's a trouble free procedure, and the results were outstanding.
1
Jennifer, you are such a wonderful writer! I knew nothing about cataract surgery until I read this- and now I feel properly introduced - not with a sledgehammer, but with a thought-provoking, illustrative piece that truly describes why it's necessary. Medical coverage for hearing aids is another necessity that helps to engage people locked in their own quiet, instead of dark, world.
7
"...and his appearance had changed. But then, this could be said of me, too."
Love this, love the dry little line, with just a twist of the lips while saying it! Congrats, Jennifer, glad you had the procedure. My sister just had her surgery a few weeks ago, she described the same thing, everything looked slightly darker, more gray. She said that when the procedure was finally done on her first eye, she could not believe the colours of things. Everything was so bright, she was a little taken aback at first. She's very, very glad she had it done.
7
I had my cataract surgery two months ago. My cataracts came on quickly. Within a few months, I felt that it was too dangerous for me to drive, so I voluntarily stopped - despite my eye doctor letting me know that my eye sight was within the legal limits. I also waited until my eyes had healed and my new vision checked before I started again.
To everyone - please stop driving if you have problems with your vision! Your convenience of being a car driver is less important than keeping you and everyone else safe on the road.
3
"..the procedure is covered by insurance' - yes and no.
I'm 72 and have consulted with my doc about cataract surgery. As I understand it, Medicare covers the 'basic cataract surgery' only.
The optional add-ons include:
*using laser vs scalpel
*accommodating multifocal lenses
*astigmatism correction
these options add about $2,500 per eye.
While we're at it - HEARING AIDS.
You correctly discuss the depression associated with impaired vision. The same is, of course, true for diminished hearing. Yet Medicare and Medigap insurers cover virtually $0 for hearing aids - my 6-year old hearing aids are in need of replacement at a cost of just under $6,000.
Medicare is great but has plenty of room for improvement.
23
@T
There is absolutely NO reason that Medicare does
not cover hearing aids! If it did, the cost of hearing aids
would be a fraction of the inflated charges now allowed,
and the patient would be responsible for a small co-pay.
14
I was born with congenital cataracts, so I don't share the author's experience exactly. I similarly feel, however, that cataracts surgery should be available to absolutely everyone who needs it, without exception; as the author found, it is a swift, minimally invasive procedure that can completely change a life. Luckily, I've found that there are others who share this belief; I don't think I can supply a link here, but anyone interested in making eye care generally, and cataracts surgery in particular, more universally available should check out the Seva Foundation.
5
@Stephen My mother was blind by age 50 caused by a rare combination of Sjogren's Syndrome along with Keratoconus. There was nothing we could do for her, so I began giving her a "cataract surgery" every year for her birthday and Christmas. Then I started doing the same thing for my three siblings every Christmas/Hanukkah. Then my younger brother started doing the same thing! I estimate that over the years our small gifts have given sight to over 100 people in Nepal. Little did I know how precious that surgery would be for recipients until I had my life-changing cataract surgery a couple of years ago. (Many thanks to Ram Dass for starting such a beautiful organization.)
5
I was 38 when an old injury that I'd sustained in one eye as a child resulted in a trauma induced cataract. I initially experienced eye strain that I thought would be resolved by a quick change of my contact lens prescription, and I was shocked to learn I had a cataract. Apparently, cataracts are not only reserved for people in their 60's and 70's, but even so, I soon found that I was by far the youngest person in the waiting room at the specialist's office and surgery center.
My cataract rapidly progressed and resulted in near blindness in the affected eye by the time my scheduled surgery date arrived 4 months after diagnosis. It was a terrifying experience.
Having the cataract removed felt miraculous - to be able to see clearly after a rapid vision loss was such an enormous gift and I still feel a lump in my throat when I think about it, 3 years after the fact.
17
And since colleges are very present in this essay, how about if we brought eye tests back to all grades in public schools and provide glasses to those who can't afford them?
22
Cataract surgery is available to almost everyone that needs it in the US. It is covered by Medicare and generally reaches surgery stage in people age 65 and older. Only about 15 percent of cataract surgery patients are under age 65 and private health insurance takes care of many of them. Cataract is a progressive condition that begins early in life and without cataract surgery leads to blindness. Surgery is only performed when the condition reaches a stage that it limits people ability to function, such as when they can no longer pass the drivers test.
2
While it’s certainly true that there are problems with access to health care in this country, cataract surgery is in fact covered by Medicare. It’s important to remember that people who lack health insurance are for the most part under 65. It’s why some Democrats are calling for Medicare for all.
13
A competent doctor of optometry should tell you about developing cataracts - assuming you are seeing the optometrist for an exam regularly. However, I suspect part of the experiences described here are the result of relying on an optometrist to exam eyes rather than seeing a doctor of ophthalmology.
I also understand that cataracts are more common at an earlier age for people who are extremely near-sighted.
1
My wife has just had cataracts removed and new lenses implanted in both eyes: suddenly her sight has improved beyond recognition, she needs no glasses and is enjoying the beauty of Nature once again. All for a few thousand euros. She should now be able to continue working until retirement with renewed energy. In a wealthy society this operation should be available to all (compared to the money spent on weapons the cost is peanuts).
9
I am 65 and have a cataract developing for which I will eventually need surgery. However, I am terrified of it. Why? Because while the complication rate is only around 1%, that 1% includes both my mom and my husband, and their lives have been seriously damaged because of it. The most common complication, at 20% of the 1%, is posterior capsule opacity (PCO) which, simply stated is blurriness. The treatment is further laser surgery. In both my mom and my husband’s cases, they developed PCO, and had the further laser surgery which failed. For both of them, it has resulted in serious vision compromise, and affected their lives. My mom, who is very old, is in a wheel chair, and her life revolves around reading, puzzles and television. My husband is very athletic, and his ability to golf, ski, bicycle, hunt, fish, etc. has been affected and has left him depressed. Both were treated by competent and reliable practitioners.
14
@Deborah Klein What a shame that both your husband AND your mother have had complications following their cataract surgery. I wish you the best, and a completely complication-free, surgery when you're ready.
@Deborah Klein I also had a form of PCO which developed about two years after my initial surgery. My eye doctor sent me to Boston to a friend of hers who I will always think of as "the Good Witch". She was maybe 5 feet tall, with a strong accent (I know, neither of these should be relevant, but I found her so very calming when I was so very frightened) She checked me out & said "Vell, you are blind". I said "yes, I know that". She replied "Vell do you vant me to fix it?" I said yes. She said "meet me downstairs in 15 minutes". 15 minutes and 48 laser shots later the result was simply amazing. She is the Good Witch. Find someone like her & you will be forever grateful. I am.
My wife and I both had it done a few years ago. The idea that they must be "ripe" before you do them is not correct. As another reader suggested, maybe they want to get one to a very bad state so they will like the improvement more. Here in Canada, all this is paid for by the evil socialistic government health care -- my optometrist suggested that maybe the government thinks that if they put it off, more people will die and they won't have to pay for so many operations! In any case, it was great to see colours again with great clarity!
7
I would love to have cataract surgery. Have worn glasses since the age of three. Can't see a thing without my contacts. Unfortunately my eye doctors say I only have baby cataracts and won't do it yet. I guess you would have to pay for it yourself if you just wanted it to see. I am very farsighted so lens implant is the only thing that would work for me. Not a candidate for anything else. I still see colors but I sure can't see driving at night. My mother had it at my age. Do they put it off as long as they can now?
1
@Marie
I think that since any surgery carries risk, even relatively common cataract surgery. Therefore, doctors are wise to be cautious and recommend surgery only when cataracts become a safety or quality of life issue. If you can't see to drive at night, sounds like you're a candidate to me.
5
It is very odd that his optometrist didn't mention the gradual appearance of cataracts at his regular eye checkups. To suddenly ask if they were bothering him as a way of first mentioning them seems really weird to me. My optometrist monitors development of my cataracts every time I see him, and shares the photographs of my retinas with me. They are not ready for removal yet.
10
@Lyn: Some MDs wait for complaints. Some might do it deliberately: the longer one waits for cataract surgery the more striking is the improvement, and the more likely that the patient will be happy with the result despite possible difficulties or surprises.
3
@Richard Schumacher
the current wisdom is that you don't have to wait till they are "ripe." I commented more in my own comment posted about 3:30 eastern.
2
Jennifer,
I went through the same wonderful experience.
Reminds me of Cladius':
Turn on the lights. Get me out of here!
2
What a timely article; after having a pterygium removed from my left eye about 6 months ago, my vision was fine for about 2 months and then it was all fuzzy - turns out I have cataracts and the one in my left eye is being operated on April 29th. There's one in my right eye too and I think that's going to follow up soon after.
Fortunately, I have good health care insurance.
I would vote and pay for universal healthcare; I lived the first 40 years of my life in the UK and know what a good thing the NHS is.
16
I am awaiting my first of two cataract surgeries and, like Jennifer, I was asked by my optometrist why I had waited so long to come in. Of course, I had noticed changes in my eye, but never enough to consider cataracts (only really old people get those, right?)
I am lucky to live in Canada where cataract surgery is covered by our health care system. I will have to wait between 4-6 months, but I am in line. I know it will happen. This relieves my stress and makes me happy to consider a future when I will be able to see things I haven't seen in years.
No one deserves to be literally left in the dark by inadequate health care coverage.
25
But surgery should not be the only way to go. There is science and trials for cataract-dissolving drops. However, such a product would be a disaster for US eye doctors, when each cataract surgery costs $5000 or so. Researchers who have come up with potential products see their grants lost. Or companies sell these on the market as veterinary, away from human reach. You will see some at amazon.
Shame on the big medicine for this
@Inveterate: Cataracts are coagulated proteins. Clarifying a cataract is rather like un-cooking a fried or boiled egg. It ain't easy.
8
Thank you Jennifer. I had a very similar experience. For years every eye doctor I visited told me I had "the second worst prescription I've ever seen." It always made wonder who had the worst prescription and, for that matter, the third. Remarkable.
At any rate, I also had cataract surgery in my 60s and the difference was almost miraculous. I was so overcome by the detail I was seeing, I cried at the beauty of the world around me. I also got a headache from the sensory overload.
For the first time in years I can play golf by myself without someone else to spot the ball. And, the people who play with me are thankful the game moves faster without inordinate amounts of time spent looking for lost balls.
I share your enthusiasm for renewed eyesight.
96
I had cataracts removed from both eyes last summer, at the age of 68. I had been seeing an optometrist who told me every year for about six years that I was five years away from being eligible for surgery. So I made an appointment with an ophthalmologist who told me I was ready. I have astigmatism, so I bit the bullet and paid out of pocket for a lens upgrade. I only need reading glasses now. For many years, I dreaded driving at night, and I fell. A lot. I haven't fallen since the surgery, and I don't mind driving at night anymore. I'm going to have to - I'll be working for the foreseeable future. It really has been life changing. The only problem is that I keep losing my reading glasses!
6
"Doctor My Eyes" by Jackson Brown is also apropos, pre-op :_>
Approaching my cataract and lens implant surgeries my ophthalmologist assumed that I would want to be focused at infinity. However, I was strongly nearsighted all my life and appreciated the ability to see clearly and work up-close without glasses. I was also concerned by the possibility of over-correction, which would leave me out of focus at all distances and in need of glasses all the time. So instead I had him implant lenses that would leave me much less nearsighted, focused at a comfortable reading/computer work distance. We tested this before surgery for a week using disposable contacts and it confirmed my choice. My new glasses are far lighter and less obtrusive than the old. Further benefit: using glasses with lenses which are not very tall I can easily nose-peek below the lenses, and so do not need bifocals.
1
I've had successful cataract operations on both my eyes on the Spanish universal health care system. Cost? Zero Euros.
10
Took my 95 year old mom to have her's done a few years ago....A miracle.
2
My only regret was not paying out of pocket for lenses that would also correct my astigmatism. Insurance would only cover straight lenses. Disgusting how the optical products industry works but after a near lifetime of paying for progressive lenses and frames why would I have expected anything different. Don't even get me started on contact lenses.
A tip I pass along: Ask your optho guy if correcting to less than 20/20 will minimize your need for reading glasses. I went for 20/30 and am able to read and use a computer for brief periods without needing my readers. For longer periods I use the readers to avoid eyestrain. I too am eyeglass free for the first time since third grade.
2
The first thing I noticed after my cataract surgery was how very BRIGHT everything was! What a miracle this surgery is!
4
@Rich R - when I had my first one done (early, like Ms. Boylan) what surprised me most was the change to the back of the penny. I hadn't noticed it before.
2
I just had the surgery on both eyes in December. Remarkably easy and the clarity of my vision now is truly breathtaking. The colors!
What is interesting though is I am only 55 so considered somewhat young to develop them. Why? Well, one of the dirty little secrets is Flonaise. My ENT suggested four years ago to start a daily regiment of Flonaise to protect against repeated sinus infections (as I did not want to do the surgery). It worked wonders! I have had only one sinus infection in those four years. The down side is that while eye doctors know well the connection between nasal steroids and cataracts - few others do. They rapidly create or advance cataracts. It was my eye doctors first question when he saw them, "Do you use a nasal steroid?"
My reaction was..."omg, I will stop using it!" Funnily the doctor said not to bother stopping as the damage was done and with the surgery it will be taken care of (hopefully) forever.
4
I'm 66 with cataracts in both eyes which will need to be removed in the next year or 2.
I began wearing glasses at 11 - so near-sighted I had to wear glasses to get out of bed & go to the bathroom. So 22 years ago, I had LASIK surgery. My eye doctor (who was Ronald Reagan's eye doctor) waited years to refer his patients to a LASIK surgeon because he wanted impeccable results for his patients. The surgery was expensive & not covered by insurance. It took 15 minutes for both eyes. When I sat up I gasped. All the doctor's staff had a ritual of sneaking into the operating room to watch the patient sit up & react to being able to see everything in the room with 20/20 vision - many for the first time in their lives. I gasped.
Having perfect vision NEVER.GETS.OLD. It's a daily miracle e 22 years later, my distance vision is still 20/20.
It's unconscionable cataract surgery is unavailable to people w/o insurance coverage. I feel the same way about LASIK - imagine if everyone with poor vision was freed not only from glasses but didn't have to worry about stumbling & falling, wasn't disqualified from certain jobs & can't play some sports? LASIK takes only a few minutes & for most people its a spectacular & life-changing procedure.
Insurance classifies LASIK as a "cosmetic procedure" it won't cover. But the benefits of being able to see clearly put it far beyond just something to get out of wearing glasses. Many people would have LASIK if they could afford it.
15
Unless I’m mistaken, prior LASIK may complicate your upcoming cataract surgery due to the cornea being thinned. Best to get some measurements now, and a solid opinion.
Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgical procedure done anywhere Why ? Because it works and for most people as the article shows is life changing.So sad that governments,insurance companies as well as other medical care providers bad mouth cataract surgery as done too often done too early and not needed.
9
I have been wearing glasses since I was 3 and am now 66. I am extremely far-sighted and wear near-Mr. Magoo type lenses. People, including me, think I have big eyes, but really they are not. My eye doc told me recently that if I develop cataracts she could give me 20/20 vision, something I've never had. The idea of going without glasses, revealing my small, though bright, eyes, really threw me. I actually asked her if she could half-correct them so I could keep wearing glasses! She laughed, but I was really shaken at the prospect of not needing glasses.
I'll tell you one thing: If I ever get 20/20 vision, I'll be the queen of fashion sunglasses! Thanks for writing this. Congratulations!
6
My cataract experience was quite eventful. From the age of eleven, I had myopia, which grew worse over time. Then when I reached sixty my sight began to improve to the point where I had attained 20/10 vision. I later learned this can be a symptom of cataract development.
The loss of vision was terrible, especially at night.
Eventually, I had the surgery and recovered most of my vision. I still need glasses to correct astigmatism but only for night driving. The eye drops are the worst part.
One thing I might warn about that the doctors hadn’t told me was possible. (Why do doctors do that?). There’s a possibility of forming scar tissue and it will blur your vision. Your ophthalmologist can easily remove them with lasers. Floaters may ensue but if that’s a problem that won’t go away, lasers can break them up as well.
Have the painless surgery and enjoy the world again.
3
Thank you for your warm and heartening essay. I was just diagnosed with a cataract last week, so upon seeing the title,
I pounced on the article immediately. Thank you as well for your reassuring description of the procedure- it's enormously helpful to hear from others in the commentary section who have experienced the procedure as well. The doctor comically oversimplified his description so much in an effort to be encouraging, to the point that it had the opposite effect on me.
Such an affectionate twist in the tale regarding "Charlie"! thank you again.
8
They have cataract surgery "down" now--so I can't logically wish that I'd had cataracts at age 11, when the procedure was hardly perfected, instead of at age 64. If I HAD had implants from the start, my nose would be much prettier, I am convinced. Coke-bottle glass lenses have left a permanent dent. I had been using mono-vision contact lenses for many years and had my reading eye done first and the distance eye a week later--each time I went back to work next day. Now, unless I'm trying to thread a really tiny needle, my single-lens reading glasses stay in a drawer.
--Do you want to hear about my hip replacement?! That was great, too!!!
10
Often doctors recommend giving a patient a different strength lens for each eye: a lens that makes distance vision sharp in one eye and a lens that makes near vision sharp in the other. This is sometimes called monovision and if it works well, the wearer doesn’t need reading glasses or distance glasses. BUT, according to the Mayo Clinic (and to a friend of mine) there can be difficulties such as problems seeing at an intermediate distance (like a computer screen), some loss of depth perception, and seeing a more intense glare from oncoming headlights at night. At a lecture I recently attended, a well qualified doctor said she would not give a patient monovision unless they had already experienced it by wearing contact lenses of different strengths.
7
Although your story was particularly stunning because of the length of time you unknowingly had cataracts, I cannot help but feel left out whenever I read especially about people with old-age cataracts having their vision restored. People take their good vision for granted. I was born with the very rare condition of congenital cataracts. (My father and two brothers were born with the same condition and lost the sight in their eyes that were operated on.) I lived with my cataracts until after the Space Age had resulted in smaller instruments. I was first operated on in my 30s (too early to trust new implanted lens; my lens was removed, and I wear a contact lens in my left eye) and my 40s (got implanted lens in right eye). When I was younger, I had no idea what good vision was like (and still don't) and that I saw colors more dimly than everyone else. I will never forget how in upper elementary school, when printed text became smaller, reading became so much harder. I never went to special schools and got good grades, but I never became a reader. I never gained 20/20 vision, though I did gain a lot vision. I missed out on a lot of early visual development. I cannot see well enough to drive, something else everyone else takes for granted. Being born today with congenital cataracts is, I think, an early-in-life fixable problem. It just wasn't that for me. And, sadly, I never read about or hear about congenital cataracts.
8
Day before yesterday, my life changed, too -- thanks to the chair of a university Department of Ophthalmology who periodically visits our small rural hospital, has worked in West Africa, and won humanitarian awards. The precision required for this surgery is mindboggling! I've had no pain, which astounds me, and can even read already, before my weaker eye is treated or the operated eye settled down. To these "fixers of small things," whose hearts and talents and honed skill are so huge, is due our profound gratitude.
38
A very nice article and all, however...
I'm a woman in her seventies who has, in the past, been rather vain. I was smugly pleased with my apparent lack of wrinkles and quite content with regard to my personal grooming.
I did have a little trouble navigating the streets of my new home town, but, all in all, I felt pretty good about things.
All that changed with my too successful cataract surgery!
My first glance in a mirror disabused me of my fancies of being wrinkle free - what's more, apparently I neither pluck my eyebrows, nor am I able to apply eyeliner in an actual "line."
Moreover, I'm an astonishingly terrible housekeeper. - I thought thedirt was part of the linoleum pattern!
I do, however, now realize that Austin has street signs...
257
@Margaret1448
My feelings exactly. First, thought I was only slightly gray, second, lines on my face appeared, and sun damage? Don’t ask. My only consolation is that most of my friends have not had cataract surgery so I guess they still see me as I saw myself.
All kidding aside, I am glad to be able to drive to my grandchildren at night and read them stories that I can now easily see.
I chose to do the simple, Medicare covered, option. Like myself in glasses. Instant nose job!
15
@Margaret1448 They say that having cataracts is like having a facelift.
4
@Margaret1448, thank you for the best laugh of my day! And I'm thrilled for you that your cataract treatment was a success.
14
The author of this article was fortunate that he experienced no side-effects of cataract surgery. I had the surgery done for early stage cataracts at the urging of my ophthalmologist. I wish I had waited until they got much worse, because I now suffer from a common surgical side-effect of "floaters". It has been three years since the surgery and I must always wear sunglasses when outdoors, even if it isn't sunny because I literally can't see without serious obstruction from the floaters in both eyes. Sometimes, when they first appear, and before my brain becomes accustomed to them, it is as if bugs and mice are crawling towards me, and it is really frightening. In addition, every time a new floater appears, which is about every two months, I am compelled to see an ophthalmologist who has to dilate my eyes to make sure I don't have a retinal detachment. I lose a day when this is done as my pupils always take at least 6 hours to return to normal and I have to sit in a dark room until then. There is a solution to my problem of floaters, and that is another surgery where they replace the vitreous in my eyes with a chemical that simulates the vitreous. That surgery has its own side effect and that is a retinal detachment which causes loss of vision completely. I am torn about whether to get my quality of life back, as these floaters have taken over my life, or continue to live with them, and not risk another very serious side-effect. Please consider all risks of surgery!
8
@Lisa Silverman, I sympathize. I have a cataract (and some large floaters) in one eye, but my very good doc is asking me to wait as long as possible before surgery b/c I am congenitally legally blind in the other eye. I am not enjoying the slow loss of good vision, and I know that eventually I'll have to get the good eye operated on, but I understand his wealth of caution. I had an early cataract operation in the weak eye and some retinal repair too which, at least, helped preserve the small amount of vision I do have in it. Life gets complicated and vision is so important to everyone. Best of luck to you.
5
@Marilyn
Thank you!!
@Lisa Silverman regarding having to dilate your eyes so very often- I have my eyes checked yearly due to diabetes, but for several years now my dr has used a machine to take a picture of each retina instead of dilation followed by a manual exam. The best thing is one can compare this year’s picture with one from years ago to see if there are any changes. As an engineer I trust this method far more than a manual exam after dilation. I’ve also been told more of the retina can be seen with this method. The procedure adds $35 to my yearly exam. I wonder if the same thing would work for your more frequent exams? It may be worth inquiring.
2
Cataract surgery was a life changer for me. I had surgery at age 42 when I could no longer drive or see my children's faces across the dinner table. I went from legally blind without glasses all my life to 20/30 vision. When my doctor suggested I would have 20/20 I thought she was joking.
I believe cataracts and the lose of light and colors may be a significant unknown contributor to depression in the elderly. Doctors should routinely check the elderly for cataracts. I am told it has the highest satisfaction rate of all surgeries.
13
I'm 71 and had my cataract surgeries and lens implants done about 5 years ago. I had been extremely near sighted since 2nd grade. I had one eye adjusted for distance and the other for reading and sitting at the computer. It works beautifully. I don't even need reading glasses. It was a game changer in my life. Everyone who needs this should have access to it.
7
I remember after having my first cataract removed, walking into our local grocery store and being absolutely stunned. There was the flower counter, the one I saw every week, but brilliant colors were leaping out at me! I literally stood there for 20 minutes feeling overjoyed. I had no idea that cataract removal was going to affect my ability to see color. At the checkout counter, I noticed beach chairs on stand raised above the floor. I was ecstatic to see how beautiful they were! Again, I stood in awe for 5 or 10 minutes and wondered, "How could I have forgotten color all these years?" When I went to check out, I couldn't help asking the clerk, "Have you ever noticed the colors of those chairs? I mean, they're fantastic!" She was a young woman and sweetly agreed with me that, indeed, they were very attractive chairs.
21
@Katherine
Good for you! :D
I once talked with a lady who, upon having had her surgery, discovered the color she had painted her kitchen did NOT match the tile!
13
I ha ve vision in one eye because of an accident when I was six. But I also had very good distance vision until about eight years ago when it began to diminish secondary to a cataract.
Medicare has strict and appropriate criteria for covering cataract surgery. When I met the criteria I was scheduled for surgery.
My physician is highly skilled with a vast experience but I was terrified for a serious but extremely rare complcation would leave me blind.
The Versed infiltrated so I had minimal sedation but all went well and now I wish I had been able to have had the procedure years ago.It was life changing.
Choose your surgeon carefully. As a wise surgeon told us medical students many decades ago " There are no minor surgical procedures but there are minor surgeons".
15
I also lost sight on one eye when I was 6 years old due to an accident, the right eye in my case. I am now 86 and cataracts are appearing in my left eye which are effecting my vision, especially when driving at night.
I am considering surgery but am concerned about the risk. Does anyone know what the statistical risk of failure is?
2
@Rosentrekker
The risk may be 1.0%, but 100% if you have the
serious complication. I suggest considering
your age (I am also 86, and a physician) you
stop driving at night. You and I are fortunate
to be driving sat this age.
2
@Rosentrekker As noted here the risk is minimal particularly if you have an experienced physician. I also am a physician, 80 and in good health and did not want to live out my remaining years despite glasses unable to see street signs, follow the flight of my golf ball or see a dry fly on the stream.
And as a physician must mimic the note below if it happens to you the risk is 100%.
If you have a reasonable life expectancy and are really frustrated by your loss of vision I would go far it.
After cataract surgery, I fell in love with the color blue, which I didn't realize had gone missing. The sky was a revelation. The ocean mesmerized. All color was brilliant, and the world resembled a Fauvist painting. I had the eyes done weeks apart, and I was able to change my vision with a wink. Washed out sepia to explosive color - I never tired of it. The experience felt like a metaphor for living: what dazzles may be right in front of me, if I can open my heart. Beyond this, I am impressed with the author's ability to name the presidents backward, on Versed!
47
I'm 64 and was recently told that I have cataracts growing in both eye, the right one bigger than the left. As a It professional who has been staring at monitors for the last 30 years, it was disheartening to read that blue light originating from TVs, monitors, and tablets is the reason for the rise in cataracts among younger people.
I will have to have mine removed soon, my nighttime driving is getting worst and so is my vision generally.
1
@Mike D I did not know that blue light could be a factor in cataract development. I am 65 and just retired. Like you, I was in IT since the mid 1980's, worked several years primarily with monitors (these were the early years of PCs) and from that went into other related It areas, always with a computer near. 2 months ago eye check found left eye has cataract. My night vision suffers too. ..
1
This is an excellent opportunity to inform everyone of the wonderful work performed by the Himalayan Cataract Project. Please read up on this wonderful organization and donate. You can make such an difference in the lives of people for whom the loss of vision can be an insurmountable obstacle.
43
I also recently had cataract surgery, and I can now see without glasses, although I still need reading glasses.
My own eye doctor was a specialist and did the surgery. Nevertheless, I was afraid to do it and actually put it off for months. The whole operation takes about 15 minutes, you are sedated and feel no pain whatsoever. The sedation was just to aid with anxiety, and I was conscious throughout.
Recovery also wasn't bad, you can't lift heavy things for a while, but within weeks can do anything.
So I would encourage anyone who is told to do it, to just do it. I am 70, wore glasses since I was 10, and feel like it was a miracle. I can also buy reading glasses for a few dollars at a drug store, and won't have the yearly expense of my vision always changing.
11
I had both of my eyes experience cataract surgery a couple years ago and concur wholly with your thoughts.
But be careful of the potential side effects of such surgery. Two weeks ago, I had a retinal tear and detachment in my right eye - and went through immediate (successful) surgery to put things right. It is much more serious surgery and it's vitally important to have it done immediately.
My subsequent research has shown that if you have cataract surgery, you are FOUR TIMES more likely to have a retinal detachment within four years.
No surgery is perfectly safe. Be careful about potential symptoms and the telltale signs of their onset.
29
I had cataract surgery on both eyes in my early 50s. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable driving--I just couldn't see clearly--and found myself hesitating when I went down stairs because I could see the edge of the stair. Because I had worn monovision contact lenses (one adjusted for near vision, the other for far vision), I did the same with my implants and so now can see near and far without glasses.
I immediately noticed an increase in floaters, which have only worsened in the past 15 years. Irritating, but a small price to pay. Had the surgery not been an option, I would have been functionally blind by now. No exaggeration to say that the surgery changed the course of my life.
13
@Lynne
should be *couldn't* see the edge of the stair.
1
@Lynne
Also had it in my early fifties and it's been great.
I had my cataract operation 2 years ago. My wife says I have bionic eyes now. It had been hard for me to read, and driving at night was dangerous because of the glare. When the first eye's bandage came off, I was amazed to be able to see so clearly without glasses. Now I can read again, and drive at night again!
That operation made a big difference in my life. Everyone with cataracts should be able to have it, too. We need to change our health care system to make that possible.
11
Heartwarming. I expect I will eventually need this myself. Glad to hear it worked so well.
7
Have the surgery. Some of us have eye issues for which there is no surgery.
8
I had the surgery two weeks ago in my left eye, and in another two weeks the right eye will be done. So far, so good.
The real test was, my wife said once you have cataract surgery then you'll be able to see the "dust". I see the dust now!
5
@cherrylog754 Some say "Dust protects the finish."
(Do I hear a sigh or a slight chuckle?)
1
This article almost makes me hope I'll develop cataracts.
And this charmed me:
"I hadn’t seen him for 40 years, and his appearance had changed. But then, this could be said of me, too."
Thanks for the deft swipe of humor.
27
My ophthalmologist had been monitoring my cataracts for a number of years, til one year she said it was time to treat them. Had them done under my work insurance when I was 64. Having been extremely nearsighted all my life, I can now see without glasses and only need readers for reading books or working on the computer!
3
I had the surgery several months ago. For the first time since I was 9 years old I can function without glasses. Maybe more importantly I can drive at night without the debilitating glare that made driving after dark so difficult, and I’m sure, risky.
6
I have had extreme myopia my whole life, beginning with the first pair of glasses in the third grade. After having cataract surgery two years ago with the lens implants, for the first time in my life I could see at a distance! It was and is life-changing. I wear reading glasses now, and my eyes have adjusted slightly since the surgery, but it still seems like a miracle. Yes, everyone deserves the right to see clearly. Good eye health is essential to getting along in life. Thank you for the lovely op-ed.
10
I had dreadful sight. Extreme nearsightedness and astigmatism. Of course you assume that's just how things are. Loved sports, but the bottle-thick lenses made it ... awkward. I probably qualified as vision impaired, but never checked.
Laser surgery wasn't an option, because of astigmatism and eye shape.
Eventually I found a balance. I'd wear contacts and glasses at the same time. Contacts weren't effective enough on their own, but let me wear much thinner glasses. Took a while for me to figure out the right combination, but it worked all right.
Maybe that's why an ophthalmologist looked at me and explained that if I had cataracts, my eyes could get fixed. She saw something cloudy, she thought. But I had to say it was clouding up my vision. I didn't see clouds, but told her the idea of seeing well was fantastic. She repeated that I had to say the clouds were interfering my vision.
Despite my thick skull, eventually I got it. Oh yes, my vision is cloudy. I got the surgery. The surgeon told me I had the second-worst eyes she'd ever fixed. It's a new world.
25
I too, had "early" cataracts. I still wear weak glasses for computer work and playing the piano, but not for anything else. My only complaint is that I cannot thread a needle or read the tiny print on bottles without stronger glasses. I also went to Wesleyan, I wonder if there is a connection.
5
I was so excited to be able to have cataract surgery once I had Medicare as my work requires reading all day, every day. Then I learned that I would need special (toric) lenses for heavy reading at an additional cost of nearly $6,000--a very substantial sum for a senior. I thought there would be a trade-off by no longer needing glasses. While I can see without glasses for every day tasks, the irony is that I still need reading glasses. Not inexpensive drug store reading glasses, but progressive lenses at $600 plus. My doctor was educated at Yale, Harvard and a top eye specialty center and was highly recommended. Many people enjoy excellent vision after surgery, but for others there are additional costs and less impressive results. Make sure your eye specialist gives you a clear understanding of the likely results and all potential costs before surgery. At the final post op appointment, the doctor's optician recommended 3 pairs of glasses, one for work, one for night driving and sun glasses. Funny, but before surgery, I only needed one pair of glasses to serve all those functions.
15
@Susan Taylor
I completely agree. I had cataract surgery and now need reading glasses to read for the first time. The distance vision in one eye is great but I can no longer read very fine print on recipes, credit cards, prescription bottles, etc. without a magnifying glass and reading in bed is no longer the pleasure it once was. This result was perhaps impossible to avoid but I wish the doctor had spent more time explaining before hand what to expect.
9
My wife and I had the cataract surgery done couple of years ago, and we don't need to wear glasses. Medicare covers the surgery without bells and whistles, and it is all that is needed in most cases. You don't even have to go through a two week regiments of eye drops anymore. I don't know why millions of Americans don't have it done. Besides the coverage, education about safety and simplicity of the procedure should be part of a public relations campaign.
14
I share in the joy and excitement Ms. Finney Boylan is experiencing. Embrace it, relish is, remember it. I truly hope she will be one of the cataract recipients who's eyes do not go back to developing additional cataracts and/or spots as was the case with my husband. He was on cloud 9, 10 and 11 for many months until those clouds began to slowly evaporate, rendering him with impaired vision, once again. His eye doctor said the eyes, like all body parts, continue to grow old and gradually deteriorate. He can see fine with glasses, but those days of glee and giddiness are gone. For him, he never lost sight of what truly matter - the ability to see - regardless of the hardware or lack there of.
11
It may be that the posterior lens capsule has become cloudy. I think this may be correctable with an in-office laser procedure.
2
After my cataract surgery last summer light flooded into my eyes. Bright light and clarity. Now I can clearly see people's eyes and subtle facial expressions. The sky is crisp blue. I can easily distinguish between midnight blue and black. I can drive legally without corrective eyeglasses; wearing regular sunglasses while driving is a blast!
Sadly, prescription eyeglasses are a racket. Why regulators permitted Luxottica to acquire Essilor and thus establish a near monopoly on frames and lenses is a mystery to me. Many people go online to shop for their prescription glasses but this doesn't work for everyone. To fight this, optometrists write prescriptions with truncated expiration dates, sometimes in violation of state law. And although required to do so by the FTC, some optometrists don't proactively give patients their prescriptions at the time of their visit. This strategy promotes the sale of frames and lenses carried by that business, thus limiting consumer options.
6
After my father had his first eye done, which is always the one with the worse vision, he was shocked how bad his vision was with the good eye. Not only is cataract surgery miraculous in restoring vision it makes people safer because they can see what could be a potential danger such as a scatter rug or water on the floor. It can also make it harder for people to recognize you if you have worn glasses all your life. I knew someone who had 20/800 vision who didn't need his very thick glasses and even friends didn't recognize him. This is surgery which should be covered for any elderly person. The expense of an accidental injury is much more expensive than the surgery.
58
At the age of 63 I got cataract surgery after having worn glasses since age 5. Never in my life have I seen as clearly as I do now. It truly is a miracle.
Just know: if you were nearsighted, you will still need glasses (or readers) for close work like reading small print, hand sewing, working on your mobile phone, etc. Gone are the days of being able to read things by holding them 6” in front of your nose. A small price to pay, IMO.
18
Beautiful story - thank you for sharing.
3
I had cataract surgery. When I was shown to my room, I though the bed bars were copper. It seems weird, but then I thought that it was kind of homely.
When I returned to my room and the bandage was removed from the operated eye WOHA. With that eye, not only could see better, but I realized that the bed bars were not copper, but a shiny nickel .
The other eye, which was operated later, still saw the bars, copper color!
6
Medicare does pay for basic cataract surgery, but may not cover the larger cost of the newer laser-assisted version. (Not Lasix, that’s something different). I had the newer one, which was successful, mostly because I reasoned that the doctor was getting paid more, wanted better outcomes on the new version, and might be a bit more careful. My S.O., same timeframe, same provider, was left with some annoying issues. In the third world, charity clinics make a huge impact, taking almost no time per patient, without the elaborate prep used here. They are doing good work.
Personally, as a once myopic guy, experiencing the world in clear wide-angle is an amazing thrill. And, of course, if one is generally old enough for cataracts, adding in some reading glasses is in the cards regardless.
11
I have only had one cataract done in my 50s resulting from an injury some years before. The other eye is fine. Mine came on rapidly, my first clue was getting an examination at an optometrist where I noticed a fog around a bright light shone in that eye. Over the next three months it progressed to the effect that vision in that eye was like looking through fogged glass. I saw the specialist soon after and had the surgery 3 weeks later. The surgery was a blink. The anesthesiologist looked at me and said something like you look pretty relaxed, I was, I skipped that medication. The surgery lasted less than 15 minutes, possibly less than 10. They wheeled me out to the recovery room. I was not bandaged. A friend picked me up 30 minutes later. I relaxed for a couple of hours at their house and drove myself home. It was quite bright for about 2 weeks. The new lens was 20/20 at distance. Total cost to me. $100. Canadian health care is just fine than you.
99
@Dave
My experience is similar to yours. After cataract surgery, my vision is 20/20 in one eye and 20/25 in the other. What a gift this surgery is. But my cost was less. I paid $6.00 out of pocket for my prescription eye drops. Canadian Health Care is such a gift.
11
I don't know the rate of complication, but my surgery resulted in a 'blown' pupil that dilated wildly and won't return to normal. All light is too bright, with halos and haze a constant. Now I fear doing the other eye...
Most cataract surgery has a positive outcome. But not all.
17
@Drutas I am so sorry you had this experience, which you must deal with every waking moment. Thirty years ago this happened to my Mom, she had one cats-eye pupil for the rest of her days. She said her opthalmologist told her her cataract was “hard” and he had a difficult time removing it. Sad.
12
Thanks heavens for cataract surgery. And, thanks, for this article which I'm hopeful will encourage people to get examined once a year for cataracts. Didn't realize they were the reason I was driving blind at night because of the reflection of headlights. Stronger lenses didn't help. The day of surgery I immediately saw a brighter world, a shockingly dirty kitchen floor, and facial wrinkles. Happily, though, I am no longer a danger to other drivers and myself!
33
I'm scheduled for eye#1 next Monday. Reading this is (a) reassuring and (b) down right exciting. My 2 passions are photography and astronomy. I'm looking forward to being able to see the sky as I once did.
34
The sky will still be disappointing with the unfettered light pollution allowed in the US. I have a new neighbor that lights his house up like a gas station in a previously dark neighborhood.
2
@uwteacher Just had it done in December and it's sooo easy. In and out in no time and I was at the office the next morning. You will be shocked at the clarity of color...the sky is SO BLUE. Honestly, this is easier than a dental cleaning other than you have to remember to use the drops for a bit.
1
@uwteacher
Teacher I wish you best of luck at surgery and in pursuing your passions. 90 minutes of surgery passed for me in what felt like ten. May you have upon the stars again.😁
Cataract surgery is amazing, and incredibly easy and pain free. I had lens implants in both eyes a couple of years ago. The results were amazing. There are however potential risk factors post -surgery of which you must be aware. Since my surgery, I have suffered multiple retinal detachments in both eyes, something that can happen after cataract surgery. All detachments have been successfully addressed, but it is a long, complicated and scary process. I had great doctors who got me through it all, and thankfully good insurance as well. But if you are considered cataract surgery, talk to your doctor about the risk of retinal detachment, and understand if it happens what must be done to correct it. And after your surgery, if you notice ANY difference in your field of vision, get back to the retinal specialists asap.
71
I had two cataract operations and the results were great. The world came alive again, visually.
Why expensive medical care should be a right still puzzles me.
4
@Ernest Montague
What are you puzzled about? We have no problem throwing trillions of dollars for the military industrial complex, but a few dollars for the population to see, it's a bit much?
160
@Ernest Montague
Because "the GREAT America" CAN afford to make this choice, as many other not so wealthy countries have done.
Because easily preventing blindness is a big no brainer!?
28
@Ernest Montague do you mean "should not be a right"?
8
I have a relative whose cataract surgery did not result in improved vision, which made me wonder about the competency of his surgeon. Is there someplace we can consult to find a highly competent doctor to do this surgery?
8
@Madeline Conant
I have known different people who had varying rates of success with cataract surgery. From what I gather, as a non-medical-professional, it is like other surgeries in that some individuals will benefit, or not, more than others, based on things like how advanced their condition was, any concurrent conditions, their body's own resiliency and so on.
I wish your relative well.
10
@Madeline Conant You, or a helper, can search the Internet for area surgeons, then click on "Reviews." Or, ask your family physician for a recommendation, (Or maybe your pharmacist.)
2
@Madeline Conant Dr. Bradford Shingleton/Boston. He's done over 50,000 surgeries. One of the best, if not the best in the country.
1
Your question regarding why people of all economic means shouldn’t be able to see clearly really strikes a nerve.
While cataract surgery may be the answer for many, good quality prescription eyeglasses are needed by many more. With an upper middle class income, I still find paying for glasses a very high expense. Progressive lenses and frames begin at $250 (Costco) and average $450-$650 and more in any opticians office.
I’m sure that millions of Americans are unable to afford these prices. Our insurance, from a large local corporation, covers $225 max. And this is only if you buy both lenses and frames. The more affordable option of just replacing scratched lenses isn’t covered at all.
One giant corporation has a monopoly on the eyeglass business in the US. I hope that Congress will follow through on their stated interest to investigate this. I’m sure this would lead to enhanced productivity and quality of life for many Americans.
260
@What’s Next
I have bought single vision prescription glasses online
for less than $40.
5
@Zetelmo
True for single vision but progressives are very expensive and the prices What's next quoted are about average. With cataract surgery, I'll never need glasses again except to read very small print and I can buy those glasses over the counter for $12.
10
@What’s Next. And why can't I donate my old glasses here at home? The old ones go overseas with the Lions Club.
4
Regular eye exams are important. I was told my cataracts were not too bad and I would likely need surgery in 6-8 years. Not long after, I walked into a room and saw a dark cloud in the air. A subsequent eye exam revealed that one eye's cataract had worsened very quickly. And I had the surgery, on both eyes, with excellent results.
16
I had the same liberating experience with cataract surgery as so many others are reporting here. After a lifetime of myopia, overnight I gained better vision than I had had since age nine.
But here's where my story differs. Having the good fortune to be eligible for the National Health service here in Spain, I didn't pay a penny out of pocket for the exams or for the surgery. Nor do I need to pay premiums for private insurance, although the option is there if I should wish it. True, my Spanish income taxes are on the high side, but I more than break even with the medical savings.
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@MC
We apparently want to be "greater" than countries like your beautiful homeland Spain by allowing everyone to fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to medical care.
Americans are confused about how much benefit we get out of our tax system and that confusion is deliberately promoted by extremists. Its always struck me as odd that people want to spend 20+% more for medical care just to give the insurance industry a cut! Capitalism is not the be all and end all for every problem humanity faces. We as a country, have literally chosen to pay more and get less.
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@Alan....we've chosen to pay more and get less, and still feel superior to advanced democrcies, while we are exploited.
And the confusion is promoted by the medical industry, as if its just centrist politics.
The news media, so proud of its 'freedom from govt censorship' doesn't fulfill it's duty to citizens to clear up the confusion.
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@Alan Every commenter ought also to write to Congress. Maybe multiple times.
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You are right, of course, being able to see clearly should not be limited - neither should any other kind of available medical care.
Health care is a right - everyone should be able to see that.
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@Maxie Indeed. Great Aunt Sophie should be placed on life preserving machinery for the last 4 years of her life, long after her mind left her body, and at a cost of millions. Who do you think pays for that?
@Ernest Montague
I think you have confused cataract surgery with the artificial prolongation of bodily existence. Apples and oranges at the very least. Please do a little research before posting.
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Another lovely poignant column that strongly suggests, at least to me, that we need a national healthcare system so everyone can avail of the advances in medical technology.
We have the money but not the political will. And that makes me sad.
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@chickenlover "We have the money but not the political will. And that makes me sad."
Really, we have the money? Have you checked the budget deficit and the national debt lately?
@Neil
Yes, all we need to do is cut our defense budget by a few billion dollars and shift it to healthcare. Sometimes even the Pentagon does not want to spend as much as some in Congress (and this is both parties) want to spend as part of their "bringing" jobs to their region.
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I had cataract surgery at age 70 largely because of headlight glare at night. Surgery done, improved night vision and not bothered by oncoming drivers until... about a year or so ago when all of the changes in headlights increasingly made it seem as if I didn't have the surgery. Wonder if others are bothered by the newer LED lights on cars and trucks?
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@Horseshoe Crab
Yes, I’ve noticed that they are much brighter, and BLUE. The Husband barely notices the difference. We don’t drive much at night, but drove down to Tulsa last weekend.
I really noticed.
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Same here. These days the low beams seem as bright as high beams once were. Good for the driver, probably, but not very good for the blinded oncoming traffic.
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@Horseshoe Crab
Also, truck headlights are positioned higher
than those on cars. It would not cost the manufacturers
anything to set them lower in next year's designs.
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I also had cataract surgery with successful results, especially being able to drive at night. However, I have had several friends who have had complications from such surgery. So...just a caution. Not all of them are slam dunks.
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@David Michael You're so right. My wife's vision in one eye began getting fuzzy after surgery, so her ophthalmologist did a laser treatment. No improvement. He finally said she was one of the unfortunate few who got a defective lens, and he advised against replacement surgery because of the risks. Like dummies, we listened to him. Years later I told my optometrist about it and he immediately recommended a second opinion by the ophthalmologist in his group. She had never seen anything like it and referred us to another specialist. He said the same thing, but added "I can fix it." Long story short, the lens he removed and replaced looked like someone had put a drop of white nail polish right in the middle. A long detailed letter to the CEO of the lens manufacturer has prompted zero response. We all can guess why. Bottom line, we're grateful for the skill of the specialist who solved the problem, and disappointed in the first surgeon.
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@David Michael
Yes indeed. My stepmother suffered a retinal detachment, which, fortunately, they were able to repair.
I myself have issues in one of my eyes; I've lost peripheral vision and I see a annoying flicker when my eyes move.
Like all surgery, cataract surgery has risks, and like all surgery, surgeons underplay them. That said, the alternative, eventual blindness, is worse!
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@David Michael
I also have the blessing of being able to drive at night now without glasses. A dear friend however, had her two surgeries done weeks after mine and suffered two retinal detachmen ts. It took months of recovery but she's finally alright. We know that there are risks.
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Your real theme caught me by surprise.
Today I go to see the Ophthalmologist who did cataract surgery on my left eye last summer, but then did a lasering of cataract material that was starting to re-grow on the capsule about 1 1/2 weeks ago ( not unusual). Yes - white is - white again. Skies are bright again. ( The right eye has a less problematic cataract that will wait a while)
What I have also found is that reading, too is easier now -- I need reading glasses, but before cataract removal I still couldn't stay focused on the words for long.
I do wonder about cataracts adding to depression. My own experience with depression is independent of this, but for my mother - who refused to get cataract surgery - I am certain your are right - the darkening world has been one more barrier that isolates her.
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I had the surgery, first one eye, two weeks latter, the other. I’m 60. Since age 10, I’ve worn glasses. Contact lenses, in my Twenties. If you have any lingering doubts, get it DONE. It now almost two years for me, and I’m ecstatic with results, NO problems. My vision is 20/20. And now I’m addicted to shopping for Sunglasses, replacing the Shoe Hunt.
Seriously.
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What an adorably beautiful description of an indiviual's experience with 'holiness'.
Jennifer has given us an uniquely valuable 'moment' within an artist's life within which we can all refresh.
Thanks, for the here and now and whenever.
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Cataract surgery opened a new world for me: 1. Accurately seeing color, for what I had been reading as an orange sherbet color was a hot pink. This change dramatically improved anything involving color that affected my life.
2. I could drive my car w/out having to first look for my misplaced glasses, saving maybe as much as several hours of week which was formerly wasted looking for them.
3. Cataract surgery gave me a new life, more freedom, more awareness of my environment and improved attention and concentration in day to day living.
Every day I thank Samuel Masket, MD, and his staff for their kindness and generosity.
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I'm a photographer -- eyes are important. I was working on my latest book, but struggling more and more seeing what I was doing. I visited an ophthalmologist, and was told I had cataracts that were fairly advanced. I had the surgery right away and had multi-focal lenses implanted. The results were stunning. My book arrived from the printer, and I could not believe what I was seeing. The colors were more vivid, the details sharper. And yet the book I had created in relative dimness was beautifully balanced, the color true. My doctor said I had compensated. Now, as I hold my finished book, the world is brand new, and the future brighter.
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@Brian Rose I'm an interior designer. After the surgery, I threw on my old black raincoat, walked outside and realized it was navy blue, not black. I immediately worried about my past interiors work, which has involved a fair amount of color consultation over the years. Yet, like you, it turned out I had compensated -- rooms looked different, for sure, but still balanced.
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@Michele Kellett I was worried about it at first. When I looked through the new lens for the first time I was shocked by the colors, particularly the blues. But I've looked through all my work done over the years, and everything right up to the days before surgery. It's all consistent. Amazing the way the brain works.
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