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Cataract surgery
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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

1/20/22 10:28 AM

Cataract surgery

I've gotten to the point where I need cataract surgery in one eye. I'm trying to figure out how to return to exercise after the surgery and what I find on line from reputable sources is all over the map. I know there must be lots of experience in this group. A complication is that I have a Utah ski trip planned 18 days after surgery so that means fairly intense exercise at 10,000 feet.

I see recommendations that you can return to aerobic exercise almost immediately but you have to avoid intensity or straining, while others say no exercise for a week. What has been people's experience and advice?

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dfcas
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 2815
Location: hillbilly heaven

1/20/22 11:06 AM

I did no exercise for 1 week and then started back at low intensity. After 2 weeks i was back to normal.

I chose not to have my distance vision fully corrected, as they said I would probably need a pair of glasses to get best distance vision. However, I can read with no glasses. The choice for me was whether to wear a pair of glasses or to carry a pair of glasses.

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RCoapman
Joined: 09 Feb 2005
Posts: 5137
Location: Back in the snowy homeland

2/22/22 3:24 PM

I have bilateral bionic eyes, post cataract surgery. I was not really working out at the time, appx 3y ago, but I had zero reduction in activity levels even the occasionally strenuous ones.

Given that I got fuzzy lenses relatively early (my mother had her first cataract replaced 6 months after mine) I opted to pay for the multi-focal lenses that my insurance company called "elective" but allow me to see both near and far.

[Merikin 'health care' system rant redacted]

For the most part they are great. I really don't need glasses for anything other than very close stuff like reading small print, reading in low light, and fly tying and I can make out distant objects fairly well. Last I checked I was 20/20 when using both eyes.

The one caution I would give you only applies if you've previously had laser correction surgery (LCS) for your vision and that is to have your dr triple check (and more) the refraction analysis. I had PRK in 2010. My dr knew this and said that previous LCS can make the calculations more challenging. They did my right eye first, which is my aiming/dominant eye and it is not clear at distance so shooting my 30-30 with iron sights at 100m is mostly guesswork (meaning not going to happen) these days.

He tried to balance the discrepancy by shifting the left eye that same deviation toward distance focus. Up until the last 6 months or so, my second eye was done in JAN2019, I sometimes had to pay active attention to bring my eyes into a single image. Especially at first i was very aware of the different focus in each eye and I believe my brain was working overtime trying to make adjustments to the lens that no longer existed. It's hard to describe because it wasn't double vision and I really only saw a single image but I was aware of two different versions of that image being superimposed on each other.

I'm beginning some research to see if LCS is viable to bring my vision between the eyes into more alignment and get my aiming eye back to usefulness but no firm decision yet.

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

2/23/22 10:22 AM

Two eyes

My wife had worn glasses/contacts since middle school. By the time she got her cataract surgery she was "one eye reading, one eye distance" with her prescription so that is how they did her cataracts and now she never needs glasses. I was hoping for the same thing because I had some difference between the eyes but the surgeon said the difference was not much and that my brain would have a very hard time if they did that. I've read the same thing on several ophthalmology web sites.

I had the surgery last week (only one eye needed it - the other is a couple of years away) and the replacement lens has given me perfect distance vision. The doc says I can resume full normal activity after one week, so I'm good to go.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

2/23/22 11:41 AM

"replacement lens has given me perfect distance vision"

Howz the reading dynamic now?

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

2/25/22 10:08 AM

Readers

Still need reading glasses and the doc says that's the way it will be. I hate carrying glasses wherever I go but I understand that "this is life" and obviously has been life for folks who wear glasses. Appointment today and the doc says "resume full normal activities" (8 days after surgery). Still doing eye drops (steroid and NSAID) for another two weeks.

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RCoapman
Joined: 09 Feb 2005
Posts: 5137
Location: Back in the snowy homeland

2/25/22 10:16 AM

My only solace is that if (when?) society fails reading and up-close vision won't be necessary survival skills.

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

2/27/22 10:37 AM

Buckshot

Won't you need close-up vision to be able to pick the buckshot out of your wounds? Chaos looms.

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RCoapman
Joined: 09 Feb 2005
Posts: 5137
Location: Back in the snowy homeland

2/27/22 1:29 PM

If that happens my defenses and early warning systems will have failed or I've run out ammo and it's hopeless anyway. #headshotsat300yds

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

2/27/22 2:46 PM

Or #broadsideofbarnat300yds ??

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LeeW
Joined: 13 Jan 2004
Posts: 453
Location: near Baltimore, MD

3/1/22 6:38 AM

Kerry, Glad to hear it worked out well enough. Hopefully did not impact your ski season too much! Any trips on the schedule during March?

Lee

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

3/1/22 11:06 AM

Skiing

Lee, had surgery after I got back from a week at Steamboat, got the all-clear for full activity last Friday, skied with the grand kids on Saturday, and leaving tomorrow for skiing in Utah. Timing is everything. Back to Steamboat (with grand kids) for the first week of April.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

3/1/22 11:32 AM

That's the life y'all. ;)

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RCoapman
Joined: 09 Feb 2005
Posts: 5137
Location: Back in the snowy homeland

3/2/22 8:12 AM

Glad to hear it worked out well

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

5/9/22 3:28 PM

Resurrecting the Thread

I've just scheduled cataract surgery.

Here, they do the eyes two weeks apart. I'm told it's easiest if they correct for distance, but... Most of my work is done within four feet--working at a computer screen, reading, etc. And I have no objection wearing glasses for distance.

For anyone who has had their vision corrected to "up close," what defines near-distance. Are things clear out to six feet or so?

This is all hard for me to wrap my head around, since I've worn glasses since I was about six or seven.

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

5/10/22 4:27 PM

My eyes were different enough that there was no need to fix the "good one." I was hoping that they could do a "one eye near, one eye far" but the doc said that is not recommended unless your eyes are already working that way. Too hard on the brain to deal with the change. I'm stuck with great distance vision and readers for the computer and reading. You probably need to discuss this with the surgeon. Mine walked me through all the options and answered all my questions.

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

5/10/22 4:50 PM

Discuss

Yeah, we're going to do that. I guess (having worn glasses for a very long time) I don't know what "near" and "far" vision versions encompass. I don't mind wearing reading glasses, but if (for example) I have great distance vision but can't read my bike computer or car speedometer, that would not make me a happy camper.

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dfcas
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 2815
Location: hillbilly heaven

5/10/22 7:11 PM

Andy ill respond soon when i can get the computer. Hate typing on a phone.

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

5/11/22 6:28 AM

Andy, for riding I've installed stick-on reading lenses in the left lenses of my riding glasses. That allows me to read the computer with my left eye (with both open), but still allows me to look down at my feet, rear derailleur, or other more distant object, with my right eye. Of course, you can always put them on both lenses if you prefer. The upper part of the lenses works for distance vision.

FWIW, it makes more sense to me to have your eyes corrected for distance vision and use readers when necessary. On a day-to-day basis, distance vision is probably used more while driving, riding, shopping, hiking or whatever. I've really noticed this as my distance vision has begun to deteriorate (I've been using readers for over 20 years). Additionally, readers are cheap, available everywhere and don't require a prescription. Even if you have your vision corrected for short distance, you may still need readers for fine, close-up work.

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

5/11/22 8:03 AM

Brian:

You make some good points. But I also have to deal with the fact that I think I look really weird without glasses--indeed, my glasses are part of my appearance, and it's only in the past ten years or so that I feel like I've perfected that (clear plastic frames with round lenses).

Odd, I know. I suppose I could just get "fashion" frames without prescription lenses, but that feels weird, too.

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

5/11/22 8:15 AM

So...

Where does distance vision begin? That's kind of key for me. If we're talking 3' -> infinity, great. But if distance vision starts at around 10', then there's a problem...

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

5/11/22 11:09 AM

Tri focals?

What I hate is that my exquisite peripheral vision is now sheit... Being everything 3' or less has zero focus anymore. I knock a lot of shit over last few years grabbing for something I can see. Just like the mirror on the bike, the bi-focal is no help if you are not specifically using it.

Then there is the PC/Phone blue light thing... I have had the blue blocker filter on my PC usually for night mode on for 3 years solid. Gotta watch buying things with certain colors, gotta turn if off before hitting buy. ;)

Phone goes to B&W @ 22:30.

80 year old friend got a weak lens for mono vision with cataract len procedures. Doc fuked up and made wrong eye dominant lens... Brain learned, but took a while..

I bring readers in case I have to fix a flat, I ride 20/20 contacts corrected... It used to be when I could still see 2' [now 3'+] I could fix a flat without pinching a tube.. yeah, no TL for road for me, tried it. Much ado

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dfcas
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 2815
Location: hillbilly heaven

5/11/22 2:34 PM

I have some optical baggage, so my decision may not be the best for you.

I have macular edema, and I've had multiple surgeries in my eyes. I still get injections in my eyes every 90 days. Its a fun day.

The doc said that even with their best guess on the implant, due to astigmatism and other issues, I likely would need glasses to tweak my distance vision to its very best, after the surgery. I would then also need a pair of glasses to read with.

After multiple failed attemps with bifocals, I didn't consider those.

So I was looking at wearing glasses, and carrying glasses to read with.
I prefer to wear glasses when I ride for protection from bugs.

I decided to not fully correct my distance vision, but be able to read and work close without glasses.

They left me needing -3.25 diopter correction in both eyes, which my glasses correct, along with my astigmatism.

As far as near/distance, its pretty close. I think near is out to about 12 inches, middle distance maybe 12-18 inches, and anything further is distance. If you look at a macro camera lens and see how much it racks to go from 2 feet to 1 foot it will make sense.

So without glasses I can see out to about 15 -18 inches, and any further I need distance glasses.

They told me that 1 of the eye surgeons there made the same choice.

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

5/12/22 6:58 AM

That's very helpful. I typically read without glasses right now, but with the material held less than 10" from my face. I do wear lined bifocals (progressives were just awful for me) and they sort of work; they give me a solid focus from 6" to 15". Everything farther away is either corrected by the main lenses or falls into a "less-than-ideal" zone.

Hmmm. Decisions.

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

5/12/22 10:29 AM

distance

Maybe it's different for others, but for me I have no problem reading my watch (don't have a bike computer) without glasses. Can't read the computer screen without readers but the numerals on my watch are just enough bigger that it works.

Last edited by KerryIrons on 7/9/22 2:05 PM; edited 1 time in total

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