I didn't really take a vacation but I did have to take a couple of days off last week. I finally gave up, went in, and had my eye fixed. It turned out to be a very fast procedure. For one thing, there was no general anesthetic. I was pretty relaxed and pain-free but fully aware of what was going on through the operation. I could hear the little ultrasound thing that broke up the old lens. When the doctor slipped the new lens in place, I could instantly see the lights above my eye. I'm sure if I hadn't been a little dopey it would have been freaky. As it was, it just seemed pretty cool.
A half hour later I walked out the door and was on the way home. I ate a little, drank a couple of cups of coffee and fell asleep for three hours. The next morning I went in to have it checked and could read the 20/30 line on the eye chart. I think I could read the 20/20 line today. My distance vision is very sharp.
The only negative is that I quickly realized how dark and foggy my other eye is becoming. It isn't nearly as bad as the other one was before I had the surgery, but the doctor says these cataracts can advance quickly. It was certainly the case with my left eye. I first noticed a little "smudge" on one part of my visual field -- like my glasses had a fingerprint on the lens -- less than a year ago. By last week, I could see only vague shapes and color, light and dark. I was, essentially, blind in my left eye.
I probably won't be cleared to drive until Friday, although I can certainly see well enough to pass my vision test without glasses today. I won't get new glasses for about four weeks. Though my distance vision is near-perfect, my arms aren't long enough to read with the new eye. Fortunately, the original equipment eye still works well enough close up.
Modern medical technology, something we older types consider with growing gratitude.
ReplyDeletewv would have you stand back 5 feet and recite, reading left to right.
f a r n o n
I presume there's a sweet spot at just the right distance.
I had it done the summer before last. It is the strangest experience! I remember sitting in the eye doctor's office, and watching the endless loop computer animation of the procedure. The part where they use that combination x-acto knife tweezer thing to cut the eye open just creeped me out no end.
ReplyDeleteWhen it came time for the real thing I got the shot, and I remember thinking, "When is the shot going to take effect? Are they starting yet? Hey, there's that tweezer thing inside my eyeball, wow..."
Like you, I went home, fell asleep, and woke up thinking, "Don't I have cataract surgery today?
Wv says c a t a n o m a. ...not sure I like that one. And yeah. What dojo said.
JWM
It's good to know it's all so quick and painless - those videos give me the creeping horrors.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who doesn't need that kind of surgery yet, I'm glad to know it (should) be available someday if I do. We do live in an age of wonders.