DOC Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 Anyone else had this surgery? I hear it's no big deal, but the thought of someone cutting my eyeball open freaks me the hell out. I am having the laser surgery tomorrow which is supposed to be much more accurate and less traumatic. But right now I can't see diddly out of my left eye. Anyone else had this surgery? How'd it work out for you? Doc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 Doc, I've had the regular Cataract Surgery and you are right it's no big deal. It is by far the easiest surgery I have ever been through, right from a five way bypass to a toe nail removal. Don't know anything about the laser end of it but I don't know just how much more comfortable it could be. Getting old does have some perks but I'll trade them all bro. Old Tom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted December 15, 2019 Author Share Posted December 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Old Tom said: Doc, I've had the regular Cataract Surgery and you are right it's no big deal. It is by far the easiest surgery I have ever been through, right from a five way bypass to a toe nail removal. Don't know anything about the laser end of it but I don't know just how much more comfortable it could be. Getting old does have some perks but I'll trade them all bro. Old Tom Thanks OT, Apparently the laser part of it precisely cuts the lens into little pieces right through the cornea without affecting the cornea. And it does the precise incision the doctor needs to remove the cataract lens and install the new manufactured lens. The doctor has to vacuum out the cataract afflicted lens, and when the lens has been pre-cut or dissected by the laser into little precise pieces the sonic vacuum can do the job of removing the lens in about 1/10th the amount of time as it does when they have to manually dissect the lens. Apparently they prefer not to use that sonic vacuum any longer than necessary because the sonic energy can disrupt other functions of the eye. In rare cases in can detach the retina, etc. etc. The big mistake I made was watching some of these surgeries on You Tube. Not too smart on my part. I pre-freaked myself out. I'll be fine. I guess we'll SEE... ha, that's a pun. Merry Christmas. Doc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowPoint Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 Doc,..........."it's a "Piece-of-cake",......No big deal. I had my right eye done a few years ago thru the VA, which outsourced it to an outside doctor. As I remember they put me to sleep so I didn't feel a thing, and when I woke up my wife had to drive us home, but no after affects, and I could read and see better. I also have the initial affects of glacoma in my left eye and am waiting on the VA to determine if it is bad enough to have the surgery on it as well. I also prior to that (years before) had tears in my retina in one eye which initially blinded me (freaked me out at the time). I had lazer surgery on it and fixed it right up. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted December 16, 2019 Author Share Posted December 16, 2019 20 minutes ago, LowPoint said: Doc,..........."it's a "Piece-of-cake",......No big deal. I had my right eye done a few years ago thru the VA, which outsourced it to an outside doctor. As I remember they put me to sleep so I didn't feel a thing, and when I woke up my wife had to drive us home, but no after affects, and I could read and see better. I also have the initial affects of glacoma in my left eye and am waiting on the VA to determine if it is bad enough to have the surgery on it as well. I also prior to that (years before) had tears in my retina in one eye which initially blinded me (freaked me out at the time). I had lazer surgery on it and fixed it right up. Gary That's good to know because I have an issue with the macula as well. They say they can't tell if it's a complete hole or a near hole but it's a grade 1 which is the most easily fixable. However, they said the cataract surgery may actually take pressure off and help the hole to close. I had the glaucoma, laser treatment. It's a piece of cake. You just sit in a chair in the office and they shoot a laser into your eye to open up the iris so the inner eye can release fluid more effectively and reduce the pressure. They shoot the laser like about 50 times. It is a selective laser that only destroys the pigmented part of the iris. It stings a little but nothing intolerable. When you are through, you get up and have someone drive you home. I don't think it is necessary to have someone drive you but they insist probably because of liability. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelguy Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 I had one eye done at the age of 50 and the second the following year, and that was 20 years ago. I assure you, the surgery is nothing. You will notice an amazing difference the following day. The first few days afterwards you have to be careful to not lift anything heavy. I have every since had 20/20 eye sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pondmn Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 I had both eyes done and astigma lens placed so I don't have to wear glasses. Had lunch on the way home. no pain or irritation. IV was the worst part and that was no big deal getting poked by a needle.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted December 16, 2019 Author Share Posted December 16, 2019 Needles don't bother me at all. So I will be good with the IV. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 Doc, I had my right eye done and once they got me in they said they don't really use lasers ... They use a blade which kind of freaked me out but they didn't tell me that until I'd already had the general knock out shots ... After two days of blindness in that eye it all came out just great .. Delaney & something in Phx ... That was about 2 years ago and it's been great since then... Cheers, Unc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 58 minutes ago, Uncle Ron said: Doc, I had my right eye done and once they got me in they said they don't really use lasers ... They use a blade which kind of freaked me out but they didn't tell me that until I'd already had the general knock out shots ... After two days of blindness in that eye it all came out just great .. Delaney & something in Phx ... That was about 2 years ago and it's been great since then... Cheers, Unc Ron, the name of that outfit is Barnet Dulaney Perkins. My daughter is a registered nurse and worked in the OR for many years. Lifting overweight patients off and on the operating table took a toll on her back so she looked for lighter work and wound up at BDP in eye surgery. She explained the whole procedure to me before I had mine done. They make a small slit in the eye and cut the lens all around to detach it. They slip an instrument in the slit and wind the lens around it and pull it out. Then they insert the new lens wound around the same instrument and unwind it in place. It heals there very fast as the eye is one of the fastest mending parts of the body. I was awake for my surgery and talked to the Dr. during the procedure. He said "Hey, your not supposed to be knowing just what's going on". But I again say that it was a very comfortable experience and took the patch off the next day. It's really amazing when you get one eye done and compare the eye that wasn't done with the eye with the new lens. Old Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted December 16, 2019 Author Share Posted December 16, 2019 Yes they do it that way as well, but that's the old procedure. But look up YOUTUBE laser cataract surgery and you will see exactly how it is done. They still make an incision in the eye to vacuum the pieces of the lens out, but that is only after the lens has been completed sliced and diced by the laser and then the laser reshapes the eye so you have an even better outcome with the astigmatism lens. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted December 16, 2019 Author Share Posted December 16, 2019 All done. As all of you reported it was a piece of cake. There was no pain and the procedure was quick. Got there at 9 pm, walked out at 11:15 and went right to lunch. The laser portion took only like a minute to do the scan of the eye, then it reshapes the eye, makes incisions where the doctor is going to insert the vacuum, and then slices and dices the actual lens into little squares that are then easily vacuumed out and the new lens is inserted and oriented to the proper alignment. After the laser portion, you are then taken to the operating room where they finish the procedure. They gave me a shot of Versed which helps relax you but I also think it distorts time because I felt like it only took like 5 minutes. But Versed wears off quickly. Once they wheeled me back to recovery I was out of there in like 10 minutes. Once again thank you to everyone who told me about their experiences, because it really helped with my level of apprehension. Doc 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronBazor Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 I had both of my eyes done, at different times, with the lazer procedure. It was a piece of cake and all went well. Some floating black spots for a few weeks but Dr said it's normal. That was about 10 or 12 years ago. Everything is still good. Glad to hear all went well and no problems for you also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 I'm glad it all went well for you Doc. I think that they should also give you a shot of brandy for all the apprehension they cause you. Old Tom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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