Cataracts

J

jag2

New member
Its inevitable that I need to get it done. With my main hobby in retirement being target shooting (once a week) I'm unsure what to do. The basic procedure puts you back to normal vision but its likely you may need reading glasses. My basic vision has actually gotten better the last few years. I had my eye doctor make a special pair of glasses for shooting a few years ago, with emphasis on close up so that my pistol sights at arms length were sharp. He let me bring in a pistol so we could fine tune them. Now I can actually see better without them.
There are special lenses that the doctor can insert to improve your short or long distance vision. So my question is to anyone that has experience, did you get the standard lenses or go with special ones and are you happy with the results. I realize there is a cost difference but that won't be a consideration.
 
I got the "special lenses", the Crystal Lens. About 65% of the people get "decent" close vision and great distance vision. Cut through all the hype and an honest doctor will tell you that for the extra six thousand you pay you only have a 66% chance of getting close vision good enough to read with without having to use reading glasses. Here's another rub, most people who get the "regular" lenses can see good enough close up to read the labels on the back of soup cans, read with a little squinting, and pretty much get by without anything other than a pair of cheap readers as backup. Based on my own personal experience I would not pay the extra money for the "special lenses". Mine didn't work out as well as I thought they would and my wife opted for the "standard" lenses and I have to have her read the labels on stuff. The improvement you got the last few years won't last either. It's a condition called "Second Sight" and it's somewhat common, but it almost never lasts. Other friends of mine just got the "standard" lenses and get by just fine shooting with them. They give you good vision from about twenty inches and out. For rifle shooting without a scope, just use a peep/ghost ring and you'll be fine. Good luck.
 
I've worn glasses all my life since I was six years old. I had the cataracts done about five years ago and have been able to see the sights on my old 30-30 quite well and handgun are not a problem. I still needed glasses for reading, but just barely. I had the choice of either close up and continue to wear glasses or for the longer range and use glasses for reading. It's worked out quite well for me.
Paul B.
 
I plan on going with the standard lens inserts

There are special lenses that the doctor can insert to improve your short or long distance vision. So my question is to anyone that has experience, did you get the standard lenses or go with special ones and are you happy with the results.
Click to expand...
One of my shooting buddies, who only shoots handguns for recreation went with the prescription inserts and the only glasses he wears, are sun glasses. So In this example, you can say that he's happy with the results. Understand that he had this done about three years ago at age 80. So far so good...…. :confused:

My wife does not shoot and the doctor recommended the standard lenses. The doctor told her that she would be better off, changing with prescription as she got older. So far so good .. :)

I plan on going with the standard lenses and wear glasses and change prescription as needed …… :)

Now, in about 30% of folks after surgery. There can be a condition where the back of the pocket that hold the lense, can get a little cloudy. Kind of like the film that forms inside your windshield. This is cleared up with a laser procedure; painless and takes less than 10-minutes. So ask you doctor abut this. …. :confused:

Be Safe !!!
 
I don't know about the special lenses mentioned by Nosecondbest, but my wife had cataract surgery a couple years ago, and paid $1000 extra for lenses that correct astigmatism. Insurance paid the rest. Correcting astigmatism has allowed her to go without any glasses most of the time. In addition to getting a sharp focus, she was not prepared for how much brighter the world became. Things that had been a dingy yellow are now bright white.
 
I do not target shoot regularly but do go hunting. I wear trifocals with distance on the big top part, reading distance on the bottom part and the middle for computer use. Using a rifle the front sight is sharp with the middle lens but not with the top part of the lens however I lose cheek weld by raising my head to use the middle part of the lens.
I discovered stick-on bifocals on line. They are available in varying diopters. You wet them and apply them to your normal glasses and when dry they stay in place. They are flexible and can be trimmed to any size needed. I went to the reading glass display at the local drug store and by trying different diopter reading glasses with my regular glasses in place I backed away from the display sign, where the front sight would be, until I found the diopter that made the sign sharpest and then ordered stick-ons in that diopter.
I cut a small piece of the stick-on (about 3/4" X 1/2") and stuck it on the upper left corner of the right eye lens of my regular glasses. With the rifle shouldered the front sight is now sharp through the stick-on otherwise the normal glasses allow for normal vision.
My wife is not overly impressed with my appearance during hunting season but I do not mind looking a little "dorky" if the front sight is sharp.

Bob
 
I had he surgery five years ago, and opted for standard lenses and ended up with 20/20 vision. Not normal, I was lucky.

Still 20/20, or I was last year at my last exam.

Only time I wear glasses is when on the computer and that is for eye strain and to filter out the blue light. Other than than, I need no glasses for anything.
But each person is different.

A close friend opted for the special lenses inserted during the surgery and ended up two years later needing classes all the time.
 
I'd been wearing glasses for almost 60 years. I had the surgery done in both eyes about 1.5 yrs ago. I'm kind of "anal" on my distance vision and my doctor recommended regular lenses. I've seen/read complaints on the multi focus, and my optician also recommended against them as she'd seen a lot of complaints regarding them. I got the regular lenses and have 20-20 in both eyes. I even got a "no restrictions" on my drivers' license - first time EVER. I do need reading glasses. I find that my computer glasses, focal length of 30", make the front sights of handguns focus perfectly. Excellent for precision shooting. When training for tactical issues I don't use any glasses (except safety glasses) since in won't be walking around the neighborhood/mall/grocery etc with them on.
Bottom line is that I'm satisfied with the regulars lenses although I wish I didn't need the readers.
 
Could not see the sights.

Twenty years or so ago I was shooting some informal cowboy shoots plus many blackpowder matches. Crossed a threshold where it was not possible to use iron sights or a scope. The reticles with a scope was blurry.

The PCP found a serious cataract in the right eye. Got a garden variety cataract operation. Then, I could shoot with no more problem. Had the left eye done some years later. These operations, as a personal experience, were not a big deal. Reading glasses are used sometimes today. It's still no problem to shoot without glasses weekly using scope or iron sights.
 
The multifocal and varifocal implants seem a bit of a crapshoot.

What of the "toric" single focus but cut to correct astigmatism?
 
What of the "toric" single focus but cut to correct astigmatism?
Click to expand...

I've not had the surgery, but I do note that the axis of my astigmatism has not been static over the last decade. I'd hate to have it corrected only to have the axis shift later.
 
My axis has been pretty stable. I was about ready to go Lasik when it shifted. The next year or two, it shifted back. But by then I had other problems.

My glasses may last me. Last year the optometrist said all I had was a little "yellowing." I am due for an exam.
 
I had my non-dominant eye (worst one first) done 10 days ago and opted for the astigmatism correction. One of the best decisions I every made even though I had out of pocket expense beyond what medicare covered. Laser work on cornea at the same time. Follow up two days ago the eye doc says 'primo'.

Dominant eye later in the month. I'm really looking forward to that!

It's absolutely amazing what modern medicine has brought to us.

BTW, there are no longer two moons...
 
i had it done last year, my eye dr said in his experience only about 1 in 4 were happy with the special lense, i figured with those odds and all the extra cost it just wasnt worth it and went with just normal distance correction. My distance vision in that eye is good, its not as hawk like as i would prefer but it doesnt the job most of the time.
 
hi Jim,,,i had cat surgery done in my left eye in February,,,and like others have said,,it is working great,,,i see better out of it than the original equipment in the right eye...doc says i have 20-20 now,,,,its like somebody turned the lights on brother

i talked to him about the toric lens for my slight astigmatism and he recommended not to do it,,,,for me,,,anyway,,,he said my astig was to slight,,,so we didnt do it just a regular lens,,,im glad i listened to him,,,,he asked what i wanted and i said i want to see distance like a laser,,,he laughed and said ,,,"i think we can do that",,,well he did do it,,,,heck the prep takes longer than the procedure,,,,i did have to have the laser thing for a spot on the cornea,,, i think that is where it was,,,that took about 5 min,,,,all is good and for me im glad i got that cloud out of my life

also i had to stop wearing my glasses,,,,only need readers now and that is for only that really fine print,,,,dont need them for the putter anymore and most stuff,,,lol,,,,mine worked out great,,,as others have said,,,,

i would say get it done,,,and i dont think you will regret it

my .02

ocharry
 
Amen to what ocharry said! Had both eyes done early last year. Insurance wouldn't cover the extra cost of correcting astigmatism in the left eye, so I opted for the standard lenses. There's still some slight astigmatism in the left eye, but not enough to worry about. 20/20 distance vision, but still need readers for close up and computer work. Before I was using industrial tri-focals(intermediate lens on top, close on the bottom). Still use them, but the center is plain. (no correction) I can drive without glasses and read the instrument panel OK. Can't read print very well, though. Still a huge improvement. I was very near sighted for 70 years.
 
Jukiphile...yes...i had progressive lenses but my distance vision was pretty good...but last summer I noticed it most using binoculars....no matter what I did with them I just couldn't get it right....that cloud was causing the problem.....my glasses didn't have much prescription in them for distance...but I needed help with reading....mostly in the left eye

Like I said...I only need readers now for the fine print....most things I can read without any help...lol...the left eye they worked on is better than my right...

If I ever need to do the right eye ...I can tell ya I won't be waiting like I did the first time for the left eye.....but for now...everything is good

I guess the cataract has to be so bad...lol..they call it ripe...before they will do it.....but I'm not kidding it was like turning on the lights in a dim room....I guess it comes on so slow you dont notice it to much....but to have it done and the next day everything is so bright.....unreal

The thing they can do these days is absolutely amazing

Ocharry
 
A friend of mine put it off for a long time (71) and when he finally did it, he admitted he hadn't been seeing well, or shooting well, for a long time. Now if he could only get rid of the shakes. Sadly, they are getting worse. Not Parkinson's, but for some unknown reason his hands shake so badly his shooting is affected. He can't solder anymore, and drawing, which he used to be good at, is a joke. His younger brother also has the shakes, as did their father right before he died at 49 of a heart attack 30 years ago. Guess who does all his soldering and putting things together? Me.
 
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