Cataract Surgery

[djg21]

I just came home after having cataract surgery on my right eye. My left eye is scheduled for two weeks down the road. I’m 54, and relatively young for this, but I suffered some trauma to my eyes when I got hit by car in 2006, and the thought is that the trauma exacerbated the cataracts and deterioration of my vision.

So for you folk who have undergone cataract surgery, how long was it before you were able to ride outside? I opted for monocular lenses, because my doc’s experience has had less than perfect with the multifocal lenses, with many recipients suffering halos and bothered by glare at night. So I likely will need glasses for reading. For those that have had the procedure, is it likely that will I need corrective lenses to read my Garmin mounted on my bars? My speedometer while driving? My watch? I’ve never before needed glasses for reading up close, and I’ve used progressives so I didn’t have to constantly put on and take off my lenses. Will I need progressives with a prescription lower lenses to read, and an uncorrected top part of the lense for distance?

The good part is I have a big flex spending account that I can scan spend on new cycling glasses, or new lenses for all the Rudy Project prescription stuff I’ve been collecting over the years. I also will be able to use the shield that came with my TT helmet without corrective lenses underneath it.

[oldpotatoe]

I just came home after having cataract surgery on my right eye. My left eye is scheduled for two weeks down the road. I’m 54, and relatively young for this, but I suffered some trauma to my eyes when I got hit by car in 2006, and the thought is that the trauma exacerbated the cataracts and deterioration of my vision.

So for you folk who have undergone cataract surgery, how long was it before you were able to ride outside? I opted for monocular lenses, because my doc’s experience has had less than perfect with the multifocal lense, with many recipients suffering halos and bothered by glare at night. So I likely will need glasses for reading. For those that have had the procedure, is it likely that will I need corrective lenses to read my Garmin mounted on my bars? My speedometer while driving? My watch? I’ve never before needed glasses for reading up close, and I’ve used progressives so I didn’t have to constantly put on and take off my lenses. Will I need progressives with a prescription lower lenses to read, and an uncorrected top part of the lense for distance?

The good part is I have a big flex spending account that I can scan spend on new cycling glasses, or new lenses for all the Rudy Project prescription stuff I’ve been collecting over the years. I also will be able to use the shield that came with my TT helmet without corrective lenses underneath it.

Wife had the same procedure as you(monocular lenses) and her result is nothing short of amazing..She went from 20/bazillion to 20/20 but needs readers. Can't help you with the ride aspect(she doesn't). Ask the doc..her's was most concerned about lifting anything and also getting poked in the eye.
Might look at these..I know the owner, play ping pong with him and another forum member(Hendrik-Curve).

Dual eyewear.
https://www.dualeyewear.com/

[Hellgate]

I'm 53, not had it done yet, however, both parents and in-laws have. Pretty much back at it within a week.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

[DfCas]

They said due to my astigmatism I would need distance glasses in all cases for best vision and then readers. The doc suggested I consider not fully trying to correct my distance vision in this case. So, I wear glasses for distance and eye protection on the bike but I can read with no glasses.

I thoght it might be easier to wear a pair of glasses than to carry a pair of glasses. Happy with my decision.

[Ken Robb]

I had mine done last year with 3 weeks between surgeries. The awkward time was when one eye had been done so it no longer needed the +6 lens put the other eye still needed its +4 lens. Depending on what glasses if any you have been wearing you might be able to remove the lens from in front of the "new" eye and continue wearing your old frames with only one lens.

My surgeon was carefully evasive to not promise 20/20 and I didn't get it. I'm at +1.5 and +.75 to get 20/20 with glasses. Everything is brighter and more colorful without my clouded cataracts. It's nice to get out of bed and not need them immediately. I could ride a bike without them. I tried single vision glasses while waiting to get my new progressives but I was so used to wearing progressives that I had no patience fiddling with 2 pairs of glasses so I'm back to progressives post-surgery. I think even if I had 20/20 without glasses now I might still wear progressives with an uncorrected top and progressive magnification just so I didn't have to carry readers.

[Richard]

I'm curious...could you opt to wear contact lenses rather than glasses if you need post surgery correction?

[Ken Robb]

I'm curious...could you opt to wear contact lenses rather than glasses if you need post surgery correction?

I suppose you could.

[Mark McM]

I'm curious...could you opt to wear contact lenses rather than glasses if you need post surgery correction?

Sure. But you'd still need reading glasses for close viewing.

[Mark McM]

I’ve never before needed glasses for reading up close, and I’ve used progressives so I didn’t have to constantly put on and take off my lenses. Will I need progressives with a prescription lower lenses to read, and an uncorrected top part of the lense for distance?

I'm confused by the first sentence above. If you never needed glassed for reading up close, then why did you use progressive lenses? This seems like a contradiction.

But in answer to the question above: Yes, you will probably need some type of lenses for close vision - either dedicated reading glasses, or progressive lenses. In cataract surgery, the original lens in the eye, which is flexible and can adjust for for focusing distance, is replaced by a rigid lens with a single focus distance.

[djg21]

I'm confused by the first sentence above. If you never needed glassed for reading up close, then why did you use progressive lenses? This seems like a contradiction.



But in answer to the question above: Yes, you will probably need some type of lenses for close vision - either dedicated reading glasses, or progressive lenses. In cataract surgery, the original lens in the eye, which is flexible and can adjust for for focusing distance, is replaced by a rigid lens with a single focus distance.


The prescription at the top of my current progressive lenses are for distance and provides a good amount of correction. The bottom portion of my glasses have no or little correction, so I can read through them. My job requires public speaking. I can’t be taking off my glasses to glance at my notes and then putting them back on to look at the persons I’m presenting to.

I fully understand what cataract surgery is, and the various types of lenses that one may elect to have implanted. But thank you for your explanation in any event. As I noted, I opted for monocular lenses because the results apparently have been mixed with multifocal implants (which are designed to allow you to see far and near without correction).

I also am fully aware that I will need reading glasses to read up close. I’m more concerned with the need for correction to see the dash of my car from the driver’s seat, or my Garmin mounted in front of my handlebar when on my bike? I know only time will tell, but I’m hoping that my eyes will be far enough from my car dash or Garmin to see them without correction, so I can use non-prescription lenses while driving and riding, rather than progressives with a corrective/reading lens built into the bottom of my lenses.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[2LeftCleats]

I had the procedure but opted for the flexible lenses. The surgeon optimized the vision by giving my dominant eye the best distance vision with the ability to focus down to about computer or dashboard distance (it actually gets closer than that), and the other eye with slightly better close up and slightly worse distance vision. The combination worked really well for 95%of my life, until I detached a retina which has complicated things.

If you do the fixed implants, my guess is that you'll be able to read a bike computer, but might need to put a bifocal type lens in your Rudys.

[djg21]

I'm curious...could you opt to wear contact lenses rather than glasses if you need post surgery correction?

I’ve never been able to wear contacts successfully. They bother my eyes, which are very dry, and make me groggy.

[palincss]

So for you folk who have undergone cataract surgery, how long was it before you were able to ride outside?


A few days. He said avoid exertion, and I took that to mean take it easy on hills and I shortened the ride as well.


I opted for monocular lenses, because my doc’s experience has had less than perfect with the multifocal lenses, with many recipients suffering halos and bothered by glare at night. So I likely will need glasses for reading. For those that have had the procedure, is it likely that will I need corrective lenses to read my Garmin mounted on my bars?


They set one of my eyes for better focus up close and the other for best focus at infinity, letting my brain bridge the difference. I can read cue sheets and cycle computer just fine w/o additional corrective lenses (provided the cue sheets are 12 point, and since I make most of them I make sure they are!) but need 1.5 or 1.75 drug store readers for computer use and reading. The biggest challenge for me, going from a lifetime of nearsightedness to farsightedness virtually overnight was fixing flat tires: couldn't see embedded glass and of course your nearsighted coping strategies (just bring it closer, as long as it doesn't hit your nose sooner or later you'll be able to see it) just make things worse. My solution is to carry a pair of folding reading glasses (2 or 2.5) as part of my tool kit.



My speedometer while driving? My watch? I’ve never before needed glasses for reading up close, and I’ve used progressives so I didn’t have to constantly put on and take off my lenses. Will I need progressives with a prescription lower lenses to read, and an uncorrected top part of the lense for distance?


Not if they do it right. I don't need corrective lenses to drive. Unless you are texting while driving -- and in which case shame on you! -- you don't need to read while driving. Most people are in the same situation as I am, and at least with my ophthalmologist (who is one of the top guys for cataracts in metro DC) the vast majority of people get what I got, one eye set for mid-distance and the other for far vision, and because the difference isn't that great between them the brain has no trouble integrating the two into a clear coherent picture.


The good part is I have a big flex spending account that I can scan spend on new cycling glasses, or new lenses for all the Rudy Project prescription stuff I’ve been collecting over the years. I also will be able to use the shield that came with my TT helmet without corrective lenses underneath it.

I just switched the prescription bifocal lenses in my RayBan Aviators for no-prescription tinted lenses. Drug store readers are cheap, especially when you buy them on sale. I have a house full of them. I keep one in the car, too.

[palincss]

They said due to my astigmatism I would need distance glasses in all cases for best vision and then readers. The doc suggested I consider not fully trying to correct my distance vision in this case. So, I wear glasses for distance and eye protection on the bike but I can read with no glasses.

I thoght it might be easier to wear a pair of glasses than to carry a pair of glasses. Happy with my decision.

There are cataract lens implants that correct for astigmatism. I have one. The other eye wasn't bad enough to merit even the lowest level of correction.

[buddybikes]

Most importantly - follow rules by your surgeon to a T, lifting, heart rate, and of course steroid drops. I personally had a retinal edema on second eye done, some hazing that was rectified by a laser, but I was dealing with 50 year of diabetes.

Personally I got neutral lenses, as I will be wearing them anyway and if the correction changes, then the corrective lens may not quite match. No idea if this is issue with people or not

[DfCas]

There are cataract lens implants that correct for astigmatism. I have one. The other eye wasn't bad enough to merit even the lowest level of correction.

I have other vision issues also and they felt that to get my best distance vision I would need corrective lenses.

[nicrump]

I am on deck, 14 days apart. No need for TORIC as I have no astigmatism.

My cataracts are congenital posterior polar, pretty rare and I've gotten by ok up until the last couple years so they have got to go. Yeas, I've been looking though cotton balls my entire life.

I've got to make decisions regarding monocular vs. multi-focal or this trick of different focal lengths in each eye.

I'm leaning away from multi-focal because of the issues of halos and what not. I've had that my entire life and I want out.

Now this issue of "flexible lenses" as noted above, one eye for distance and one for close up. Those who have done that, do you actually read with one eye?

Let me ask, can you look down the rear wheel of your bike from behind, head centered and see the tire between the chain stays symmetrically?

As a frame builder, I'm concerned about increased parallax error when sighting down the center of an assembly and the likes. This is already been an issue for a while as my right eye out paces the left.

Input?

[djg21]

I am on deck, 14 days apart. No need for TORIC as I have no astigmatism.

My cataracts are congenital posterior polar, pretty rare and I've gotten by ok up until the last couple years so they have got to go. Yeas, I've been looking though cotton balls my entire life.

I've got to make decisions regarding monocular vs. multi-focal or this trick of different focal lengths in each eye.

I'm leaning away from multi-focal because of the issues of halos and what not. I've had that my entire life and I want out.

Now this issue of "flexible lenses" as noted above, one eye for distance and one for close up. Those who have done that, do you actually read with one eye?

Let me ask, can you look down the rear wheel of your bike from behind, head centered and see the tire between the chain stays symmetrically?

As a frame builder, I'm concerned about increased parallax error when sighting down the center of an assembly and the likes. This is already been an issue for a while as my right eye out paces the left.

Input?

I opted for monocula lenses after my doctor ndicated that many have been unhappy with the multi-focal lenses and suffer from halos, etc. My dad’s doctor told him the same thing before his catalract surgery last year. I’m 3 weeks out, and only allowed a week between eyes. My recovery has been slow, and I still cannot see clearly at distance. I can drive, but reading license plates or street signs is a challenge, and even with reading classes, reading a computer or book is not fun. I’ve not ridden in 3 weeks, and am going nuts. I hope this gets better.