Yes you will have to have someone take you and bring you home though and then you will spend the rest of the day taking it easy. it's a simple procedure but you have some recuperation. I don't know about the taking time off thing but I would think two or three days...I woke up the next morning and couldn't believe how good I could see. They do (generally) each eye at different times. I didn't have any difficulty. It took a few days or maybe even a week or so for my eyes to feel normal but truthfully, it is so wonderful not having to wear glasses. I had mine scheduled like about a month apart ....

It sounds to me like your cataracts have grown and it's time to have them removed. They give you a light sedative so you don't have to worry at all. The entire procedure takes only twenty minutes each eye but they have to put drops in your eye a few times so all in all it would take two hours max. You will have drops with directions so you can do it yourself. I found that if you lie down and close your eye and put the eye drops in near the corner of your eye near the nosethat when you open your eye the drops go right in. A dr. told me that years ago. You can't bend over or lift much for the first few days. Healing can take up to a month but usually you can see better right away. Call the dr. and make the appt. Driving with poor vision can cause accidents. Before my husband had the surgery he could not see in the dark and almost got us killed so I made the appt. for him. He's so happy he did it. No glasses and can see 20/20, Good luck and don't worry.

It is time for you to have them removed I think. I had complications so I am not a good one to ask. I was an exception to the rule. Please have someone with you after your surgery. I am doing fine now, though. It has been 4 years. I should have investigated the kind of lenses I had the drs. place in my eyes. I had the newest lenses placed. Even the insurance companies were not paying for them. (that should have been an red flag for me, but it wasn't! Duh!)I had the crystalens placed in my eyes.

Forgot to mention that I have to wear glasses for close up vision ...don't know if you have that problem or not but the surgery won't correct that part of it unless you have the corrected lenses. My neighbor had hers done and she had a lens in one eye for far sightedness and one for nearsightedness in the other. My doctor doesn't like that because he says that some people have problems at night with monovision so I didn't do it but instead of wearing reading glasses, I wear one contact lense for reading and it works perfectly for me...

Easy procedure. The hardest part is to remember the drops afterwards for a couple of weeks. I have to wear glasses as I have astigmatism and the surgery will not correct that, so I was told.

Do you think you could have the procedure done soon- then maybe your granddaughter could help you out for a few days? Then you'll be completely healed before you have to start driving home in the winter. Gee- I'm really thinking ahead.

I also have cataracts and I've taken to glasses when I'm driving at night. I too can't see clearly on the freeway etc. BUT...my doctor said that my cataracts are so "small" that it the surgery will most likely be in 5-10 years!! I must say the glasses have cleared up my vision for night driving 100%. I even use them to watch TV. I really don't mind because I don't wear them during the day at all.

I had LASIK surgery in 2001 and that was a miracle surgery to me. So I don't expect the cataract surgery to be a big deal.

Susan it's interesting that my doctor says mine aren't big enough to operate on but I have the same symptoms that you have...hummmmmmm. Have they suggested glasses for driving at night?

Susan

Susan, I've worn glasses since First Grade, and progressives (three levels of strength) for at least a couple of decades.

Yes, it would make sense to have it done soon--not only for my vision but for other practical reasons. Mcmann is right about my granddaughter being available right now. So is my future DIL. They are both employed, but we could work around their schedules for driving me to and from the surgery.

However, it would not be possible for either of them to help me out for a few days, and there is no way to take it easy, and no way to avoid bending over, when you live with two incontinent dogs. I'm thinking this dilemma may give me the push I need to have Wolfy and Angel put to sleep. I've been struggling--emotionally and physically--with their situation for a very long time, and I know many people would say this is way overdue. Overdue or not, it certainly won't be easy.

So I guess the next question should be (and I ask this seriously, not as a bid for sympathy), is it okay to cry after cataract surgery?

My DH had cataract surgery on both his eyes last year, two weeks apart. He was quite happy with the results. The eye surgeon put different lenses in each eye, so he can read without glasses but can still see distance. Somehow the brain sorts it out. He had to be driven home after the operations, he said there was a lot of itching at first. He was told to lie still for the first 24 hours, don't even read or watch TV. He also had to apply three different types of drops. I was with him the entire "home recovery" time. So I brought him his food and took care of the pets, etc. You will probably need some help the first day.

Oh Susan...I am so sorry that this other issue is happening at the same time. My heart goes out to you because I know how difficult it is to make the decision to say "goodbye" to our bundles of fur and love. I really wish I could reach out and help in some way.

I too wore glasses (what I called "coke bottle" glasses) from a very young age. Then I wore contacts for years; then was able to have the LASIK. I am 63 now and I so blessed to have decent sight, except of course for my reading glasses (and the ones' at night) which are really no problem. I know the cataract is coming someday and my doctor has assurred me that they have made such great strides in this area that I will love it when it has to be done. And from what I read on the posts it sounds like you're going to be far better off than now.

You take care Susan; I will be thinking of you and sending you good thoughts.

Susan

So glad to hear this discussion because I am thinking about this myself. I would have to make arrangements around my daughter taking some vacation time.

Just make sure that your insurance will cover it. My dr. said the cataract has to be 40% in order to be covered. Mine was a tad less so I have to go back in six months. I will then have the implants done while having the surgery. Yippee.

Susan - what an awful situation to be in and I sympathize completely. You've mentioned before that the time is getting closer when you might have to make that decision. But it still doesn't make it any easier. No matter when you do it it's tough.

3 of my sisters have had it in the last 9 mos or so.They all said it wasn't bad,just not being able to bend down for a few days was a pain in the butt.They also said the worst part is putting all those drops in your eyes every day..
However they said it was all worth it in the end,they can actually see without their glasses.
Kathi

I'm dreading it but I guess it's inevitable. I have worn glasses about 25 years. Husband..since he was 6. He had the cataract surgery on both eyes a few years ago. He was thrilled to not have to wear glasses, but he needs them all the time for close up seeing. To me this would just be a pain. Mine are on my face except when I'm sleeping. I never have to look for them. He can't read menus or see anything close up. He's always looking for his glasses and losing them.