Last Thursday I had cataract surgery with astigmatism corrective lens put in my eye. Surgery went well - no discomfort, etc. at all. Prior to this surgery I was blind as a bat pretty near without my glasses. I now have one eye done and starting to see pretty good with it. However, I'm finding it very very difficult to function when the other eye is worse than the one I had done. Took the lens out of my glasses for the "new" eye but can't see anything with both eyes with the lens for the other eye in. I've tried taping the other eye lens with electrical tape but it seems to be straining the eye that had surgery. I'm feeling pretty frustrated as about all I can do is sit on the couch and listen to the tv. My husband has been getting the brunt of my frustration. I'm sure once the other eye is done (october 14) both eyes will work together nicely but right now that is too far away for me. I'm also supposed to be at work (accountant) as I have a lot of deadlines. One of the worst problems is that I can see my quilting room from the couch where I have about 25 boomerang squares to make (sorry ladies - they'll be coming) and can't sew a stitch. I think that is the hardest for me to endure right now. I am thankful that there is surgery like this and in a month or so I'll be eternally grateful for this surgery but right now I'm not liking it at all. Just wondering if anyone else out there has had implant surgery for this problem and how they functioned until the second eye was done. Thank you all!

Haven't been thru that but want to send good thoughts to you!!! Keep remembering that soon you will be back at it again :lol: :lol: :lol:

I can't even imagine what you are going through. How about a patch to cover the bad eye? You may not be able to sew or read much until you are used to it, but at least the difference will not drive you crazy.

i had one eye at a time fixed. but i didnt use eyeglasses... i previously had monovision contacts. so i had my regular contact specialist fit me with the corrective lens that helped the most. it wasn't perfect, but i was able to function alright. it was a year until i had the second eye fixed, though. now i need another surgery for a cataract in the second eye. [sigh] best wishes to you.

Time is so precious so try to take advantage to get some true rest and then when you are healed, you will have enough energy to tackle all those tasks. I agree that it is so wonderful to have this technology. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

I had mine done 2 weeks apart, tried to wear my regular glasses with one lens out....then remembered I had a pair of contacts I had gotten that summer, put one in my bad eye and away I went. Then went to the dollar store and got a pair of reading glasses. If you don't have a contact lense, go to Walmart and get fitted for one real fast. Won't cost much and you will be soooooo relieved. I had worn bifocals before the surgery so this worked for me. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEW as soon as you get that contact. The new ones take no getting used to. Bless you, I wish you the best.

BTW, the reason your glasses probably don't work is because the implant is single vision.

Will they do a contact for the eye that hasn't had surgery if it also has a cataract? Trying an eye patch over bad eye but it isn't working for me - seems to be too much strain on "new" eye which really isn't up to par yet visually.

What did your eye doctor recommend? Since they work with this situation every day, I bet they could tell you the best way to handle this.

I had the same problem and just prayed for the day to come fast for the second eye. Then I decided to call the doctor and let him know how aweful things were and he was able to get me a date much sooner. That was over 5 years ago and am ever so greatful to be able to see without glasses. Only need them now for close-up work. Good Luck and hope you can get it done sooner:-)

My friend who had this done used a patch on the bad eye.

I had to wait 6 months to get new glasses. Now I have corrective glasses and it's fine, however they had to do a second lazer on my corrected eye because of secondary cataract which sometimes happens. I see pretty good now.

Keesha, the eye with the cataract is the one I was talking about getting the contact for. You don't need it on your good one....it already has the lens implanted. You're just trying to even them up. Once you get reading glasses, you can work.
Anyway, at the Walmart I got mine at, the optomotrist (that doesn't look right, spelling) gave me mine. Didn't have to buy from front storefront inside the store. (I believe the doc is independent)

It is just a matter of time before you will be able to do everything again. Not to much longer. A vacation from everything usual and you might even "see" how to look at things through a different eye. Could be very eye opening in the end! From sight to re-sight!
peace

It will take time for you to get used to the difference -- I had to cover my "bad" eye when I tried to read . Eventually I learned to adjust what I was looking at. I had to wait 3 years before I and the doc dared to even think of doing the second eye.

Hang in there -- it will get better -- and I'm sure it is worth it.

Mim

I called the surgeon and he had no recommendation. I'm also wondering how long it takes before I can see clearly with new eye as things are still blurry which doesn't help. I'm sorry- not complaining - just frustrated.

it took me several weeks to get used to the change. Be sure to wear dark glasses every time you go outside.

Think of it as if you had just got out of surgery and had a cast removed -- it takes time to retrain the muscles -- and your eye has a lot of them.

I will also mention, that if you are really blurry -- please go back to your doc and have your eye checked. It is important that everything checks out well. He can't tell from just listening to you trying to explain.

Mim

I don't have any answers for you, but just wanted you to know you will be in my thoughts & that everything will work out well for you. I'm sure it is very frustrating to you being able to see your quilting area & not being able to quilt.

hmmm... DH had surgery last Tuesday (Sept 20). His eyes are clear and he is going nuts with the non-surgery eye still having a cataract. Went to the Dr for the 1 week check up and scheduled his next surgery. We had the lens removed from his glasses for the eye that had the surgery and the Dr said he sees well enough to drive -- unfortunately the first appt is in November so he does have to wait a while.

Hope your eye clears up -- make sure your Dr knows the new eye is blurry -- DH Dr told us to let him know right away if it did not clear up within a day or two.

QuiltnLady, why does your DH have to wait till November? Is the Doc that busy? No other reason to wait.

Get the man a contact lens for his cataract eye...it makes the wait sooooo easy.

I'm glad the surg went ell I need it done but can't find a local surgon to do it I not only have a cataract but lazy eye. Can only do any reading or eye work for short periods!
Good luck oct right around cornER!!

I'm having my eyes done later this year. I fret that I'm going to be sooooo bored. You can only watch/listen the LOTR so many times.
Can you do any hand work?
MK

Your pushing it. It heals very fast and now I don't even wear glasses unless I am on the computer. Make sure you always wear sunglasses in the sun and the bright snow and you will be just fine. Had both eyes done 1 month apart and no problems. - J

Did any of you have the implant for astigmatism - I received the toric lens which I had to pay for. Thanks for all your comments - much appreciated. Just trying to be patient but its hard when you're a person who can't sit still. I think I've had enough coffee for a month now - LOL.

I feel your flustration. I went to Walmart and got a cheap pair of glasses until I got my other eye done.

I have had both of my eyes done the right one first, it is hard at first to do close work, but once you eye heals and you get a new prescription for your glasses you will be very happy and be able to see so much better. Hang in there it will get better

I have only one good eye and that has a cornea transplant. It took a full 18 months to function properly and I have the pieces I sewed to show for it! At least I can see and sew!

Your story is much like mine ... ten years ago!

The time between the two surgeries (three weeks for me) was ever-so frustrating, as the two eyes were focusing in two totally different ways. Before the first surgery, I was legally blind, and while that was the case, at least they worked together in that bad state!

Vision in the first was unbelievably great when checked the day after, and continued improvement. I did start driving again, the day after the surgery. In all honesty, I couldn't believe how great it was ... and what I had come to forget what I should have been able to see, and could not. And then when the second was done ... I was ever so elated.

My two opthamologists know that I praise the ground they walk on .... for bringing me from blindness and giving me a life again!!!!!

Husband went through same problem. He was as far sighted as can be. Doctor said he probably was legally blind without glasses. First surgery was good until the difference in sight for each eye. He laid on the couch for two weeks. There is no solution because the brain cannot process the change of two different visions. Just rest because after will only be good. You won't remember the problems in a few years or they will be a distant memory. This only happens to those with severe problems that make the difference in sight difficult. Good luck

Patience my dear. This too shall pass when the other eye is done. I feel for you but just think 'it could be worse'.

I recently had my second cataract removed. Unfortunately since the first one was done 7 years ago and only had the plain silicone lens implanted, I was unable to get the Toric lens this time around. The MD said there would be great difficulty getting the eyes to work together. :-( Did your insurance pay for the Toric lens? My MD said the cost is about $1500.

Anyhow, my MD remved the cataract and did a procedure called "limbal relaxation" to relieve my astigmatism since it was so bad in the cataract eye. Now it is 3 months later, and I just got my glasses this past weekend.

What an adjustment - my distance is great, but the closeup is giving me trouble. What do I do now trying to thread a needle ... Unfortunately recovering from this type of surgery, you have to have patience. It's really funny, but your vision WILL get BETTER. Sounds weird, but it's true. Patience is a virtue. Hard to say when things are blurry and you feel like you are drunk.

Kat

I had mine done three weeks apart, could see immediately, washed clothes the same day, drove the next day, grocery shopped the following day. Get them done close together and then you can get your new glasses without having to change lenses in midstream. Also, get the Transitition glasses. They are marvelous and after cataract surgery bright lights are so bright and the Transititions help remarkably. Good luck to you. I had mine done almost three years ago. Edie

Reading about the transition lenses made me think of something else that worked for me ....

I had glasses with the magnetic clip on sunglasses, and had a pair of yellow ones made for night driving.

It really helped pre-surgery ... and I prefer them for night driving, even ten years later.

Wear a patch over the "bad" eye and sew in short spurts. Your depth perception will be off but you can adjust to that. Just don't go longer than 15-20 min at a time. Rest with eyes closed for 5 min or so after then in about 20 min go again.

If a patch over the bad eye doesn't work, I'd call the doctor who did your surgery and ask him what to do.

I held my best friend's hand, through the same surgery, for cataracts. Be patient. Try listening to music. You can just close your eyes and enjoy. He liked classical. What's your favorite? Keep your mind on the end. What a blessing.

Same thing happened to me, my eyes were so bad & even my thick plastic lenses in my glasses were so heavy that when I took the one lens out, my glasses were crooked, so couldn't see out of them. I covered my "good" eyes and wore my glasses for my bad eye and then when that eye got tired, I took off my glasses and covered the bad eye. A pain, but didn't have to wait long for second surgery (A week I think) and then I could see with out my glasses but couldn't read with out "cheater" glasses from dollar store. Both eyes doing great now and it has been almost 10 years, but that 1st week was misserable.

Yes I had the surgery and found if I wore my old glasses it worked so I could see. Just be patient until you get your new glasses.
It is wonderful.

My eye dr prescribed a contact lens, and it worked great!

I just had both of my eyes done last winter. I had to wait 6 wks between surgery and I agree that was really hard. Put now it is sooooooo worth it.