Question:
I need to know if I will be able to read well enough (assuming all
goes well) after both surgeries to continue with my book project? Or
should I wait a few months (the doctor said I could wait up to 6
months, but he wouldn't like to go any longer)?
At present I am seeing okay. My right eye, as I said, is fine.
If anyone has had these procedures, I would really appreciate hearing
what your vision was like during the time before you were able to get
new glasses. The brochure says I can "resume normal activities" and
"read or watch TV" -- but if I am really going to need glasses to
read, how am I supposed to read before I get the new glasses?
Answer:
With modern cataract surgery, the the eye can see fairly well once the early
healing is over, few days to a couple of weeks. A refractio is best done
once little change can be expected, 4-6 weeks out. HOWEVER, under
circumstances such as yours, you can refract as soon as 1-2 weeks. May have
to be redone at 6 weeks out, but you can work during that early time with
the glasses (ie. Write the manuscript). Technically you can work reading
from 1 eye, or if the other eye isn't way off power, you can get reading
glasses before the LASIK, and put it off til after the LASIK.
Cataract surgery almost never has to be done within a certain time frame
unless it is a "mature" cataract - not sure why he said 6 months max.
I was told that another option would be to do "cataract surgery" on
BOTH eyes, making them "match" vision-wise. However, the surgery on
the right eye would not be covered by surgery, as I do not currently
have a cataract on that eye. It would be much more expensive than
Lasik (which isn't covered either, but is less expensive). The benefit
would be that I would not need cataract surgery in the future on the
right eye (well, I know they can form again, but it would be somewhat
of a preemptive strike).
You surgeon's recommended numbers seem reasonable under the circumstances. I
wouldn't go more than 2 diopters difference from eye to eye. Remember that
as the right eye starts developing a cataract, it will likely get more
myopic first.
I am thinking my best bet may be to wait until at least November or
December to have the cataract surgery on the left eye.
Closer to that time, I can decide if I want Lasik on my right eye or
if I want just the cataract surgery on the left eye, leaving my vision
essentially the same as it was before the cataract formed.
