Warning!! re Cataract surgery!!

@suhailfanous, Lasik and cataract surgery are 2 different procedures and not done simultaneously. I am not concerned about wearing glasses as I have worn them since I was 16 (for driver permit) Right now I need readers for close vision, but as healing continues, this might change so it is a good thing that the readers are inexpensive!
Have you had a cataract or LASIK procedure? What was your experience?

I am 73 and had cataract surgery in May.. did not feel a thing..no problems afterwards and now have almost perfect vision when tested post op... I need to still wear reading glasses but I do not mind that

I had cataract surgery in May ..I am 73...did not feel a thing... it takes them longer to get you ready for the procedure.. about an hour to get you ready, IV, eye drops etc and only 1o-15 minutes for the actual surgery.. when eyes tested post op almost perfect vision.. still need to wear readers but that is okay.

@eyesofbrown, I want to Welcome you to Mayo Connect and to thank you for sharing your positive cataract surgery. My experience went well, too. I will have my vision check next week. I’m currently wearing the nonprescription readers, but expect to need prescription lenses due to my astigmatism and a blurred spot from previous retina vein occlusion Yeager ago.

Eyesofbrown, I hope that you will browse thru the support groups on Connect. As a member, you can join in anywhere. Is there a particular health topic that you are interested in?

Looks like there is an epidemic of doctors just putting in whatever lenses they want. Similar thing happened to me but it wasn’t that I wanted lenses to read, it was that they really sold me on a premium lens, downplayed a competitor as being not as good. After one lens was done I went in for the second one and heard them talking about the lens they said was not as good and asked them if they put that one in my first eye. They called the Dr and he claimed he told them to tell me they didn’t have the lens I wanted in my refraction. I asked about price difference, he said same price.

I had the surgery at age 64. My doctor suggested one distance vision lens and one multifocal. I can see everything and read anything (when he tested my reading on his little card, he jokingly said "Your vision is so good you could read the writing off of a goat's toenails.") The only problem I have is when driving at night, there is a glare from car lights, street lights, traffic lights, etc. , from the multifocal lens, but I have learned to compensate for it. My husband had two multifocal lenses put in, and he can not drive at night because of the extreme glare. The new multifocal lenses that have been on the market supposedly correct the glare. I am very happy with my choice! (I think Medicare will only pay for the distance lenses. ) My brother got two distance lenses and uses readers. He drives a lot, so he wanted to be able to see as far as possible - and now his night vision is better and he can drive any time of the day or night at age 66.

I had a multifocal lens put in first and due to glare both during night driving and when in rooms with certain types of lighting, I had a distance lens put in with cataract surgery on second eye. Driving at night is still a problem and extremely glad I didn't get another multifocal lens put in the second eye or I highly doubt I would've ever been able to drive at night again. I recommend researching different lens types yourself before cataract surgery and don't rely completely on doctor recommendations. If you aren't satisfied with your lens choice after surgery you need to be aware that another surgery to remove and replace with another is risky. I would've had the multifocal removed if there wouldn't have been the risk factor, but didn't want to take the chances of even lower vision after removal.

I experienced a very similar experience.
I spoke with 4 people the day of my procedure, about having lenses put in to see things close not far. They all said they will check. The pre-op team said they will get the Dr. He came in, I asked him, he made a SMH sound and said now is not the time to discuss it. I said I went over it during the consul and doc signing. Then I went under. I didn't find out for 2 weeks he disregarded the documents and our conversation and put the standard lenses in for distance.
I need to see up close for my career. So now I have to wear glasses all day, I get to take them off when I drive 20 minutes to work and home.
Another Dr will redo the procedure, possible additional complications, longer recovery time, time off of work that the Dr's office will not pay me for. I was very upset about that and have opted out for. How many other patients does this happen to?? I would like to sue that Dr, any recommendations?

So sorry to hear you had a bad experience with your cataract surgeon too. My nearly perfect eyesight was ruined by a greedy and unscrupulous Opthamologist also. I have approached 2 attorneys to represent me in a lawsuit against this doctor, but have been told how difficult it is to sue a doctor in Florida. If you have better luck than I’ve had, please advise. My unnecessary surgery has robbed me of what has given me the most joy in life, the ability to do most of the artistic hobbies I previously enjoyed as well as horrible eye strain even with prescription glasses!

When you said you were looking out the window as you were coming home, I could so totally relate with that. My flowers out front that I thought were purple are actually a brilliant blue. And I could not stop staring at the ceiling, it was such a bright white Not a dull grey. And I got to see my cat for the first time! She is beautiful! Just like when you get your very first pair of glasses when you were a kid, and you are amazed that you can see all the leaves on the trees before we just a big blur And I can see the names of road signs now, which is what I really need it for because I was getting a lot of new doctors, and I really needed to see the names of the streets I was looking for, so that is what pushed me into getting it done. I got one eye done and then the other eye was a little bit later I think it was a couple weeks. I got the Medicare standard lenses for distance, and I am very happy with them . I still need glasses because I have other problems with my eyes but it is so very great to see again! I’m thinking back, it was dangerous how I was not seeing so much but I did not realize how much I was not seeing. We are blessed to be in the United States where we can have this done so easily. And in other countries, lots of people go blind from cataracts.