Thanks for posting this. Not there yet, but eye doc says they're started in both eyes. But if things are as good as you say, I won't have any excuse any more. Glad you had a good result. The golden years ain't so golden, but heartening to read posts like yours.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

Well Hank we have a lot in common. Had the same surgery at the same time. Only both eyes at the same time. Just about the same results. Only one eye has astigmatism. So 20/20 one and waiting for the month after post op. appt. for the final inspection. Had the Toric distance lens also. Huge difference. So I'm just testing and figuring out the final deposition on sights etc. I used to have the rear sights on my handguns cock way over to the right to shoot straight. Now I have to center all of them again like a normal human being. The RED dot sights are a clear dot now like you described. Threw the driving glasses away. Sill needs the reader for the small stuff. Wish I had it done long ago. I can read license plates on cars down the block where I needed binoculars before. If Pizza Bob reads this don't put it off. There was a long waiting list for my surgery. I lucked of and got in early (2 months) due to a cancelation and I jumped on it.

 

For quite a few years my optometrist has said I have the beginnings of cataracts. I have glasses set up for front sight focus in my dominant eye, distance in the other eye. It's worked great. Now, shooting an optic I have glasses with both eyes distance prescription. Last year there was no change but I have my next checkup in a couple of weeks. We'll see how it goes. But your report is good to hear.

 

Thanks for posting this Hank. I learned recently at my optometrist's appointment that I have them in both eyes but they are not bad enough for surgery, yet. I have heard some other very promising results, like yours, that are very comforting to hear. Seems like they have made great progress with this surgery over the last twenty years or so.

 

Just a note: You will have to cough up the $$$$ out of pocket for the actual lens. Insurance and Medicare cover the actual cataract operation but not the lens. You'll have a choice of different ones. I took the Toric distance ones. $4K. No big deal. Thats a trip to the dentist or a dent fixed on your car. This was much more cost effective. Worth every dime. The ducks are going to get their ass kicked next year, big time.😜

 

Not true. The straight distance lens is covered fully. The toric and bifocal lenses are not. It is also common to have the astigmatism correction done during surgery by laser. Then the distance lens is free, but the laser procedure costs the same as the toric lens.

 

Thanks for your post. I’ll be having my cataract surgery in 2024 - and reading your report helps take off the edge. Keep shooting and good luck.

 

Thanks for posting this Hank! I had a cataract surgery in the left eye 10 years ago; before that my vision in the left eye was, at best, 20/50 and most of the time 20/70. While my right eye was 20/25 to 20/30, my right eye was doing all the work and wasn't providing all the vision that I could have had. 10 years ago, the cataract in the left eye was advanced enough to have the insurance pay for most of the surgery, but only the mono-vision lens. My left eye varies between 20/25 and 20/30 now. What a difference! I see things in the woods out hunting that I never saw before ever, so I had good results as well. The cataract in the right eye is not enough to have the insurance pay for it, and is stable at 20%, so it probably won't be done before I get too old.

I can only mirror your own result, as I had the mono-vision lens put in, but it cleared up a lot of things. While it was healing, a months after surgery, it got down to 20/15 in the left, but as it healed completely, it stabilized at the current vision where it has stayed since then. I'm a happy camper too! Any surgery is a risk of infection or something going wrong, and folks need to think about that and consider it, but if your vision is on its way out, it is PROBABLY a viable risk to gain scenario.

 

One downside, at least for me, is that my distance perception is now off. It affects golf but not shooting. On the golf course, I might judge the hole to be 70 yds, but the rangefinder shows 100 yds. Since I was a feel player, I’ve had to change my approach to the game.

On the shooting upside, I was having to hold a pistol off-center to get my eyes right. That had a very adverse effect on “rapid” shooting at different targets. I can’t use that as an excuse any longer.

James

 

Great to hear about the improvement in your shooting experience and quality of life!

 

Good information Hank, pertaining to shooting especially. I know many people who have had it done, but not many people I shoot with. Cataract surgery can be done manually or laser assisted. There’s an out of pocket expense with laser assisted, and the lens. Either way generally yields very good results. This thread is reminding me that I’m overdue for an eye exam; and have noticed changes in my vision which luckily was always 20/20. The fuzzy front sights and blurry red dot suggests something might be going on with my peepers And I’m in the age bracket (68) for possible cataracts.

 

Hi Hank, congrats on your successful procedure.

I had the same done on both eyes in May. I sprang for the high-end multifocal toric lenses, as I had pretty bad astigmatism in both eyes in addition to the cataracts. Results were very good, and I do not need glasses anymore after depending on them for about 60 years. I still keep a pair of reading glasses on hand for very fine print, or extended reading sessions.

Be aware (if your ophthalmologist hasn't already cautioned you) that a very common complication is "secondary cataracts", AKA "posterior capsular opacification". This is when your body deposits a layer of cells on the back of the new lenses, causing the same symptoms as the original cataracts; blurriness, glare, etc. It may show up anywhere from a few weeks to several years after your surgery. For me, it showed up after about 4 months.

This sounds bad, but it's actually pretty minor, with an easy fix. A simple outpatient procedure called, "YAG laser capsulotomy" is where the doctor uses a laser to remove the new tissue from the lenses. Takes about 5 minutes per eye. Doc tells me that it's a one-time thing; the troublesome tissue regrowth will not come back.

I've only been out shooting once (Christmas Day!) since my surgeries, and only shot about 40 rounds, but if my initial impression is correct, I think the surgeries may noticeably improve my shooting! I was shooting a brand new pistol in a caliber (10mm) I'd never shot before. So, I had pretty low expectations considering that I was trying out my rebuilt eyeballs for the first time, and hadn't shot any at all in seven months.

I surprised myself! This was my second mag, freehand at 10 yards, semi-rapid fire. I'm happy!

Good luck, and hope your results are as good!

 

Thanks for the post
I will soon be a candidate for the same procepure
Better scores at the range would be a BIG plus.

 

I'm a certified "old timer". I've worn glasses or contacts for about 60 years, 20/200 uncorrected. Earlier this month I finally had to undergo cataract surgery, one eye at a time. It was a piece of cake, painless, and easy recovery. If you're facing it, do your research, pick a good surgeon, and rest easy. All I'm going to discuss next is the effect on my shooting, and what to expect.

I've been shooting for longer than I've had to wear glasses. I'd tried a succession of corrected safety glasses, and all sorts of sighting systems. I'd begun to think that my perscription was incorrectly done, but learned a few months ago that the culprit was cataracts. When shooting pistols (IDPA, others) the front sight looked like a ball of fuzz - not great for a sight picture! Receiver sights (aka peep sights) were mostly useless.

Yesterday I went to the range for the first time since early and mid December surgery. I'll now describe my experience. Wow, am I a happy camper! First, I've now got the best uncorrected vision of my entire life, basically 20/20 in each eye. However, I will need reading glasses in rare situations. I chose "monovision" lenses for the best distance vision, and cannot comment of some of the other types.

With two different pistols, the sights are distinct and easy to see. Specifically, it is easy to focus on the front sight, and still have a decent view of the rear sight and the target. Reading glasses made it worse, so I'll only be using uncorrected safety glasses from now on. Receiver sights on rifles will now be very usable again. I learned on them in the Army, and still like them for recreational shooting. Scopes seem to need no adjustment, because I always used them through glasses or contacts. My two pairs of binoculars were adjusted to my previous poor vision, and used with my glasses off. I refocused the binocs, and they are crisp and clear. The color rendition is much improved; cataracts also caused a "yellowing" of colors. That's gone now. I haven't transitioned to red dot optics on handguns, but do have a dot sight on a carbine. I had noticed that the red dot had begun to be a fuzzy blob with some spokes radiating out, depending on brightness. That's now gone. At any power setting, the dot is a distinct dot again.

I'll see my eye doc in a couple of weeks for a final post-op check out, and refraction for new glasses, for reading or whatever. I can already tell I'll only need readers on the range for IDing dropped brass for reloading, or for small print on accessories. When shooting, driving to the range, gun cleaning, reloading, etc., I'll only need protective uncorrected safety glasses. The only downside is losing the excuse of "bad eyes" for low scores on matches! Hope my story helps a few other old timers.

In my case colors what a wonderful thing everything had been dull for so long.

 

I've got monofocal lenses and also a posterior capsulotomy on both eyes.
It's a life changer. I'm reading this thread without glasses and can do the same with highway signs.
My eyes stabilized at about 20/25 and depth of field is pretty good.

 

Had one eye done 4 years ago the other 3 . No issues at all and perfectly clear sight picture. Now have to have surgery on right eye from poking it with a weed 2 years ago. Not worried or sweating it at all as have one of the Best ( and Best looking) eye Md’s who knows the best surgeons, she’s been my eye Md for almost 20 years.
Look at the Md’s reviews by all means, easy online.

 

I have an appointment for evaluation to schedule cataract surgery in both eyes in February, so following this thread with interest.

 

I too had cataract surgery a couple years ago. I moved to a red dot RMR to help with focusing before the surgery, it made it even better to use after, and I now have 3 pistols with dots.
I was more disappointed with the eye issue shooting my rifles. The irons on my AR were really hard to see, and the peep rear site on my M1 made it impossible to see a target at 100yards.
I had my right eye done first, my sighting eye. After the bandage was removed I went home and the first thing I did was open the gun safe and pull out my AR. Yep!! I could see the sights! I next pulled out the M1 and sure enough, it was amazingly clear. I was a super happy camper! The next trip back to the doc's office I told her (she and her husband are concealed pistol carriers) and she smiled.
Since it's been a couple years since the second eye was done, it still amazes me every day I wake up and can see so clearly. Something I hadn't taken as seriously in my early days as I probably should have.

 

Sending this to future notes. Good to know info! Thanks.

 

I had the same surgery 3 yrs. ago.
Only problem, red dots look like a starburst or a halo effect.
Not just red dots but, all lights at night.

Still, I'd do it again tomorrow.

 

I'm dreading going to the eye doctor...

Jon.

 

Time waits for no one............................:>((

 

I actually have personal experience on this topic. I had cataract surgery on both eyes in my early 40's about 20 years earlier than average. I was an endurance athlete and a shooter at the time. My doctor wasn't as concerned about shooting as he was about repetitive intense exercise or any type of heavy lifting. This isn't anything to take light of and return to shooting too soon. Take the time off and relax you won't lose any of your current shooting skill or ability. What you could do though is permanent damage if not taken seriously.

 

I'm a certified "old timer". I've worn glasses or contacts for about 60 years, 20/200 uncorrected. Earlier this month I finally had to undergo cataract surgery, one eye at a time. It was a piece of cake, painless, and easy recovery. If you're facing it, do your research, pick a good surgeon, and rest easy. All I'm going to discuss next is the effect on my shooting, and what to expect.

I've been shooting for longer than I've had to wear glasses. I'd tried a succession of corrected safety glasses, and all sorts of sighting systems. I'd begun to think that my perscription was incorrectly done, but learned a few months ago that the culprit was cataracts. When shooting pistols (IDPA, others) the front sight looked like a ball of fuzz - not great for a sight picture! Receiver sights (aka peep sights) were mostly useless.

Yesterday I went to the range for the first time since early and mid December surgery. I'll now describe my experience. Wow, am I a happy camper! First, I've now got the best uncorrected vision of my entire life, basically 20/20 in each eye. However, I will need reading glasses in rare situations. I chose "monovision" lenses for the best distance vision, and cannot comment of some of the other types.

With two different pistols, the sights are distinct and easy to see. Specifically, it is easy to focus on the front sight, and still have a decent view of the rear sight and the target. Reading glasses made it worse, so I'll only be using uncorrected safety glasses from now on. Receiver sights on rifles will now be very usable again. I learned on them in the Army, and still like them for recreational shooting. Scopes seem to need no adjustment, because I always used them through glasses or contacts. My two pairs of binoculars were adjusted to my previous poor vision, and used with my glasses off. I refocused the binocs, and they are crisp and clear. The color rendition is much improved; cataracts also caused a "yellowing" of colors. That's gone now. I haven't transitioned to red dot optics on handguns, but do have a dot sight on a carbine. I had noticed that the red dot had begun to be a fuzzy blob with some spokes radiating out, depending on brightness. That's now gone. At any power setting, the dot is a distinct dot again.

I'll see my eye doc in a couple of weeks for a final post-op check out, and refraction for new glasses, for reading or whatever. I can already tell I'll only need readers on the range for IDing dropped brass for reloading, or for small print on accessories. When shooting, driving to the range, gun cleaning, reloading, etc., I'll only need protective uncorrected safety glasses. The only downside is losing the excuse of "bad eyes" for low scores on matches! Hope my story helps a few other old timers.

Timely post for this "old timer", have my preop appointment next week for my cataract and glaucoma surgery. Good to know I possibly have some "improvement" in store.

 

Had mine done last summer. Paid for the "Rolls Royce" lenses, and don't regret it. Been wearing glasses and/or contact lenses since about age eight. The results of the procedure are amazing. Barely need reading glasses anymore (.75x magnfication when I do!). Any distance vision is excellent. Painless and quick. Highly recommend it if you have the need.

 

Just do it. If at all possible. I still need readers, but that is because of another issue in one eye (battle damage). 20/20 in the other. Mid-rage and distance are great. Tossed the driving glasses. Night vision driving and the Red Dot optics are 100%. Had the Toric distance Lens installed.

 

I'm another one who has cataracts growing over the past 8 years or so and they have progressed more noticeably in the past year. My biggest fear is that I have a lot of allergies in the fall and rub my eyes alot during that time. Gonna have to get over that somehow. Also I live in the country and have quite a bit of mowing to do. I'm gonna have to start wearing goggles or something to keep the grass and dirt out of my eyes while mowing. I can tell that I'm getting closer to having to have it done.