Cataract Surgery and Woodturning

[Jim McLain]

Unfortunately it is time for cataract surgery and would like to know how those of you that have had it approached it for Woodturning? Did you get a lens replacement that allows you to see far or near? For carving and computer work it seems logical to get lenses that correct for near sighted situation. If you opted for far sighted lens correction, how is your vision at the lathe? Woodturning is only part of the decision but a fairly big part of it for me? I would guess that your shop lighting suddenly seemed better after surgery.

Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hockenbery]

My eye surgeon helped with my decision. I had an astigmatism.
His estimate was that using the Toric lens it would be 90%+ that I would get 20/20 distance vision and need reading glasses.
He thought it was about a 40% chance of getting the multi focus lenses to work without needing glasses and most likely I would need glasses for both reading and distance. I went with the toric.

As far as turning my thoughts were-
I’m going to wear safety glasses when turning so May as we’ll have prescription lenses in them.

I have 20/20 in one eye and better than 20/30 in the other. No glasses for driving or tv.
Did the surgery last year.
Could turn a bowl without glasses. Couldn’t do a finial.

 

[Daniel Henry]

Jim. since my cataract surgery about 5 years ago there has probably been advances in the procedure. The surgeon reviewed with me the lens options, including cost and offered his professional opinion. After consideration, I opted for the least costly device and I am well satisfied. When I had surgery a lens that offered vision correction was not covered by my insurance. Your comment about better lighting, for me, was spot-on. I was shocked at how "dim" my world had become due to the cataract.

A word of advice, comply with every word of the after surgery instructions. For the most part, I followed Doctor's instructions but it was hard to do.

God speed

 

[stu senator]

Had both eyes done a number of years ago. Took the standard lens and as I had used reading glasses before and continue still. I was used to them.

As each eye was done with a few weeks interval between I had an interesting experience.

If I looked at a white object, a sheet of paper, with the new lens and then quickly switched eyes the paper seemed to turn yellow but soon appeared white. This shows the effect the brain has on our perceived world.

Good luck on your operation and a quick recovery to turning.

Stu

 

[David Propst]

I used to have to wear to 2.5-3x readers.
Then after my 75-year-old mother got the Restor bifocal lens replacements for cataracts in 2010, I decided I did not want to wait 30 years to have good vision and splurged and had lens replacement in 2012.
I call it my "mid-life crisis" purchase. It was worth every penny.
In bright light, I can now read 2 pt type easily. As for distance vision, I had 20/20 distance vision before, and I still test at 20/20, but it is a slightly fuzzy 20/20 in my opinion.
The artificial lenses do seem to be more light-dependent. Don't plan on reading your favorite book by candlelight
My one car-sized garage shop with a 9 ft ceiling has four 8 ft led strips with 36K lumens over the lathe. It's heaven!

 

[Dave Landers]

I’m going to wear safety glasses when turning so May as we’ll have prescription lenses in them.

Same as Hockenbery, I'm gonna wear glasses at the lathe anyway, might as well have correction in them. Bonus is that it basically forces me to remember the safety glasses.
I have not joined the eye surgery club, but I am a member of the reading-glasses group. Been wearing safety readers at the lathe for a long time. Last year, I noticed that my eyes are different - one needed a lot more correction than the other. So I got prescription safety glasses (basically just readers with different lenses) and now I have depth perception at the lathe! Huge difference.

 

[Joe Kaufman]

From my experience, the question I would now ask, is it easier to correct with glasses for future changes in vision with the standard lens or the Toric lens? Original surgery 9 years ago.

 

[robo hippy]

Helpful info for me. I will need to get this done eventually. Worst thing is I will probably have to stay out of the pool for a while. I like to put in 3 miles, usually 4 days a week. May have to hike more....

robo hippy

 

[Karl Best]

Same as Hockenbery, I'm gonna wear glasses at the lathe anyway, might as well have correction in them. Bonus is that it basically forces me to remember the safety glasses.

Same here. Pre-surgery I wore glasses fulltime; now I only wear for 1.5x readers for reading and semi-close work. It's been an excellent reminder to wear (prescription) safety glasses because I wouldn't be able to see the work otherwise. And since I'm now in the habit I also now wear safety glasses for anything else in the garage or for yard work.

What I don't like is that I previously had fantastic close-up vision -- really close, like a few inches. That's now gone, and I have to wear magnifiers.

As far as advice for Jim, it really depends on what your doctor can do for you. Everyone's eyes are different. You can ask the doctor to try to achieve something, e.g. reading glasses only, or no glasses for reading, etc. but it depends on what's possible with your eyes. All that we collectively tell you is that it's not all upsides or downsides.

 

[Paul Grenier]

My experience is different than anything above. I had my surgery and chose the less expensive lens. Unfortunately, at my 4 week follow up, I had internal swelling in both eyes and had to be on drops in both eyes twice a day for 9 months. Swelling was deemed to be "acceptable" at that point. However, my six months follow up with an eye specialist showed the internal swelling was back and worse than ever. The inplant lens portion of everything went very well, unfortunately my eyes didn't like the procedure at all.

 

[Bernie Hrytzak]

My implanted lenses are for long distance and for close-up are glasses that I wear (tri-focals) for the same reasons that Hockenbery, Dave Landers and a few others have mentioned. I wear glasses all day long, even for driving (window-panes) as I'm just used to that.

 

[Scott Kershaw]

Sorry no experience from me, Jim. I just wanted to wish you well in the surgical adventure. I am so impressed with your work, your kindness and your talent. I want terribly bad to come down and visit but hospital life leaves no spare time lately. My best wishes to you from the north country.

 

[Kevin Weir]

My replacement lenses are for distance, that way i don’t need glasses for driving, golf or curling. I started out using 200 reading glasses but ten years later I use 300 powered readers.

 

[Jim McLain]

Sorry no experience from me, Jim. I just wanted to wish you well in the surgical adventure. I am so impressed with your work, your kindness and your talent. I want terribly bad to come down and visit but hospital life leaves no spare time lately. My best wishes to you from the north country.

Thanks Scott hoping the end of all the Covid peaks is near. Hang in there.

 

[Jim McLain]

Thanks everyone for your responses. My doctor is thinking that I would be happier with near sighted lenses and wearing glasses for far sighting but thinks I might be a good candidate for the multi focal lenses but the price tag is a little much.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

I have worn glasses since 3rd grade. Had surgery probably 15 years ago....i see far and have bifocals for up close. Had to have lazier surgery several years ago in left eye. I wear nonprescription sunglasses outside unless overcast then no glasses. Turning I wore my glasses under faceshield. I have been very happy with my treatment and have diabetes eye checkup once a year.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

I have worn glasses since grade school and bifocals for about 40 years so when my wife raved about her distance vison after the surgery I opted for the long range lenses. My vison turned out to require bifocals even after the implants plus when driving I could not read any thing on the dashboard. Before the implants I could take my glasses off and read in bed but now I have to use a pair of single vision glasses so the bottom line for me is I wish I had gone with the closeup implants.

 

[Jim McLain]

I used to have to wear to 2.5-3x readers.
Then after my 75-year-old mother got the Restor bifocal lens replacements for cataracts in 2010, I decided I did not want to wait 30 years to have good vision and splurged and had lens replacement in 2012.
I call it my "mid-life crisis" purchase. It was worth every penny.
In bright light, I can now read 2 pt type easily. As for distance vision, I had 20/20 distance vision before, and I still test at 20/20, but it is a slightly fuzzy 20/20 in my opinion.
The artificial lenses do seem to be more light-dependent. Don't plan on reading your favorite book by candlelight
My one car-sized garage shop with a 9 ft ceiling has four 8 ft led strips with 36K lumens over the lathe. It's heaven!

36k lumens over the lathe is incredible. I thought I had too much light at 18k. But my ceiling is a little lower.

 

[David Propst]

36k lumens over the lathe is incredible. I thought I had too much light at 18k. But my ceiling is a little lower.

It's spread over a 10 x 12 area. It was an easy and cheap upgrade. My lathe is in front of the garage door, so I needed flush lighting. It’s a whole lot better than the cheap 4’ led strips I had hanging under the garage door tracks.
But if I walk outside at night I can't see a thing for a while.