Eye implant surgery

[phil6028 10]

I am contemplating having surgical eye lens implants, has anyone had them, and how does the surgery go? can you see/ feel anything during surgery.

[Vague_Boy 10]

I am contemplating having surgical eye lens implants, has anyone had them, and how does the surgery go? can you see/ feel anything during surgery.

 

I've had both my lenses replaced due to cataracts. The surgery only takes about 20 minutes. All you have to do is lie still during that time and stare straight ahead.

 

They do one eye at a time and in both cases it was pretty straightforward. You stare at a bright light during the op and you can see it, it's just not in focus.

 

There's no pain although I did find the eye that had been operated on was very sensitive to light for a day or so afterward, so it's best to keep it covered up.

 

I've had trips to the dentist that were worse than this op, so I'd say go for it.

 

You'll have to get used to only being able to read close up stuff using glasses. The replacement lenses lack the flexibility of organic lenses, so everything from about 2.5 feet away is sharp, but for anything closer you'll need glasses.

[phil6028 10]

Thanks very much, you have made my mind up for me. again Thanks.

[Dick 10]

I've had both eyes done because of cataracts.

The op's a piece of cake.

Like vague boy says, they shine a very bright light in your eye while operating and that's all you can see.

They put anaesthetic drops in and you don't feel a thing.

After it's over you have a cup of tea, sit around for half an hour and off home.

Visions not great for the rest of day, but next day, WOW. wonderful.

In my case they've fitted different lenses in each eye, so I've got good distance vision and close up vision. I can read without glasses.

This wasn't originally intended. When you have the pre-op tests to see what lenses you need, don't be afraid of asking them to double check their results.

But if your sight's getting bad go for it.

I'd forgotten how beautiful and brilliant colours could be.

My surgeon was Mr Sheard. Superb surgeon.

The op was on the NHS but actually done at Claremont.

If you have that option I would recommend it.

They really make a fuss of you.

[monkey104 10]

Are you talking about IOL?

If so I had mine done 4 months ago and haven't looked back.

The glasses are gone and my eyesight is spot on. The operation is simple, on the day of operation you have eye drops which numb the eye, an anaesthetic to relax, not sleep, and another eye drop.

20 minutes on the table, half hour in recovery and off home.

Repeat second eye the following week.

When I had my first eye done I woke the following morning at 0500 hrs. My eyepatch had fallen off during the night.I realised I had seen the time on my wristwatch without putting my glasses on first.

Oddly, my wife wasn't impressed when I woke her to tell her this.

The only problems I discovered, but in fairness, was warned of, are lights at night. They seem much brighter and create large halos. This makes driving at night quite hazardous.

However, my brain has now started to delete this excess information and are starting to work as they should at night.

Would I reccomend it?

yes, it has actually changed my life for the better.

[jfish1936 10]

The part about colour vision is important. Our first suspicion of my wife's cataracts was when I noticed that she was mismatching wool in embroidery. The surgery fixed that problem! She needs sunglasses when outside, but this is Queensland! In Sheffield she didn't need them except on the brightest of days.

My other memory is of working in a hospital (patients stayed in longer in those days) and being there when a nun (who'd had both eyes done together -- another olden days practice) had her dressings taken off. She looked out the window and burst into tears. The surgeon was alarmed, and asked her what was wrong. "No" she said "Just that I'd forgotten how beautiful God made the world!". (obviouly, I hadn't the heart to tell here it was all done by evolution, and there is no "God"")