Thursday, June 7, 2018

Surprise of the week


I went to the eye doctor on Monday, because I'm having trouble seeing the little numbers in the crossword puzzle boxes and low-contrast text on the computer (everybody who thinks small gray letters on white is a nifty style for your website or blog, YOU'RE WRONG!!). 

I thought maybe he would change my glasses prescription, or maybe even have a conversation about cataracts.  Yes, he talked about cataracts: the one in my left eye had gotten much worse in the six months since the last exam.  Probably could be taken out any time now. 

Fine, I said, what happens next?  You have to see the surgeon for a reality check.  Fine, I said, when can that happen?  He's working this afternoon, maybe he can see you right now!

And he could.  He sent me for more tests, laser mapping of the topography of my eye and that sort of thing.  He looked at the results, peered into my eye again, called in the first doctor for a second opinion.  The verdict: "I can fix your eye so you can see good, or I can fix your eye so you can see real good."

I ignored the grammar and said if it's all the same to you, I'd just as soon see real good.

Seems I had an area of blobby, bulgy, wrinkly stuff smack dab in the middle of my cornea, which he could "smooth down" in advance of the cataract operation.  Fine, I said, when can that happen?  If you have somebody to drive you home, I can do it right now!

So I called my husband, and by the time he arranged for somebody to pick him up and bring him to the doctor's office, I was all "smoothed" and ready to go home.  I guess the surgeon used a little dremel tool with a sanding disk and just ground away till the bumps and bulges were gone.  Slapped a "bandage contact lens" over the eyeball to keep the nerve ends wet and protected, and sent me away.  Two days of discomfort and blurry vision, which I have been medicating mainly with red wine, and now I feel almost as good as new.

This is the way to have surgery: no waiting, no apprehension, no second thoughts.  I don't notice any improvement in vision, but I expect a huge boost in six to eight weeks when the cataract comes out.

8 comments:

  1. I hope that you can see real good after the cataract surgery.

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  2. Hubby and I are struggling with this cataract decision...we both keep thinking our glasses aren't right (even though we both just got new ones). UGH...glad you got part of this process started so quickly and the next part will be the same!

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  3. Had cataract surgery, both eyes (1 @ a time, week apart), earlier this year. Doc used laser procedure. Best thing ever done. Sewing is much easier now, not to mention night driving. Now I won;t miss evening quilt group meetings....

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  4. I had both eyes done, about three years apart. I had trouble with the first one, lots of sensitivity to light and flickering. The second one was much better, but I still have to wear reading glasses and distance glasses if I want to see "real good". I can see "good" without them.
    Good luck with yours!

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  5. LOVE the way you medicated.....sounds perfect to me :~)!

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  6. You are absolutely right about doing these things RIGHT NOW. The aprehension is always worse than the actuality.

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  7. Just catching up as I h ave been on holiday. My right eye has got more and more blurry - last year it was 'fine'. Like someone said, you keep cleaning your glasses and wondering what is wrong with the prescription, until one day, you realise that if you could clean your eye, you would be alright. Oh. So, I am to have cataract surgery in August.
    At first the date was set for the 24th July. I was concerned about needing to go to the Festival of Quilts so soon after, and what about lifting. Then a few days later I was sent an apology, we are so sorry, but it has to be postponed to the 14th August. Hurrah! 2 days after FOQ.
    But now i am getting more and more annoyed with only being able to see properly out of one eye. Apparently the cataract is at the back of the lens and is the 'worst kind for trying to see through'. I am so wanting to be able to see again, that I think/hope I will not be too nervous about it.
    all the best for your surgery!

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