Long time readers know de-I's great love for the medical system, particularly things like emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, hospitals, surgical procedures, etc. Most of my recent experiences have been associated with Wife's trials and tribulations. However, my latest experience was my own, getting cataract replacement surgery.
Before I go through the drama and gory details, I will just let you know that the first eye procedure has ended up just fine (so far). But the process of getting here has been, as usual, not the cleanest and smoothest process.
The Preliminaries
I've known for quite some time that cataracts were forming. But I had been told that they were not bad enough to warrant the surgery. About 3 years ago, I got a new eye doctor (I have glaucoma so am on regular testing and watch) when my long-time doctor retired. The new one stopped even mentioning what was going on with the cataracts. But over the last year and a half I noticed a distinct drop in my overall vision capability despite my testing fine at the eye doctor. I thought I needed a new glasses prescription, but that didn't help. Finally in November, I asked my doctor about the problem and if it could be cataracts. She said she didn't deal with cataracts and they set me up for an appointment with that specialty area.
The Decision
I use a very large eye doctor practice. To get an appointment with my regular doctor can require a six to eight month window before they can find an opening. The cataract surgery group? I was in within days. They do their check up and pronounce that I am a candidate. Would I like the surgery done in four days? By the way, we have these cool special lens, not covered by insurance that will only cost you two grand. Here sign these approval papers. There just in case you decide you want them. You're not making any commitments. Yes we are going to have you out of your glasses and...
WHAT! WAIT! Hold On. I have travel and stuff and need to think about how I schedule it. I have worn glasses practically my whole life. I watch people fumbling around with their readers and their sunglasses and that doesn't look like a better lifestyle to me. And my left eye is a piece of shit that barely works and will need correction no matter what we do with the cataracts.
By the time I leave the surgery scheduling, my mind is spinning and I'm not sure at all what I am actually getting.
Surgery
The surgery was scheduled for December 30. Looking at the nicely printed jacket they give you that holds all your information for pre, day of, and post surgery, I notice the very high quality photos of the THIRTEEN CATARACT SURGEONS in this practices department. I am thinking the make a helluva a lot of money on this procedure.
Most of my trepidation about this procedure has to do with how I'm going to function with only one eye repaired. The other won't be done for another month. I won't be able to use my glasses, and I'm not quite certain what I'm getting. I'm pretty sure I told them to fix the short vision and keep my needing glasses for the long vision (there are all kinds of options they have for fixing one or the other in addition to getting rid of the cataracts.)
It's a busy day at the surgery center. This is out patient stuff. It will take around 3 hours, most of which is waiting in all its medical system forms - waiting to go in, waiting to be looked at, waiting to have preliminary work done, waiting for them to finally take you to the OR. Waiting in the OR. Until you finally have the procedure which takes all of 15 minutes.
Oh, forgot to tell you about the ongoing issue with the super lens you have to pay for. I go to check in and they say, "You have a payment due for your super snazzy not insurance covered lens. I explain (a bit miffed) that I didn't order it. That the scheduling people said I should sign the authorization 'in case I changed my mind.' Well I'm not changing my mind. So I have to wait while they call back and get it approved for just a normal lens. Then when I'm being prepped, the lens tech comes in and tells me all about the snazzy new lens I'm getting. So I have to tell HER that no, I'm just getting the regular lens.
She goes off to get the regular lens. I'm thinking, "What if I let them put in the snazzy new lens?" Would they come back and charge me for it?" I'm glad I didn't, I don't need the hassle of the fight.
The surgery is done with just local numbing anesthetics and some mild sedatives if you want them. I used a little bit but I think for the second eye I will do without. They don't let you have alcohol afterwards if you've had the sedatives, and I want a drink afterwards.
Post-Op
You eye is feeling pretty miserable and there is some pain (but Nothing, NOTHING like having your kidney removed) and as I feared I really couldn't see much of anything clearly between the healing right eye, my good eye, and my relatively useless left eye. I'm still freaking out about this. The next day you go in for a post-op check-up. They are telling me everything is looking good and my eyesight will be pretty awesome once everything heals up and I can get both eyes ready to be re-eye glassed. And they give me a pair of 'loaner glasses for my long vision. Guess what, they work! We walk out and everything looks clear, bright and colorful. Wife is ready to kill me because on the drive home, I'm reading every sign at distance I can because I haven't been able to for two years.
I feel like I have a semi-opaque screen over the operated eye. Did I sleep wrong and put pressure on it? Have I knocked the lens out of kilter? It's New Year's Day so I can't call to find out what might be wrong. But by afternoon, everything seems to have cleared up. I go online and check on what the normal recovery sequence is for this surgery. Oh, it's going to take a lot longer than I thought, and a lot of my issues are pretty normal. Guess it would have been smart to done this research BEFORE the operation.
For the next few days, it seems that it takes 5 or so hours before the eye 'warms-up' and everything is working as it should. It is a little weird and annoying to have to take my glasses off to read short and work on the computer. And the short vision is not perfect. I'm sure I will still be needing trifocals, which is fine, as long as the haze of the cataracts are gone.
In mid February I will have the second eye done. But I will not get my final set of glasses until we get back from our SE Asia Trip when all should be healed and settled.
