Cataract surgery and shooting.

[d2wing]

I have been looking forward to some competition shooting this year, last week I got a personal invitation from the organizer of a match I have won in the past. I have had some vision trouble since my motorcycle accident last fall. My shooting eye eyelid is still swollen and I have lost some convergence. Today I found out I need a new glasses and also cataract surgery on both eyes. The doctor said each surgery will require a week or so of recovery and they need to be a couple weeks apart. Timing is an issue. Has anyone gone through this and how soon should I plan on shooting. My daughter and her family will be moving in with us in 3 weeks until they buy a new house and possibly my son and his family as they are building a new house in 2 months or 3 months. The point being I will have to spend much time at my cabin complicating the timing. I think the first match is mid June. Sometime in that time period I am also supposed to have surgery on my elbow and left shoulder but there is some problem scheduling at the hospital. That should only be a week in a sling unless they have to repair my rotator cuff. Should I delay surgery or try to get it done beforehand.

 

[troy fairweather]

As much as I'd hate to say it, but I'd call this year as warsh.

 

[ms6852]

I spent 37 years in the medical field. One thing that I know for sure is that sometimes people wait too long to take care of certain medical conditions. Because of the delay in rectifying their medical conditions what should have been a simple procedure and recovery, now becomes a major procedure and longer recovery times are required. Your call.

 

[alfsauve]

I had the cataract surgery, which is actually a lens replacement AND I LOVE IT. I wish they had perfected this 50 years ago and I had had the money to afford it. I would have done this as an elective surgery just to correct my vision.

I have been severely near-sighted since I was 6yo. I noticed losing fine details even with my glasses a few years back. Since I ran theatre lighting and sound for live venues, I told my eye doc I was having trouble figuring out which finger performers were using to signal me from the stage. When the cataracts got to the point that insurance would pay for them I had it done. I selected to go with 20/20 (ended up 20/15) in both eyes, even though I had done the mono-vision (reading with one eye, distance with the other) for years with my glasses and contacts. I wanted so badly to have "normal" vision for the last couple of decades to make up for all the time without. I also had astigmatism correction built in to the lenses.

So now I have 20/15 in both eyes. I can use everyday dark glasses and shooting glasses. But because of age degeneration I still need some help with reading glasses. No biggie. For iron sighted pistols I use OTC shooting glasses with the reading area in the top. But only on my dominant eye. It's made a world of difference. Red Dots had always be more of Red Splats due to the astigmatism and the corrective lenses. Now, surprise, surprise, they really are dots.

SO TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION: Of course consult with your surgeon. The surgery is outpatient and you want to protect the cornea for a week or two to let it totally heal. I regained normal eyesight in a day. Warning things will be brighter. Have some good dark glasses at the ready. I was shooting again fairly quickly. I want to say within 2 weeks. I did my eyes about 4 weeks apart and probably only missed a couple of weekends at the range. Warning, not all surgeries come out perfect. My wife experienced a little clouding and had to go back in to have that zapped a couple of months latter. Her vision isn't quite as good as mine, but much better than with the cataracts of course.

I can't answer about all the other complications though. They'll probably keep you away from the range more than the eyes will.


And as always YMMV.

 

[doubleh]

I can only relate my recent experience with cataract surgery. No pressure on the eye for three weeks after surgery and three weeks between surgery plus lots of eyedrops after surgery. Fifty-five days of eyedrops in each eye to be exact. The surgery is basically painless. I wouldn't need glasses except to read now but for the fact I have double vision that needs correction. I could have shot pistols a week after surgery but the weather wasn't nice and it was a little over three weeks after the last eye that I made it to the range. My solution to shooting iron sights was to determine what power of reading glasses give me a sharp image of my front sight and use full lens readers in tinted safety glasses. It may not apply to everyone but shades outside have become imperative for me.

 

[d2wing]

Thanks. I just got shoulder and arm surgery scheduled for May 11. I will try to get eye surgery in may also and the chips as far as other shooting and other stuff can fall where they may.

 

[PWC]

Just me, but I think your priorities are skewed. Forst get healthy, then worry about other things. Do you compete at the level that you professionaly earn a living?

 

[d2wing]

Just me, but I think your priorities are skewed. Forst get healthy, then worry about other things. Do you compete at the level that you professionaly earn a living?

You are right. I have just made that decision.

 

[stevebla]

Cataract surgery has been a blessing for me! My lens replacement focus was distance vision. Get informed about your options. VA community care paid almost all of my cost.

 

[George P]

I would prefer to get the proper info from my doc and not the internet

 

[doubleh]

Thanks. I just got shoulder and arm surgery scheduled for May 11. I will try to get eye surgery in may also and the chips as far as other shooting and other stuff can fall where they may.

If you are having rotator cuff repair you are going to be out of commission for sometime. Things may have improved some since I had both of mine done in 2012. Recovering from rotator cuff surgery compared to cataract surgery in my experience could be explained with this comparision. The cuff surgery recovery is like hauling and stacking small bale alfalfa hay for a very long day and cataract surgery is like tossing an empty potato chip bag in the trash can. I don't regret either at all and now my arms work without pain and I can see well again.

George P has a point. I was just relating my experiences and of course yours may differ. I did exactly what each of my doctor's told me to do. I am of the opinion that if you are going to pay for a doctor's knowledge and expertise you are dumb not to follow his directions.

 

[Armorer 101]

The real secret to a good outcome on eye surgery is selecting your surgeon, for eyes, one issue equipment, you start with a minimum of 1,000 procedures, an excellent reputation and very clear instructions plus clear expectations. You should get lens options, distance, close, mid or bi-focal. Then you listen very carefully and follow instructions to the number and to the letter.
The eyes should heal very quickly with very little pain, just a little discomfort, similar to a very small bit of dust in your eye at first. Do Not Rub Your Eyes. Sleep is the real healing time for eyes. One eye open, moves both eyes, so both eyes closed.

The procedure itself for a real expert surgeon is very quick, more time to let the eye go numb from the drops and place the eye lid clamp. One of these surgeons might do a dozen or more per hour. Normally you go back in about 24 hours for a follow up exam to make very sure there is no complication.
I only have five eye surgeries, maybe I will not need any more, with a bit of luck.

 

[CapnMac]

Having been through cataract surgery November/December 2019 I can offer some suggestions.

One, prepare to be amazed when you get to see post-operative color again.
Two, the fancy, correcting lenses have come down in price, but were still about 2 grand extra each, which was steeper than I could afford on top of the co-pay ($1540 OD; $1250 OS).
Having to keep reading glasses handy to read computer monitors or your phone, but, a person adapts.
Without corrective lenses, rifle front sight I can see; pistol front is blurry (if legible enough to still put on target).
The vision corrective replacement lenses are supposed to make you glasses-free, post surgery.

My operations were right at three weeks apart, which was just enough time to finish the regiment of eyedrops your need to do afterwards.
The day of the operation, you need a driver, obviously; you will also need one for the post-op appointment the day after as well (dr's orders). You will need to wear a clear eye shield for a week afterwards while sleeping.

I didn't get any range time until late February in 2020, and it was a toss-up as to whether to use any of my glasses (and bifocals are odd for shooting, anyway). To say that the rest of 2020 was less-than normal is an understatement.

 

[wiscoaster]

A couple weeks ago I talked to a guy at the range who had cataract surgery and he said it worked out real good for him. Is nothing to be worried about. Though he recommended the expensive lenses. Being ready for June does seem overly optimistic. June is almost here already. Some good advice in the posts above from those who've "been there done that".

 

[d2wing]

If you are having rotator cuff repair you are going to be out of commission for sometime. Things may have improved some since I had both of mine done in 2012. Recovering from rotator cuff surgery compared to cataract surgery in my experience could be explained with this comparision. The cuff surgery recovery is like hauling and stacking small bale alfalfa hay for a very long day and cataract surgery is like tossing an empty potato chip bag in the trash can. I don't regret either at all and now my arms work without pain and I can see well again.

George P has a point. I was just relating my experiences and of course yours may differ. I did exactly what each of my doctor's told me to do. I am of the opinion that if you are going to pay for a doctor's knowledge and expertise you are dumb not to follow his directions.

Yeah, I have had it before on my other shoulder. It has a minor tear and with any luck he will leave that alone. I have a bone spur that should be minor along with damage to my elbow. If the rotator needs repair then I will be out of commission much longer as you said, It will be in VA community care.
The eye surgery will be at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis. I wasn't told about a choice in lens. I will look into it.
Thank you for the information.

 

[loose noose]

BTW there d2wing, I had the cataract surgery along with the new lenses in both eyes with only an additional cost of $200.00 back in December of 2019 compliments of the VA. Naturally they did the one eye, and then two weeks later they did the other eye, and I had some drops I had to take just before then and after words. It was the best thing I ever had done, even though I was refrained from shooting any hard recoiling rifles for about a month, but my long range shooting then became actually spectacular, once I was allowed to go for it. I could beat the younger generations all day long, and at over 71 that was quite an accomplishment. I was unaware that the sky is actually blue and the grass is green.

 

[rabid wombat]

As everyone above has said, cataract surgery is a miracle. Both eye, one week apart in July 2020. Drops, clear eye shield, doctors visits...absolutely routine! The cut is so small, no sutures are needed.

I went from barely able to read a computer monitor to 20/15 - 20/20 (I spent the extra bucks and got the best I could get). Really impressed with seeing again - but the unexpected benefit - colors. Wow! I did not realize how bad my color vision had degenerated. Vibrant is the only word I can use.

As said above - set your priorities. Some things can wait, some things can go away forever...

For giggles (I typically score a 0)
https://www.xrite.com/hue-test

 

[Navy87Guy]

Cataract surgery is one of the easiest recoveries possible. I was back at my desk, working, an hour after the surgery. The change in vision is immediate.

For the long term, just be aware that some relapse is possible. I was pretty close to 20/20 after the surgery...then about 3 months later I woke up and my reading vision was gone. I wear reading glasses now (+1.25) which are plenty. The vision distance is just fine.

For shooting, I wearing some non-prescription reading glasses. My front sight is just a bit too close for distance vision and too far for a clear view without correction.

Bottom line: There’s no reason you can’t be back on the shooting line the day after your surgery.

 

[entropy]

Do your due dilligence in researching the Opthalmologists in your area when you pick the one for your surgeries.

 

[cfullgraf]

I had cataract surgery seven or eight years ago and my experience is similar to the others. I had a laser clean up of the lenses about four years ago. I got distance focal lengths implants.

I can shoot a handgun reasonably accurately without any correction but I do better with full lense reader safety glasses.

I shoot skeet without any correction in my shooting glasses.

For driving, including my race car, I have some plain lense glasses with progressive reader bifocals so that I can see the instrument panel. I have both clear and sunglass versions.

I agree with George P, follow your doctor’s orders but it does not hurt to hear other’s experences.

 

[hps1]

One thing that has not been mentioned is that if you have ever taken Flomax, your surgeon needs to know before doing cataract surgery.
https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/managing-complications-of-flomax-in-cataract-procedures/

Regards,
hps

 

[ms6852]

When it comes to cataract surgery I want you to know that crap happens. The following is not to scare you but to let you know what happened to me.
Normally it is a very simple procedure and should take no more than an hour. In my case there were complications that kept me in the OR for 7 hours. There is a sac/membrane where the lens resides. They do an incision on the sac pull the lens out and put the new one in. In my case the cataract had encrusted into the membrane and when they took the lens out the sac came with it. Because of this I my pupil ruptured and I had to wait almost 11 months for the swelling to go down. Lucky for me I was at Brooke Army Medical Center and had a team of surgeons working on me 5 to be exact all specializing in something different in the eye from cornea, to iris and so on. Well after 7 hours without being able to move on the table they put my eye back together without a lens. It was scary being without eyesight for 11 months since my left eye needed surgery also but they would not do it until my right eye was repaired. After almost waiting a whole year, swelling in my eye subsided and they performed a pupiloplasty and attached the lens to the sclera or the white part of my eye. My right pupil has permanent stitches that will not allow my pupil to contract or dilate. My vision is a little wonky but the brain has gotten used to it as have I. Long story short surgery on my left went well and even though I endured this horrific ordeal, my vision is better than before surgery . I don't need glasses to read (I even passed my vision test to renew my drivers license ) but use special tinted and anti glare glasses for shooting and driving. I still shoot my 52C at 200 yards with iron sights. I Considered my self blessed since it happened on the right eye and I am a lefty and left eye dominant. I'll say a prayer that your surgeries go well and keep your chin up.

 

[wiscoaster]

... In my case the cataract had encrusted into the membrane ...

Isn't this something that can be detected and diagnosed before the surgery?

 

[doubleh]

Deleted.

I take flomax and was off it for 6 weeks with my surgery. It wasn't a problem.

 

[loose noose]

Wiscoaster, absolutely it is detectable before eye surgery, sounds like the army was doing another test case on an unsuspecting client. I had at least two prior appointments before they even scheduled me for surgery, and since the nearest military installation was well over 100 miles they did my surgery at a civilian facility. d2wing just take the advice of the ones that have had it done without complications, it's a breeze believe us.