Squinting and tired eyes have become normal lately. It had been four years since an eye exam, so I made an appointment for an eye exam.The good news is my distance vision has improved.
The bad news is I have cataracts.
I ordered new glasses with progressive lenses.
The interesting thing about progressive lenses is they are customized to the measurements of my eyes. There are two circular areas on the bottom of the lenses for reading. My brain is training my eyes to look through those sections to read. Above the reading circles is a section for computer work. There is a specific area for this; again, my brain trains my eyes to use this section. If I look to the side it is blurry. The top is for distance.
I am simplifying it, and some people have trouble adjusting to looking in very specific areas for specific needs.
The glasses are such a help right now. For one thing, I only have one pair of glasses and they are usually on my face. Before getting these glasses I had a pair of reading glassed at the kitchen table, another at my computer, another with the current book and a distance pair somewhere around the place to watch movies and drive the car. All those glasses are gone now. I am seeing better than I have in years and it is a small adjustment for me personally to get used to the progressive lenses.
The usual procedure is for a person to use the progressive lenses while the cataract condition worsens. I am choosing not to wait for that. I have ordered eye drops that some people have benefited from and I am believing I will be one in that group. The eye drops have slowed the cataract process and even reversed it in many people. The latter group I plan on joining.
According to the eye doctor, it could be two months or as long as two years before cataract surgery would be required for me to see. She is telling me that my eyesight will gradually decline until I won't be able to see much at all.
We shall see. Now it has become a challenge to disprove that prediction.
30 comments:
Wishing you the best of luck with beating that prediction!
I dread the thought of losing my sight - I was once banned from reading for 2 weeks (I had been attacked and one of my eyes was damaged) and it drove me nuts!
What happens if it goes to surgery - are you covered? Will it cost you?
What are those magic eye drops? I wouldn't like surgery either, but I hear it is easy and successful.
As a kid, I was trapped for two dreadful weeks following a botched high dive in which I landed on my face and hemorrhaged one of my eyes. Doc said I could not move, had to lay on my back with warm pads on my eyes. In the summer. All day. Gawd was I bored.
I'm so happy for TechnoBabe! She can see so much better and further and closer now. Very cool.
ugh. i hope that you beat it as well...can not imagine losing my sight...i am good so far but with as much reading as i do i am sure my day will come...
oh gosh, I have progressive lenses too (YAY!), but golly, cataracts? best wishes TB!
In two years of LoCarb - my vision improved - twice!
I'm 50+ and don't wear bifocals to read!
I hope your vision steadies out!
My guy was unhappy about having to get cataract surgery, but it turned out to be the best thing ever. He wore heavy pop bottle glasses from being so nearsighted, and now he only needs glasses for distance if he wants.
I have used progressives for years now, and after the initial getting used to them, now I can't imagine any other type of glasses! They are the best.
Oh my. That sounds like a lot to deal with but thank goodness for modern technology for eyes. You have a good deal of options, and even if you have the cataract surgery, I hear those doctors do thousands of procedures and are fast, accurate, and successful. Keep us posted on how the drops work out and I'm glad you like your glasses!
It's amazing what can be done with eye glasses these days! I've never had prescription lenses and only recently bought some "readers" to see fine print. I have a very hard time using them, though. As soon as I look away from whatever text I'm trying to read, I have to pull them off my face because everything else is blurry.
Sounds like you are doing a good job of adjusting to your progressive lenses.
I hope that the drops do reverse the cataracts!
I have terrible eyesight. It continually gets worse. I hope I can beat the cataract curse too!
Enlightening post. Good luck with the progressive lenses (lens?). The eye doctors say that I have some cloudy areas in my cornea that probably foretell cataracts down the road. For now, I have about six pair of reading glasses, probably half of which are missing at present.
I'm beginning to think that I'm in that same boat. I'm noticing changes lately. I never heard of drops doing the thing for some. Interesting. I hope you vision is a tip-top as can be before too long.
Hubby was diagnosed with cataracts and had just gotten new glasses when his prescription suddenly seemed off. He went back to get checked and they had progressed to the point of surgery. Fortunately for him, after the surgery... he no longer needs glasses!
Hope you will be one that benefits from the drops!
take good care of your eyes.
I did not know there were eye drops for that problem.
all the best
Trchnobabe, a friend of mine recently had cataract surgery and sees perfectly now!
But I do hope the drops will help!
Sending healing thoughts!
Cataract surgery is a breeze. The cut they make is so small(less than 2mm) that they don't even have to stitch anything back together. I had a trauma-related cataract (horse hoof in face-related, actually) so what I liked most was being told how young I was at all the check-in, pre-op and post-op visits. Relative to their usual clientele, of course.
Good luck with whatever path you choose.
Hi Techno, Hubby's cataracts took about 6 years before they needed done. His first cataract surgery was 3 weeks ago, his other eye is next Wednesday. So far he's happy he did it-- and waited so long! Lights are brighter and it's easier for him to see at night. I hope it's many years before you have to make the decision for surgery.
As for glasses--- Mine are either on my face or on my head.... unless I need them to read. Then they are nowhere to be found :-)
Happy weekend to you and James. xo jj
As I'm reading this, I know something is going on with my vision. Ugh. Good luck!
I wish you the best of luck with the eye drops. It sounds like a good plan - if they work, wonderful! but if they don't, you can always have the surgery later. I believe they will work for you because of your determination, and you will find at some point that you don't need glasses at all.
My last glasses were progressive lenses and I liked them, but now I just use single lens correction for reading. They are grape colored, and work miracles.
All the best. If it goes to surgery, though, it's a cinch. Really! trust me, I've had both done.
Rock Chef, Thanks for the good wishes.
R.J., The name of the product is Vision Clarity. There are other companies who make it. That is the one I chose.
James, Did your dad read to you when you were bed ridden?
Brian, I did not notice anything amiss until after I turned 65. You have a long way to go, my friend.
Gary, I can see (get it?) how progressives would help with your line of work.
Anne, As you worked your program I know there have been many changes in your life besides weight loss.
DJan, I like hearing the positive comment. Thanks. And congrats to your sweetie for being able to see you more clearly.
Stickup Artist, I made up my mind to get used to the progressive lenses and not to dilly dally around.
terri, I would like very much to have the eye drops reverse the cataracts.
Kristina, I wish you good sight.
Big Dave, that sounds like me, so many pairs of reading glasses around and yet I was always looking for one.
Hilary, A couple years ago my mom went through cataract surgery and one eye had to be redone once and then more work done to it before she could see. I am not comparing my experience to hers as she has diabetes. But all I heard were horror stories. Yikes.
Ms.A, Another success story. Those are the stories I want to hear. So glad for your husband.
lisleman, thank you kind sir.
Margie, Glad to hear about your friend's excellent outcome.
English Rider, Yikes, trauma related cataract must have been nerve wracking. You seem to find something positive about trials, don't you? That's a good thing.
Joanna, This is timely for what your hubby is going through right now. Give him a hug from me. Let me know how the second surgery goes.
Sandra, You are much too young to be in the club with us oldies, so you probably need your eyes checked for prescription change. Let me know.
heartinsanfrancisco, How long did you wear the progressive lenses?
Thanks for your support as always.
Dave, Thanks for telling me and for the encouragement.
Another friend of mine has cataracts and she is having the worst eye fixed this month.
I also wear varifocals.They are great!
Be careful going down excavators (moving stairways.)
Maggie X
Nuts in May
I have had issues with my eyes the last few years and the thought of not being able to see is very distressing. I'm glad you are adjusting so well to the new glasses and wish you the best of luck on your current course of treatment. I think you have the right attitude.
Good luck keeping the cataracts at bay but if you need the surgery go for it!
Hmm. I do not recall much input from the parents during the bed-ridden time after the face-plant in the pool. Mostly them telling me to stop asking when I could get up. Just listening to the top 40 radio station play the top ten songs over and over and over.
I am sorry to learn that you have cataracts but I am betting you will give them a good fight! I have progressives and used to wear the eyeglasses one can buy at a drugstore or Wal-Mart. Unfortunately they no longer do the job and I have had to wear progressives in order to read, use the computer and any close up stuff. Fibro though, screws up one of my eyes so I basically only use one lens. Ah, the price of getting "more mature"!
I hope that you will be successful. Cataract surgery is pretty routine now. And the results are amazing.
I think progessives are next for me. I've got the contacts in, and am constantly searching for the numerous readers I've left around the house (but where?!).
I hope the drops are effective for you, and that you don't have to go through the surgery (although some people have really benefited from it).
Take good care of yourself. :)
I hope the drops reverse it for you!
I need to break down and do the progressive lenses. I always have to look over the top of my glasses to see things.
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