Seeing is Believing

Maybe you’ve had your lenses replaced (cataract surgery) to restore your vision, and you know how this goes. Maybe you haven’t. This is the story of my surgery that happened last Wednesday.

I had zero anxiety beforehand. Derek and I were a little early so we had a coffee and sauntered into the clinic with breathing room. Knowing so many others have had this procedure really helped. My surgeon is a rock star in his field. The chance of a complication is one in one thousand. I got to meet with the surgeon beforehand to ask questions. But iI still took the Ativan because I’m not a hero or a fool.

I felt nothing. They numb your eyes with drops. No needles. You stare up at a light and although there’s a sense of what’s happening, there’s no sensation. Things go white, then dark, and there’s a kaleidoscope of colour at times. After my right eye was done, the surgeon told me it went perfectly. Then he stepped out while the team sterilized everything again.. After that, it was on with the left eye.

At the end of the second eye’s procedure, he leaned over me and said, “Everything went perfectly again. Good job!”

I said, “I should be saying that to you!”

He said “Well let’s congratulate my team then, because they’re the best in the business “

That level of support ran through the whole place, from reception to post-op. It was a wonderful experience. I had arrived at 10 am and was out of there around 12:30, holding on to Derek’s arm. The surgery itself took about 30 minutes in total.

After Surgery

They put a pair of sunglasses on you to wear for the first 48 hours, even to sleep. Without them, everything is hazy and bright like you’ve just walked into a rock concert fog machine. The glasses cut that down and allow you to see what you can see which is just shapes at first. You can tell whether something is dark or light but not much more. The glasses also remind you to keep your hands away from your eyes, except to put in prescription drops.

My emotional reaction surprised me. I knew what I was in for but it was still upsetting to not see. Boring, too. No reading, watching any entertainment, working on a puzzle. I wish I had asked people to call me because the only thing I could do without looking was answer my phone. This is when being a notorious phone call hater bit me in the butt!

Near the end of day two I still couldn’t make out details, like buttons on the microwave. Totally normal. But I thought, what would I do if it never got better than this? I knew it would but I needed to DO something. Worst case scenario, I’d have to adjust. So, I did. I even used my big, sharp chef’s knife verrrrrrry carefully.

Day three was a major improvement. Most of the haze was gone and I could make out some texts and emails. But I overdid it and gave myself a headache. Don’t do as I do! It’s getting better every day. There has been some itching but nothing I would call discomfort. My eyes didn’t even get red after surgery.

What’s Next

They don’t take anything for granted when it comes to the eyes. You’re reminded several times of what symptoms mean an emergency. They called the morning after the surgery to make sure I was doing well. And they say, never hesitate to call if you’re concerned and that many people do, just for reassurance. I’m fortunate to have Derek. He read all the handouts and knew what I should and shouldn’t do. Not that I felt like doing much at first beyond napping and snacking.

I listened to some podcasts and movies. The easiest thing for me was to use voice control on my TV remote. I called up YouTube for podcasts and searched for a happy films. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Shrek One and Two. Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Familiar, funny, and stuff I pictured as it went along. When things got a little better I tiptoed into the unknown with Django Unchained. (Not a comedy!) And then back to funny stuff with old Saturday Night Live episodes on Crave.

When I’m fully healed, I can expect to need low-level readers for small print. I should be able to use my phone without them. I’m typing this with +1 level readers/cheaters and it’s not super clear, but I can get by. (I started writing this post on Sunday, four days post-op.)

FAQs

Having both eyes done at once is routine. It never occurred to me to do one at a time. Everyone I know who has had this surgery had both done. (Not everyone does, of course.) My thinking was to go through it just once. It’s such a common, safe surgery. Just get it done.

The follow-up regimen involves drops, that’s really it. Protect the eyes with sunglasses for the first couple of days, and then drops for many weeks. There are four types of drops, three are prescription,. This week, I’m already down to three types, four times a day. Easy. I had to cancel a massage booked for today because there are dos and don’ts. Massage is a don’t for the first two weeks.

There is an in-person checkup two weeks post-op. I’ve also promised in writing to get regular eye exams by the professional of my choice. But I’ll never get another cataract. They are hereditary and my mom had them later in life. No more natural lenses, no opportunities for cataracts to grow.

Plan Ahead

The first two days of recovery are long and they’re not a ton of fun. If you prepare better than I did, they’ll go easier. It’s all for the greater good. I’ll remind you I’m not a doctor and everyone’s experience differs. They’ll tell you that some people can see perfectly in two hours and start driving in a day. That’s not typical. Some people have sore eyes. I’m lucky I didn’t.

IF there’s anything else you’d like to know, ask away! I’m happy to help demystify the experience. The idea of cutting into open eyes is little creepy and seems risky. But it’s being done all day every day, in thousands of clinics around the world. You and me? We’re just one more set of peepers going through the process.