I Survived Cataract Surgery
by Karla R. Cook

When you see me without glasses, it probably isn't a big deal to you. To me, however, it is a "miracle," as I have been wearing specs since I was nine. Because of bad near-sightedness, severe astigmatism, allergies and migraines, I could not wear contact lenses.

So I went about my business with thick glasses and made the best of things. In my mid-30s, however, I developed moderate asthma and took corticosteroids to keep it controlled. Corticosterioids can raise your blood sugar, hastening the development of cataracts. Sure enough, not long after, my new optometrist told me I had a cataract in my left eye. A few years later, another one said I had one in my right eye. Both doctors said they weren't anything to complain about.

For the person who has them, however, they can be bothersome. After reading the definition of a cataract on the Internet, I learned that a cataract is "clouding" in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, which can slightly or completely obstruct the passage of light.

I also learned that early in its development, an age-related cataract may cause the power of the lens to increase, causing nearsightedness (myopia). Meanwhile, any yellowing and clouding of the lens may reduce the "brightness" of blue colors. The Internet article continued that "cataracts... are potentially blinding if untreated." With my severe near-sightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia, (a condition requiring the use of reading glasses or bifocals to read), and blue eyes to boot (which are more sensitive to light and more likely to develop cataracts over time), the cataracts were making me so nearsighted that eventually my vision couldn't be further corrected with glasses.

Over the next decade, the "cloudiness" increased because the cataracts worsened, eventually invading my field of vision. My optometrist carefully monitored this situation. The vividness of colors was diminished with progressive lenses (bifocals without lines). Glare bothered me, so I wore lenses with antiglare coating. Driving, especially at night, became increasingly difficult. Reading road signs with my right eye, which could no longer be corrected with glasses, became a pain. Reading at home was uncomfortable, as each eye had different levels of presbyopia. I increased my work area lighting, but even so reading a book meant constantly shifting the book back and forth so my left eye could do most of the reading. This was so annoying that I stopped reading novels in favor of watching DVDs.

When the day came that my optometrist told me he couldn't correct my right eye to 20/20 with glasses, I consulted my medical doctor, who suspected the cataracts were to blame. She referred me to an ophthalmologist who confirmed this diagnosis. In his opinion, however, they weren't "ripe" enough to remove. In other words, they weren't large enough to obstruct my sight or invasive enough to cause major damage to the eyes.

In the meantime, the cataract in my left eye began to make that eye more nearsighted, too. My optometrist leveled with me. "I can't correct your right eye any further with glasses," he told me. "If it bothers you, you should get the cataract removed with surgery. To be honest with you, as things stand, that eye is only going to get worse." I responded that although my vision did bother me, the ophthalmologist said the cataract wasn't ripe enough to remove. The optometrist told me I didn't have to wait, recommending the surgery, since he couldn't say how long the new prescription for the left eye would keep it corrected at 20/20. So I consulted with another ophthalmologist.

This doctor took a keen interest in my situation and cleared me for surgery, since the cataract in my right eye was rapidly advancing. He had a comforting manner, telling me that most people in their 50s like me don't need cataract surgery, but that it does happen. The ophthalmologist found a custom implant lens that would correct the nearsightedness and most of the astigmatism and in June the right eye underwent extracapsular cataract removal and the implant was inserted under local sedation at an area hospital—the so-called drive-through surgery that HMOs like. My husband drove me to the hospital in the early hours of the morning and drove me home a few hours later. The inconveniences were minor—pre-operative appointments for consultation and eye measurements, a pre-operative physical with my primary care doctor, eye drops to take for six weeks, dark sunglasses to wear for ten weeks, and post-op appointments. The only complication I developed was high pressure in the eye, so I was put on drops to decrease it. I could see almost 20/20 without glasses with the eye for a while and then, when my vision stabilized, 20/30.

In August, I visited the Midwest and could see clearly down the road on the flat Midwestern terrain for up to ten miles! However, I was still stuck with the left eye as it was. I had two options: Get the cataract removed and an implant to "equalize" the eyes; or wear two pairs of glasses, one for reading and one for distance, since my optometrist told me I couldn't wear progressive lenses without seeing double. I decided to go for surgery.

In October, I went through the same "hoops" and had the left eye done. What had been simple the first time, however, wasn't so simple now. Once again, the pressure in my eye went up and I needed pressure drops. Worse, during surgery I suffered a small hemorrhage. Getting a hemorrhage like this is one of the fully disclosed risks of surgery (the other being a detached retina), and the doctor had successfully stopped it during the procedure, but still the eye was red and bloodshot afterward. He reassured me, "Don't worry about the blood, it is of no consequence."

However, I became the talk of the office and got numerous stares on the street. One person joked that the eye looked like a "demon eye." Within a month or two, however, the red disappeared and six weeks later the eye healed completely.

All in all, I'm happy that I had the courage to have the surgery when I did. I now see better with my left eye than the right: my distance vision is slightly "off," but I only use reading glasses. Some people never have cataract surgery and cope, but as my eye surgeon said, "Your vision in your right eye was truly horrible," and it was worth it to me to improve my sight. The surgeon gave me my second sight and for that I am truly grateful.

To learn more about cataracts, go to MayoClinic.com or health.yahoo.com.