Shooting after cataracts surgery

[HLecea]

I am set for June 9 for the start of surgeries on my eyes for cataract. I am just getting into long range shooting. I have a few different options on lenses for my eyes. But **** the price tag. I was thinking just a regular lens for distance. Anyone have cataracts and does it effect your shooting? And what type of lens did you have.

Thanks for posting this question. This is real world stuff.

 

[Csbc4fun]

Had both eyes done with the same lenses in December 2021. I don't recall the exact lenses but they were the most expensive and recommended by my doctor after consideration of all of my life activities including hunting and shooting. I am a young 64 and no longer use glasses for anything other than regular sun glasses. My groups became much more consistent. In other words I used to be able to shoot a .300 or less group one in ten tries. Now I shoot .300 or less groups two out of three tries. In the past my glasses definitely affected my groups. Now groups are affected by all my other shooting fundamental technique errors.

Everything is a brighter white and you do need regular sun glasses at all times outdoors. Night driving is a challenge in the first few weeks due to the starburst effects on lights. It is now down to a very manageable level and I don't hesitate to drive at night. As our resident eye doctor stated, I am effected in dim light condition. Overall, my lense replacement was a huge blessing and I would highly recommend it to anyone who needs it.

Search out a very competent doctor and work with them to get what you personally need. Then follow their advice. My doctor was a clear advocate for my eye health and good vision in spite of what biases I introduced. I have so much respect for a true professional at the top of their game.

 

[AntsRick]

Cataract surgeon here. As Cemetery above stated, astigmatism is usually the only thing that will mess with your vision in a scope. That is where the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. It is correctable with glasses, but if you shoot without glasses the reticle will tend to be out of focus. Depending on your eye prescription you may or may not have a significant amount of astigmatism, but about 1/3 of the population has enough to need glasses.

In my practice I do many advanced technology lenses and tend to attract the hunter/shooter crowd just by word of mouth. I would shy away from lenses that are multifocal (Restor, Symfony, Panoptix, Tecnis multifocal, etc). For the hunter or "distance" demanding person they will give you less low contrast vision at far distance. This means less acuity in low light (dusk, dawn). For my hunters that want more spectacle independence I offer a distance option that corrects astigmatism (even the small amounts) and we aim to give the best distance vision without glasses and patients wear over the counter readers after. I would also recommend EDOF lenses (enhanced depth of focus). These give Great distance but also give some intermediate and near (just not as much near as a multifocal). This will keep the best distance vision needed for the prime hunting times but allow to see your phone and computer without glasses. For small print and reading for long periods a small pair of cheaters are usually needed. The lens I usually recommend in this category is the VIvity lens.

Feel free to PM me or reply here with any questions.

I appreciate that information; soon to require this correction myself.

 

[MLN1963]

Cataract surgeon here. As Cemetery above stated, astigmatism is usually the only thing that will mess with your vision in a scope. That is where the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. It is correctable with glasses, but if you shoot without glasses the reticle will tend to be out of focus. Depending on your eye prescription you may or may not have a significant amount of astigmatism, but about 1/3 of the population has enough to need glasses.

In my practice I do many advanced technology lenses and tend to attract the hunter/shooter crowd just by word of mouth. I would shy away from lenses that are multifocal (Restor, Symfony, Panoptix, Tecnis multifocal, etc). For the hunter or "distance" demanding person they will give you less low contrast vision at far distance. This means less acuity in low light (dusk, dawn). For my hunters that want more spectacle independence I offer a distance option that corrects astigmatism (even the small amounts) and we aim to give the best distance vision without glasses and patients wear over the counter readers after. I would also recommend EDOF lenses (enhanced depth of focus). These give Great distance but also give some intermediate and near (just not as much near as a multifocal). This will keep the best distance vision needed for the prime hunting times but allow to see your phone and computer without glasses. For small print and reading for long periods a small pair of cheaters are usually needed. The lens I usually recommend in this category is the VIvity lens.

Feel free to PM me or reply here with any questions.

This is in my future and I see you are within a reasonable driving distance. Thanks for the info.

 

[Teejay58]

I guess I'm the anomaly here. Almost everyone has a detached posterior vitreous situation at some point as they age. However, the trauma of the cataract surgery caused me to have a DPV sooner rather than later. They say these tend to heal up on their own. Mine didn't. I had cataract surgery in both eyes and a DPV in both eyes. Fortunately, one eye seems to have mostly healed up. The other one not so much. Note: the surgeon did not cause the DPV. The trauma of getting the eye cut open did it. At some point you really need cataract surgery. I just hope yours turns out better than mine. I have glasses for every type of activity now. One for hunting, one for reading music, one for driving, etc. I still hunt but definitely need glasses for long distance. Ditto on the fellow who advised to use drops in your eyes and wrap around sunglasses. I use Systane. It helps a tremendous amount. Good luck.

 

[Big pumpkin]

Cataract surgeon here. As Cemetery above stated, astigmatism is usually the only thing that will mess with your vision in a scope. That is where the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. It is correctable with glasses, but if you shoot without glasses the reticle will tend to be out of focus. Depending on your eye prescription you may or may not have a significant amount of astigmatism, but about 1/3 of the population has enough to need glasses.

In my practice I do many advanced technology lenses and tend to attract the hunter/shooter crowd just by word of mouth. I would shy away from lenses that are multifocal (Restor, Symfony, Panoptix, Tecnis multifocal, etc). For the hunter or "distance" demanding person they will give you less low contrast vision at far distance. This means less acuity in low light (dusk, dawn). For my hunters that want more spectacle independence I offer a distance option that corrects astigmatism (even the small amounts) and we aim to give the best distance vision without glasses and patients wear over the counter readers after. I would also recommend EDOF lenses (enhanced depth of focus). These give Great distance but also give some intermediate and near (just not as much near as a multifocal). This will keep the best distance vision needed for the prime hunting times but allow to see your phone and computer without glasses. For small print and reading for long periods a small pair of cheaters are usually needed. The lens I usually recommend in this category is the VIvity lens.

Feel free to PM me or reply here with any questions.

Doc. Thank you the cataract information. I need my right eye done very soon. Awesome tutorial, just what I needed.

 

[montana7mmhunter]

I am set for June 9 for the start of surgeries on my eyes for cataract. I am just getting into long range shooting. I have a few different options on lenses for my eyes. But **** the price tag. I was thinking just a regular lens for distance. Anyone have cataracts and does it effect your shooting? And what type of lens did you have.

I had cataract surgery 6 years ago. It was the laser procedure and i received regular distance lens. To say I am happy with the results is the understatement of the century. My first eye was done on a Monday I had a follow up visit on Wednesday,. Everything was A okay. My second eye was done the following Monday and to this day my vision in both eyes are 20/20. I do require reading glasses, but the Rx is 2.0 and my doctor suggested I purchase reading glasses from Costco or Sam's which is what I did.

 

[Cemetery21]

I got 2.0 progressive blue blocking readers from Amazon and wear them about all the time. They go from 2.0 to no correction in the top, so I wear them for safety mainly when I'm not reading.
Oddly, my new eyes are not sensitive to sunlight. I never wear sunglasses. And, night driving is better than I ever remember it.

 

[Bruce Treloar]

I am set for June 9 for the start of surgeries on my eyes for cataract. I am just getting into long range shooting. I have a few different options on lenses for my eyes. But **** the price tag. I was thinking just a regular lens for distance. Anyone have cataracts and does it effect your shooting? And what type of lens d

Both my eyes are for long distance without glasses. Right eye for scope and left eye is fir checking wind, mirage and everything down range. I also like to wear non corrected sunglasses particularly for driving as after surgery glare is a problem.
Both eyes need close up for reading etc.

 

[baldhunter]

Since we have Doctors on this thread,what is the wait time after surgery before you can start shooting again?What about shooting a 300 Win Mag after surgery?

 

[RickS55]

Had both done last October. Highly recommended!
Astigmatism corrected with Toric Lenses, long distance vision is, well remarkable.
Up close, need readers. But walking through the woods without glasses - and being able to see clearly at a distance, was like being young again when I could wear contacts - nearly 20-15 at one time - where glasses had me about 20-40. No more snow or rain on the glasses to ground you, but, the glasses also protect the eyes to a certain extent as well.
I can also highly recommend joint replacements to keep you in the woods as well.
I did have a friend who had one eye for distance, one for close up and after a few weeks the brain started to get it all, but it was never 100% for either close up or distance. I decided to have the distance, and I've worn glasses since I started driving.
(Hmmmm, there is no sight test for a hunting license.....) I was told I could shoot about two weeks after.
Good Luck with the surgery. Other than the eye drops, its a piece of cake.

 

[Critter Picker]

I had mine done about 10 years ago. They couldn't correct astigmatism then , so I wore glasses with bifocals for reading.

Then the whole face mask thing started. The glasses would fog and I was feeling my way around stores. Haven't wore my glasses since. Shoot fine,drive fine ,and carry reading glasses.

 

[ar91599]

What is the normal time for a recovery where you can shoot a higher recoil rifle Thanks for any input

 

[Critter Picker]

What is the normal time for a recovery where you can shoot a higher recoil rifle Thanks for any input

I think 3 months,but would check with optometrist to be safe. You only get 1 set of eyes,and I'm sure that shooting without them is a downhill battle.