Shooting after cataracts surgery

[Wachsmann]

I had the surgery done on both eyes. They completely removed both lens and I went with fake lenses which was supposed to be the best money could buy at the time. Well if you get fake don't ever expect to see like you did before. They machined one for near vision and one for farther vision. My near is father than I would like and having the 2 different vision in each eye you will see double vision on far away lights at night for the rest of your life. With you own lens you body can bend and manipulate you on lens but your body can't do that to a fake one. I was made to believe it would be as good as my own lens and that's a lie flat out. This was done in Utah at hoops vision. 6k later I see good across the room and like 40 yards away. My near is like 24 inches away. I used to be able to focus on something about 3 inches away and do really fine precise work with super small screws. Now I'm always trying to find a set of bifocals or just readers that are like 2.0. Looking at the moon is a double image. Far away car head lights are double image. I can actually see the slits in the lens that allows the light in when looking at red traffic lights or car tale lights. This is the reality of fake lens at least the ones I have. If I would of know it was going to turn out like it did I would of went with the cheap leans and just got glasses cause I still need them somewhat. As for shooting I have to adjust the rear focus when going from high power to lower power. Better optics I find myself making less of an adjustment. My Zeiss I adjust the least where I never had to adjust it before after I had it set just the parallax. My 2 vortex HSLR's didn't have to adjust them either before my eye surgery. I have an Arlen and have to adjust it the most but it's a cheaper scope. I still shoot long range but I wish I had my real lens back.

 

[Tulsa Reiner]

View attachment 575207
You are farsighted in both eyes. That isn't relevant as the cataract surgery will fix that even with the standard monofocal lenses covered by insurance.

But your right eye (OD; oculus dexter) has a moderate amount of astigmatism (-2.50 diopters) that will ideally be dealt with using either a TORIC IOL or the LIGHT ADJUSTABLE LENS (LAL). The standard monofocal IOL can also be used and the astigmatism would then have to be corrected with your glasses after the surgery.

Your left eye (OS; oculus sinister; the "evil eye") is also farsighted (+4.50 diopters) but has much less astigmatism (only -0.75 diopters). This eye can be handled with a standard monofocal lens (the one insurance pays for) or the LAL.

But, this is really something your doctor will advise you about once he/she gets your full medical & ocular history and talks to you about your work and hobbies. For example, you can't get the LAL if you have:
1) Pre-existing macular disease
2) Prior history of herpes eye infection
3) Use medications that increase the sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light
4) Use any retino-toxic medications (for example: Tamoxifen)

This is why I can't tell you what's best for you but your eye surgeon can. Find an ophthalmologist you trust and talk it over with them & they'll get you into the right intraocular lens so your cataract surgery and recovery can be a success.

Excellent info. It's great having you on the Team, Frog.

 

[Rick Richard]

Hey Rick,
The LAL is considered a "monofocal" lens, meaning it will only focus light for one focal length, whether that be distant, intermediate, or near. It is NOT a multifocal lens. But it does have an extended depth of focus (EDOF) which gives more 'range' of focus compared to the older monofocal lenses, meaning you could have an LAL for distance that also works pretty well for intermediate, too. This is one of the things that makes the LAL unique.

Many doctors are going with the LAL for patients who might have gone with the multifocal lens in the past because most people get both eyes operated on one right after the other and the doctor will set one eye for distance (usually your 'dominant' eye) and that eye will also have pretty decent intermediate vision due to the EDOF of the light adjustable lens (LAL).

Then the doctor will set the other eye to be more focused at intermediate and near, achieving a sort of 'monovision' setup (one eye for far/one eye for near.) Doctors could (and have) done this in the past using the conventional monofocal IOLs but (big but!) if the patient didn't like it and couldn't tolerate the monovision setup, the only way to 'fix' it was to go back into the eye and remove/replace one of the lenses.

Thankfully, with the LAL, the lens can be adjusted after the surgery to find a 'sweet spot' of lens power that provides the vision the patient likes and can function with, usually achieving good vision distant and near. As more and more doctors start using the LAL and get comfortable with it and what it can (and can't) do, they will more likely migrate away from the multifocal IOLs, little by little. And for some patients, the multifocal may still be the best option depending on the person and how they use their eyes and their visual history (maybe they tried monovision with contact lenses previously and couldn't tolerate it?)

We are so fortunate that we have a large array of IOLs to chose from these days and your doctor, who has looked at your eyes and knows your visual history can make the best recommendation for YOU. In your case, based on your conversations with the doctor, he (or she) must have felt the multifocal IOL would be the best fit for your lifestyle and vision needs. Be happy! The multifocal lenses are great quality and many people love them. If you aren't liking it, don't be afraid to talk to your doctor to see what options there are to try and get you to 'happy'. They can swap it out for an LAL or a monofocal ('standard') lens if push comes to shove, or maybe a tweak with some LASIK will do the trick? But most people are happy post surgery once they get used to their new lens. Hopefully that includes you, too.

LAL is a breakthrough in IOL technology that is really showing promise due to its extremely clear optics, ability to be adjusted, and its extended depth of focus (EDOF). More and more ophthalmologists will be offering this option as word spreads in the eye surgery community. It is just another tool in the toolbox for your eye doctor and you, the patient.

It isn't always the right answer for everyone. For a lot of people, the standard monofocal IOL that Medicare covers at no additional cost is just fine and provides excellent vision. It's good that people try to get educated about all this because some offices PUSH 'premium' lenses (toric, multifocal, LAL, etc.) really HARD on people when the patient may not actually need anything more fancy than the standard lens. I hate to see that. Finding a surgeon that just wants to help YOU by recommending the best lens for you - even if they don't' make 'extra' on it - is so vital. Ethics still matter. If you feel you are being pressured and "pushed" to get a "premium" intraocular lens (IOL), ask your doctor WHY they feel you "NEED" a premium lens and decide if that sounds right to you or you are still suspicious and uncomfortable. If uncomfortable, ask your insurance company if you can go to another ophthalmologist and get a second opinion. That's fair.

It's been two weeks since I had the lens replacement and Vitrectomy on the right eye. My vision is still a bit blurry. So, the question is "how long does it take before the vision clears up"? Some folks say the day after the surgery and some say months later. Any idea?

 

[BrentM]

It's been two weeks since I had the lens replacement and Vitrectomy on the right eye. My vision is still a bit blurry. So, the question is "how long does it take before the vision clears up"? Some folks say the day after the surgery and some say months later. Any idea?

I delayed my surgery, thank god, since I am not on home care recovering from an accident. I am looking at the light adjustable lense that is dialed in for your far distance over about a 5 week period. I just happened to have had dinner with a guy who works for the company that makes that lense and got his take on it. It's expensive but for our life style far vision without correction devices is the way to go. I will likely reschedule my surgery after I recover enough to be mobile. Getting old sucks

 

[Rick Richard]

I delayed my surgery, thank god, since I am not on home care recovering from an accident. I am looking at the light adjustable lense that is dialed in for your far distance over about a 5 week period. I just happened to have had dinner with a guy who works for the company that makes that lense and got his take on it. It's expensive but for our life style far vision without correction devices is the way to go. I will likely reschedule my surgery after I recover enough to be mobile. Getting old sucks

The only reason why I did not choose those is I find myself using my near vision more than my far vision. At this age, a lot of time sitting on the recliner. lol.

 

[LRNut]

I delayed my surgery, thank god, since I am not on home care recovering from an accident. I am looking at the light adjustable lense that is dialed in for your far distance over about a 5 week period. I just happened to have had dinner with a guy who works for the company that makes that lense and got his take on it. It's expensive but for our life style far vision without correction devices is the way to go. I will likely reschedule my surgery after I recover enough to be mobile. Getting old sucks

I purposely timed my LAL surgery to occur when I was laid up after my second ankle replacement. I figured since I could not walk, it was the perfect time to do it, since it requires a 3 week wait after surgery before the first light treatment. For me, it was a great decision.

 

[LRNut]

The only reason why I did not choose those is I find myself using my near vision more than my far vision. At this age, a lot of time sitting on the recliner. lol.

I had LAL and chose far distance vision over close, but I have to say, I can read print and text without readers, although it is much more clear with readers. Before my surgery, I could not read anything without readers.

 

[BrentM]

The only reason why I did not choose those is I find myself using my near vision more than my far vision. At this age, a lot of time sitting on the recliner. lol.

I hear ya. I spend most of my day on a computer and have about 5 years before I retire. I am not sure what the plan is after that but I hope to be able to keep doing stupid things until my maker calls me home.

 

[baldhunter]

View attachment 575207
You are farsighted in both eyes. That isn't relevant as the cataract surgery will fix that even with the standard monofocal lenses covered by insurance.

But your right eye (OD; oculus dexter) has a moderate amount of astigmatism (-2.50 diopters) that will ideally be dealt with using either a TORIC IOL or the LIGHT ADJUSTABLE LENS (LAL). The standard monofocal IOL can also be used and the astigmatism would then have to be corrected with your glasses after the surgery.

Your left eye (OS; oculus sinister; the "evil eye") is also farsighted (+4.50 diopters) but has much less astigmatism (only -0.75 diopters). This eye can be handled with a standard monofocal lens (the one insurance pays for) or the LAL.

But, this is really something your doctor will advise you about once he/she gets your full medical & ocular history and talks to you about your work and hobbies. For example, you can't get the LAL if you have:
1) Pre-existing macular disease
2) Prior history of herpes eye infection
3) Use medications that increase the sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light
4) Use any retino-toxic medications (for example: Tamoxifen)

This is why I can't tell you what's best for you but your eye surgeon can. Find an ophthalmologist you trust and talk it over with them & they'll get you into the right intraocular lens so your cataract surgery and recovery can be a success.

Thank You! I want to study up more on this before I talk to my doctor about the surgery so I know more about what he's talking about when choosing the type of lenses to get.So far what I've looked up,I think the TORIC IOL may be my best choice.My doctor does that type of replacement and my insurance and Medicare may cover it too.
https://www.visioncenter.org/surgery/intraocular-lens/

Clareon® Toric Intraocular Lens | Alcon

Discover exceptional clarity for and correct astigmatism with the Clareon® Toric lens. Learn more about Clareon® and cataract treatment here.

www.myalcon.com

 

[Wachsmann]

If anyone getting it done and they can get both eyes machined the same if using the fake lenses, then I think that would be better. Just use readers. I don't know who makes the lens I have in my eyes now but it does bring in a lot of light it just the star effect at night and the double image is probably from the 2 different machining on the lens.

 

[Frog4aday]

If anyone getting it done and they can get both eyes machined the same if using the fake lenses, then I think that would be better. Just use readers. I don't know who makes the lens I have in my eyes now but it does bring in a lot of light it just the star effect at night and the double image is probably from the 2 different machining on the lens.

If you are getting starburst at night and double image you should see your ophthalmologist. About 50% of the time after a cataract surgery people can develop a posterior capsular opacity (PCO). This is a clouding of the capsule your IOL was placed during surgery. It is easily fixed with a YAG laser procedure that is painless & just requires your eyes be dilated. No big deal.

It doesn't sound like you got multifocal IOLs or you would know that was put in your eyes since you would have paid extra for it. But starburst effect at night is a relatively common complaint about the multifocal IOLs due to the fresnel rings used to give the lens mutiple focal lengths.

By the way, EVERYONE is given a card after surgery that fits in your wallet that says what lens you got implanted. Keep that card safe somewhere in case you ever need that information. The card will show who made the lens, what the power was (in diopters), and the model # of your lens. Your information is sent to the company that made the lens in case there is ever an issue, like a defect or recall.

Just so everyone knows, they will never do cataract surgery on both eyes on the same day. Soonest they will do the other eye is about a week after the first eye was done. This is to be sure there was no infection and the outcome (final refraction) was correct based on pre-surgical calculations.

 

[Rcritch]

I have had myopic eyesight (nearsightedness) from birth and wore spectacles throughout my school years. But in my early adulthood I fortunately had the opportunity to experiment with "Monovision" while wearing contact lenses long before I later moved on to LASIK surgery to gain 20/20 distance vision in both eyes. I say my contact lens experiment was "fortunate" because, though I quickly adapted to having distance sight in my master right eye and near sight in my left eye, I soon learned that both my outdoor and indoor activities were being seriously handicapped by a noticeable degradation of depth perception. Whether I was indoors operating various remote manipulators in a laboratory Hot Cell environment or outdoors while hunting, fishing, riding my motorcycle, driving my sports car or a semi tractor/trailer rig I would often need to shed my contact lenses and don my bifocal spectacles to function effectively. So when I chose to have the Laser eye surgery I knew full well I didn't want PERMANENT monovision! And it was likewise, at about age 70, when cataracts were becoming a problem.

So now I have two brand new, state of the art, intraocular lenses in place of my God given natural lenses and I couldn't be happier. I have however had one, and so far only one, complication of which prospective cataract surgery patients should at least be aware. It was a Posterior Capsular Opacification (PCO) of my right eye, more commonly known as a "secondary" cataract. My routine annual optometric examination discovered the existence of the PCO before it was detectably affecting my master eye's visual acuity and my optometrist advised me that if and when it became a problem that a high tech, safe, outpatient laser treatment could eliminate the PCO in a matter of minutes. So life went on with no problems and my bare binocular vision seemed unaffected. But a few years later, while hunting the Texas Panhandle, I had to pass up an easy shot on a nice whitetail buck because the slight morning fog seemed to be blurring the image of my riflescope's view and I didn't feel it would be safe to hazard a shot. I did later bag several whitetails for my freezer, but during bright daylight conditions. Following my return to CO I eventually learned that the fogginess of my view was far less due to the actual morning fog and much more due to the PCO.

On that same Panhandle hunt I scored an uncharacteristically poor percentage in my pheasant hunting. The few birds that I did down were all with a hurried 2nd shot and with what seemed to be way too much or too little lead. I assumed the problem was the shotgun because I had decided to carry my ultralight Weatherby 20 gauge pump instead of my usual shotgunning weapon, the heavy Ruger Woodside sporting clays O/U. But again, back home in CO, I discovered that, even though my bare eyed binocular vision seemed quite normal, while closing my left eye the visual acuity of my master right eye was terribly clouded. So apparently my left eye had taken over the shotgun's sight picture as my new master eye.

But I also have developed bilateral epiretinal membranes in my eyes so I went to the Eye Associates of New Mexico's Retina Center for an exam and determination. Fortunately the Retina Surgeon was able to find that both of my maculae were still undistorted by the membranes and gave my right eye its Master Eye status back with just several minutes of YAG laser treatment. And all's well again ..... at least for now.

To quote a famous Bette Davis statement: "Old age is no place for sissies!"

 

[Papa762!!]

My doctor gave me clearance to do anything but swimming FIVE days after surgery….And I mentioned shooting. I don't know though if he really understood what type of shooting. However, I am going to wait at least a month.

I'm a week and a half out from the last one, headed to the range today but only .22. Hold on that .300!

 

[Frog4aday]

<SNIPPED STUFF> I am left handed, left eye dominant, and shoot a rifle with a scope. I'm considering MonoVision. Should my dominant eye (THAT I USE FOR LOOKING THRU A RIFLE SCOPE) be corrected to see NEAR or FAR ?
Thanks, Jerry

Hey Jerry, I don't think I ever answered this part of your question. The nearly universal answer is that your dominant eye is corrected to see best in the distance.