To Joy, re Cataracts

Hi. This is a message to a person I met today on the Saturday Discussion group. She gave me her email address (@horizon.net) so we could talk further about cataract surgery. Unfortunately, my email failed so I must have the wrong address. If you are Joy, please send me a private message (click on my photo!) or reply here. Thanks.

 

Hi nJoy, Thanks for remembering our conversation & writing to me. My email address is [edit: deleted for privacy reasons]. In April 2013, I went for cataract surgery on my left eye & the operation went well. In May 2013, I went for cataract surgery on my right eye with unsuccessful results. My ophthalmologist said more surgery is needed to prevent further loss of sight, however, he is unable to undo the damage. I have permanent vision loss. I'm writing to you with my left hand while holding a magnifying glass with my right hand, in front of my lap top, because I'm unable to see the computer screen. Please think twice before having this procedure done & get a second opinion. I wish you good luck. xo, Joy

 

For what it's worth, my late mother had cataract surgery back in 1999, and it really helped her. She could take pleasure again in reading the newspaper and the added stimulus of being able to see better seemed to act as a tonic on her mind. Her awareness of the world seemed to get her to engage with the people around her and start socializing again with her peers at the retirement center. So I guess it's who does the operation. My mother went to a guy down in Cupertino, CA who's reputedly one of the best cataract surgeons in the universe, but I forget his name right now. In any case, he sure didn't botch the job.

 

Thanks for responding, Joy. You should edit your post and delete your email address or bots will find you! This is bad because they put you on junk mail lists.

 

Thanks, Bruce. My problem is not the quality of the surgeon -- I've been referred to an excellent one. My problem is that (sounds a bit crazy!) I think my eye problems are tms. It started when I was a kid who didn't want to see and became extremely myopic. Then I got laser surgery a few years ago (had to, couldn't read) which worked okay except that it took 10 long months (very unusual complication) to heal. Then I started to grow cataracts. If the same thing happens with this surgery, I'm in big trouble and could easily lose my eyesight. And, of course, I would rather not be stone blind.

I could be wrong about the tms equivalency but something caused the lack of healing and since no other part of me heals slowly, it's worth considering. My surgery will take place more than a month from now so I am going to "sit with" my emotions around this and also do some parts work. Maybe that will sort out any psychosomatic conflicts.

 

That's really nasty, Joy. I am confident in my surgeon but things can always go wrong, that's for sure. I gather you can't just close one eye and read? Right now, I can do that fairly well but the other eye is too far gone. The "good" one is headed the same direction, as well.

Reading and the computer are VERY important to me but I had an experience last winter that helped -- my husband and I met a couple from London (actually, they were South Africans) who had just finished exploring South America for two full years, staying in hostels and riding "chicken" buses. The man was almost completely blind and the woman was sighted. They hadn't had a bit of trouble they couldn't handle which is amazing considering the stories you hear.

Do you think you will have the additional surgery done? I have been exploring computer options for people with vision problems but have not had much luck. There must be a forum somewhere! Do you Skype?