Is anyone concerned about vision problems as we age? (retirees, cousin, housing)

[urbancuriosity]

I am at the end of the Boomer generation and my doctor has told me I have small cataracts and will likely need surgery at some point. From what he said it's fairly common and they continue to make progress in the procedure.

[CalWorth]

FOR ANYONE FEARING CATARACT SURGERY: I posted what is below recently in another retirement thread, & just copy/pasted here. I hope it worked! I have had a fear of blindness since I was a child. Below is my recent experience and I just wanted to share it, hoping I can help someone who is as afraid as me. Good luck! Don’t be scared!


For me, 2023 was the year of the scary cataract surgery.

Spouse & I were surprised to learn that we both developed cataracts sometime during the pandemic or its aftermath. Spouse’s cataract surgery was simple.

Mine, not so much.

First, I’m phobic about my vision, starting with wearing thick glasses at age 8. I was thrilled to start wearing soft contacts as a young adult, they changed my life. But, they were a lot of work, especially at first, and especially when I traveled. And the first part of each day was fumbling for my glasses, as everything beyond my nose was a blur.

Then came the torn retina, repaired just before it detached. Then a serious infection on the cornea of same eye.

So, when I had to wait a long time for a super-specialized eye surgeon, I was fine with that, because the cataract surgery that was simple for spouse was not simple for me.

I had the surgery on the “bad” eye first, and there were complications. Then I had the surgery on the other eye.

Here is the bonus: my vision is near-perfect, for the first time in my life since I was a child! I no longer need contact lenses OR glasses, except for store-bought readers for small print.

My “bad” eye is still being monitored, but that’s OK! I can see the mountains in the distance, or the hummingbirds up close, or whatever I’m looking at, no corrective lenses required.

So, my message is, if you are terrified of something, like I was, try in any way possible to get through the darkness and to the other side and it just might be better.

[ukgirl49]

Originally Posted by GrandmaChris

I'm worried about Macular degeneration - as my mom has it - her sister is legally blind with it. mom can't see to cut her food up - my grandfather on dad's side had it. I get my retina checked every year. I was quite near sited until 20 years ago when I had Lasik. My retina was fine 2 weeks ago, He said my cataracts will let me know when they need surgery. I am going to make an appointment to get my eyes checked. I'm using cheaters more often and I might need new glasses. I'm 59 - I know people that had cataract surgery at 50.

I hear you. Both my mother and her sister developed MD in their 80's.

My optometrist, who specialized in this area, told me to take one Macuhealth pill a day as he himself does.He felt that my family history predisposes me to this unfortunate condition.

It contains Lutein and I get it from Amazon.

[Bette]

Most of you on here for a while know I was born prematurely at 26 weeks (1.9 ounces) and was in the hospital for months.

They didn't know then what they know now or even 20 years after I was born. So, I'm blind in 1 eye and at one time had 20/40 in the "good" eye. Now, it's more like 20/60 or maybe worse. That is with correction.

Everyone in my family has 20/20 vision. Some wear glasses or contacts now that they are older but still great vision.

I'm the only one who got the cataracts and I got one in my "good" eye in my 30's! After going to over 30 doctors and being rejected for surgery (even at Bascom Palmer), the doctor who first saw me said "Well, you're practically blind now anyway so I'll take the chance."

This was late 1992 and the surgery was done in the hospital the old fashioned way. I woke up with bandages and prayed I'd be able to see again. I was told never to have it done on the blind eye since eyes work in pairs and the bad eye could give the good eye trauma later on. (I remember saying goodbye to my 2 children 7 and 2 and hoping I would "see" them again. So happy when I was able to. Grateful for the years of sight.

God story - about 6 months after the surgery, the doctor passed away after a tragic accident. He was only 45 and left a wife and 3 children. I will never forget his kindness and the risk he took.

I got an implant so no more contacts. I can walk around without glasses but do have them for both near and far.

Right now, my pressure in the blind eye got up to 55. It's now around 40. The other eye is around 14.
A cataract covers the whole blind eye and there is no way for them to remove it. I wish.

I do hear people are more hesitant about driving at night as they get older. Thank God for my husband as he is "my eyes" and drives us everywhere.

I was able to drive for years until about 8 years ago and I took myself off the road. I really miss it.

I pray for more inventions that could help me! (and other like me - but there's not too many according to doctors I've been to).

[Backintheville2]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

I am also at the end of the Boomers and my eyesight has gone from perfect to awful over the course of about 15 years.

I'm just waiting for the day that I can have cataract surgery and have the lens implants. That's all I need. No more glasses!

Unless you are paying out of pocket for a lens upgrade that Medicare doesn't cover, you'll probably need at least reading glasses. Medicare only covers the basic lens. Got mine set for distance vision, so I need glasses for reading or close up vision.

[heavymind]

They weigh 55 grams (1.9 oz), and are totally self-contained, with a 10-hour battery, USB-C charging and a Bluetooth 5.0 connection whose purpose is a mystery to us.

Pass. I can see where this is going. Probably a resurgence of Google Glass cloaked as a 'helpful' medical device.

At $690 per pair I'll stick with dollar store readers that I can accidentally sit on or lose without worrying.

[Arktikos]

Other than feeling the need for reading glasses more often, the answer is no. Nevertheless, concerns do exist.

Just today my wife was ducking under a big tree branch, came up on the other side only to whack her head on another branch. Her vision was partly obstructed by a sun visor. Now she's seeing lightning streaks in one eye once in awhile, so we're concerned about the possibility of a partially detached retina. Although this injury can occur at any age, I believe older folks are more at risk.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

Other than feeling the need for reading glasses more often, the answer is no. Nevertheless, concerns do exist.

Just today my wife was ducking under a big tree branch, came up on the other side only to whack her head on another branch. Her vision was partly obstructed by a sun visor. Now she's seeing lightning streaks in one eye once in awhile, so we're concerned about the possibility of a partially detached retina. Although this injury can occur at any age, I believe older folks are more at risk.

And you're sitting around at home writing on CD??? Get her to an ER!

The success of detached retinal repair is DIRECTLY related to how quickly the repair is made.

[Yippeekayay]

I went from 20/20 to farsighted. I can still read from far but you give me small fonts on computer screen and I can't read them. I may need that glasses so thanks OP! Plus it's sleek not like regular glasses.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

Now she's seeing lightning streaks in one eye once in awhile, so we're concerned about the possibility of a partially detached retina.

If that is the case, she should be at an ER.
The sooner they can treat it, the better the outcome.