I Can See Clearly Now - Almost

I'm now almost one week past my long-anticipated cataract surgery in my right eye.

I was born with bad eyes. My left eye turned out and was only partially corrected by doing much-hated eye exercises as a child. I was so near-sighted my good vision was about 2" from my face in my left eye and about 4" in my right eye. Way past legally blind. My world was blobs. I learned to read holding my books very close to my face.

This was normal for me. As with anyone who has a different normal, I learned compensations. I hated the thick glasses I had to wear and was very grateful when soft contact lenses were introduced and I could afford their very pricey cost. Even with contacts, my left eye was pretty much useless. I was in the "oh, you poor dear!" category.

That changed about a decade ago when a cataract was discovered in my left eye. Yes! I was young to have a cataract! Following surgery I suddenly had good vision. I could actually watch TV. I finally had depth perception! Although I had contacts for both eyes, I discovered that I could do quite well with only a contact in my right eye and bifocals tuned for my computer distance. Because of the power difference between left and right eye, glasses only were impractical. Think of wearing a lightweight glass for one eye and a very heavy lens on the other! No way! And no need because the contacts did a great job of correcting the vision to about 20/30.

At the time my first cataract was discovered I was told there was a slow-growing cataract in my right eye. My OD watched it and finally told me I was at the point where I needed to consider surgery. Night driving was becoming especially difficult. Streetlights were fuzzy globes. After wending my way through the conflicting medical/vision providers, my opthamologist and I made the decision it was time for cataract surgery.

Most people want to have near perfect distance vision for driving. That wasn't my choice. My right eye was like having an 8x magnifying glass. When I did my handwork or beading all I had to do was bring the work close to my eye and I could see perfectly. I didn't want to lose that! I took in my "Begin" project and told my doctor that I needed to be able to see well enough without any correction to continue that kind of work. We made the decision my correction would be to remain nearsighted.

So the surgery and eye measurements were scheduled. What I hadn't realized was that for a week before the measurements and surgery I would not be able to wear my right eye contact! Oops! I've moaned about the result -- I couldn't see at close distances! The left eye was great for driving in daylight. At night or in rain, the right eye created globes -- no way to drive! No glasses and readers didn't work either. My eyes were constantly at war for near vision. About all I could do was beadwork ... lifting the project to within 4" of my face. Good thing I could spend time learning the peyote stitch!

Surgery was interesting. It's done awake with some kind of anesthesia. I wanted to join the operating room conversation but was told not to talk so there was no chance of my eye moving. Shucks! All I could see was interesting blobs -- and no way to photograph or draw them! Suddenly, a clear view of the operating light. Goodness! I could see!!!!

I have to wait about 3-6 weeks for my final results and new glasses/contacts, however the initial result is just perfect for me (though it freaked out my doctor's assistant when I could barely read the top line of the eye chart). I have perfect 20/20 vision about 12" from my face ... ideal for handwork! My left eye takes over for distance. The blobs are gone and the world is so much brighter! From about 14" to 5' I have some fuzzing ... that's what will be corrected by the computer glasses. Overall, I am thrilled.

For the first time in my life I have something approaching normal vision .... what a joy!

-- Joanna