Congrats, Andie! Sounds like you got an awesome Christmas gift this year!

Woo Hooo!

Sometimes modern medicine does come through.

Got any good books lined up to read? Methinks you will be back to speeding again. Speed reading that is.

I am so happy for you, because I got to see first hand what a real miracle this surgery is when my husband had it done last year. He has worn very thick lenses since childhood, and had vision so poor, he couldn't even swim with his glasses off, or find his glasses sitting next to him. After his first eye was done, he picked up a book and read it with his good eye.

The vision in your surgical eye should continue to improve even more as it heals. His did. Then when the other eye is done, you will really feel a freedom you haven't in years. My poor husband has had a lot of surgeries in the last two decades and I'd have to rate the ones for his cataracts at the top in as much as improving his lifestyle.

I started nursing back in those days when a cataract surgery was the last ditch effort to maintaining sight and meant you had to wear "special" glasses. Rx'd lens implants are one of the best things to come along since sliced bread.

My mother had it done five or so years ago, and for her, the removal of the yellowish cataract meant she saw the spectrum in all it's glory again. The opaque cataract tissue affects more than just accuity.

Andie..friends who have had this are just amazed at how much of their color perception was lost with cataracts and once they had the surgery,couldn't believe the difference colorwise. Are you finding that?

That is wonderful news! I'm so glad the surgery went well; I'll just bounce all around for you, since I think you aren't supposed to jump for joy yet :-))

Agreed, after having that done on both eyes I can relate. Colors are so much brighter and things become instead of a blur of green on trees you can see the individual leaves.

The down side, I looked better in the mirror before that was done.

Andie, I'm so happy for you.

Great thing being able to see.
Never ever take it for granted.

before the health insurance companies will consider it a necessary operation instead of "elective"

Well I am happy that the insurance companies considered this a necessary operation before it was too late. Are you polishing up your library card ?

Marda & Gandle, Yes, the one thing I've been saying today is how BRIGHT everything is. It truly is amazing. I also noticed how filthy my computer screen was - LOL!

And Suzy, I remember when my ex-FIL had cataract surgery about 1970. He was in the hospital for about two weeks with his head between sandbags so he couldn't move it & destroy his eyesight. It was a very scary operation back then. My actual procedure (minus prep & recovery) took about 10 minutes. It was sort of like lining up at the pick-up window at the Dairy Queen.

And Michael & Mom, I've got there Maisie Dobbs mysteries on my bedside table ready to dive into, plus the latest issue of Vanity Fair hit my mailbox yesterday. I do have restrictions about not lifting heavy (over 20 lbs) for the next two weeks, so enforced leisure time will be good for reading.

I'm so happy for you!! I've heard that sometimes people who have had to wear glasses most of their adult life end up with 20-20 vision and no longer even need glasses! I wouldn't ask for that much, I'd just be so happy if I could put on eye make-up or read anything without my glasses. Abour three years ago, our opthalomologist said both my husband and I showed the beginnings of cataracts, but they haven't developed any further. Your wonderful news almost makes they would! Again, I'm delighted for you!

Andie, when I had my first eye done I was stunned at clear everything was...I had no idea my sight had deteriorated so much. It's a a minor miracle and so easy, so very easy.

Only thing is they don't tell you that cataract surgery causes lines to deepen and wrinkles to appear where you were sure you had none pre-op. Then there are those dust bunnies and cobwebs that you begin to notice:)

My right eye lens is beginning to cloud a little bit, which is not unusual, but a visit to the office and a zap with a laser and it'll be good as new.

Amazing, isn't it!!! I remember riding home from the hospital and going gawgaw over the colors after the first eye was done. It was weird to close one eye and see everything in Dull, and then close the bad one and see the wonderful improvement. I could hardly wait to get the other one done.

The DH needs it, but he's a sissy and keeps putting it off.

Glad it worked out so well--although anything that requires that your eyes be held open by prongs while some big Doctor Zarko-like laser machine beams cutting rays at your eye doesn't quite sound like the Dairy Queen! My dad it done last year at 75 and was cured of his myopia--at least in the one eye. I remember thinking, "I wish I had cataracts!" All in due time, if I'm lucky.

I'm very nearsighted, and the revelation of my eyes aging is that I've hit a stage where I no longer need my glasses (and indeed can't use them) to read something far away, like the newspaper 9" from my face. Right now I'm sort of intrigued by the idea of the contact lenses that slowly reshape your cornea--it's like impermanent, nonsurgical LASIK. Costs about the same, I think. Insurance doesn't pay anything toward that, either.

I'm so glad for those of you who had this done!

I have to laugh at the amazing myopia of insurance companies. They'll pay for a ten thousand dollar pregnancy and cover the compications, but they won't pay for birth control pills. They'll not cover a one-time lasik surgery but give you five hundred dollars each year for new glasses. Given your vision seldom improves spontaneously, I'd think offering lasik surgery would be a cost savings over a life time of buying glasses at four and five hundred dollars per annum.

My health insurance dental coverage will not pay for the ceramic or plastic fillings. They'll only cover amalgams unless the cavity is in the front teeth. They say to use other than metal fillings is "cosmetic". I don't even KNOW a dentist who is using amalgams anymore, or willing to insert them.

My thoughts exactly! My dental insurance wouldn't pay for a tooth guard, but would pay for damage done from grinding my teeth in my sleep.

Won't get on my soapbox as it would probably get me bounced from this forum, but out system of medical care makes very little sense.

What wonderful news. I elected in 1999 to have my eyes done. Extremely 20/600 nearsighted. No depth perception. Horrible astigmatism. If glasses not in immediate proximity ask DH or son to find my spectacles. Approximately one hour at my fabulous eye surgeon's clinic. 20/10 vision. NO astigmatism. I could see at night - judge distances! AMAZING! I required one "tune up" three years ago on L eye. $300. This year am probably looking at a tune up of the R eye. Also, $300.00; my vision is still perfectly within acceptable limits but I'm so darn spoiled by amazing vision you can be assured I'll be going. Racking up the expense of contact lenses, solution, actual eyeglasses, blah, blah, blah. I would have it NO other way.