Cataract Surgery advice & info needed

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Hopefully some of you out there can give me some advice. Recently I was advised that I had developed cataracts on both eyes. If I want to improve my vision I am going to need surgery. I asked the Dr. that I saw in Bulawayo his opinion of shooting heavy recoiling rifles after surgery. His answer was "I do not know I am afraid of guns". Needless to say I decided not to use that Dr. and will probably go to South Africa to have it done.

I would guess that there is more than one member who has had this surgery done, please tell me what your experiences have been the heaviest recoiling rifles that I shoot are either .416 Rigby or .470 Nitro.

Lon

 

[Hogpatrol]

Plan on spending some time for followups. My procedure was one done with a followup the next day, then the other a week later. Make sure you have a good pair of sunglasses. As far as shooting, I don't remember any cautions. I had my first one put on DVD. It's amazing what can be done today with eyesight.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

May I ask since the surgery are you worried about shooting heavy recoiling rifles. Also was it worth it. My right eye is my shooting eye and is the one least effected. If I can only afford to have one done at this time which one would you have corrected?

 

[Pheroze]

Good luck with the procedure. I have had a number of family members and friends have it. They all said it made their vision great, so I think you will be happy with it. You will only do one at a time (of course). My father had both his done and he shoots trap fairly regularly if that helps.

Pay for the top quality lens if there is an option. I understand the difference is significant.

 

[Roller]

I’ve had intraocular lens replacement in both eyes for cataracts. First eye was done several years ago . The second more recently . I shoot shotguns a lot and a 416 occasionally. Dr. told me to wait a month after surgery then it’s fine. No post-op problems or concerns at all . Highly recommend. Miracle level effects on your vision .

 

[Hogpatrol]

Double up on Pheroze's post. Get the best lens. As far as shooting, see if you can find a good doctor that hunts and shoots with a scope. He'll dial you in on the best way to go.

 

[Pblaine]

I had a cataract removed 6 weeks ago that progressed rapidly. I wore glasses for driving before. Vision is now 20/15 and I would do it again. I was advised to take care with any impact or jarring of the eye to include no bending until fully healed. I would feel comfortable shooting everything I own right now except for my Tikka t3x lite 300 mag.

 

[JimP]

I asked my cataract surgeon the same question and he told me that their would be no problem shooting a heavy recoiling rifle after he released me after a followup visit a week later.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Best $$ I ever spent. See just like a teenager. Iron sights and all in my 60s. I did take over a year and a couple of touch up procedures to get everything just right. I shoot lots of heavy loads at ducks, as well as my 458 Lott, 404 J and 375s. No issues.

 

[BRICKBURN]

....... I was advised to take care with any impact or jarring of the eye to include no bending until fully healed. .........

+1 on the fully healed.

 

[JimP]

The nice thing about the eyes is that they heal very fast and the incision is measured in mm's

 

[shootist~]

I think you have the option to get your corrected vision re-set for either distance - or close-up (not both, in most cases). I'm assuming everyone goes with distance and then rely on glasses for up close?

This is what my wife did, and she does see good at distance. Very poor up close without corrective lenses, however.

I'm getting close as well and not looking forward to it.

Do get a second opinion. Surgery is a money maker for the places selling the service.

 

[davidg8480]

I had a cataract removed 6 weeks ago that progressed rapidly. I wore glasses for driving before. Vision is now 20/15 and I would do it again. I was advised to take care with any impact or jarring of the eye to include no bending until fully healed. I would feel comfortable shooting everything I own right now except for my Tikka t3x lite 300 mag.

+1 on the fully healed.

+2 ...fully healed, 10 week big boys no problem, just be sure to follow post surgical care precisely that is Paramount.

 

[JimP]

You can now get a bifocal lense, it was a option that I had 6 years ago but the surgeon did not recommend it.

My first eye was done in 2009 and is better for distance vision and my other eye that was done in 2015 is better for closer vision.

With both eyes I have 20/20 vision and depending on the size of the print I can read just fine but I still need glasses for the smaller stuff such as labels. But I also don't need glasses for hunting which is a big plus.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I want to thank everyone that has given me advice. I do not know why I did not think about different quality lenses or the fact that they were actually corrective lenses. I will definitely go for the distance vision. I have used reading glasses for the last 25 years so that does not bother me.

The Zimbabwe Dr. that I saw could not tell me how long he had been doing the surgery or how many he does a week? He did say he had been doing it for quite awhile and does quite a few, hhmmm?

I once had to show a female Zimbabwe Dr. how to put a cast on my foot? I asked her where she went to medical school, she said Russia. I asked her if they spoke Shona or English she said no. I asked her if she spoke Russian, she said no. Needless to say I do not put a lot of faith in Zimbabwe doctors. Although there is one G.P. in Victoria Falls that I would give a A+

Lon

 

[JimP]

It is really a simple surgery. My first one I sat in the waiting room longer than the surgery took. My second one they inserted a IV so it took a bit longer.

Before my first one I watched the procedure on YouTube just to see what they did.

 

[wesheltonj]

Perhaps, if you come to DSC or SCI, you can find a Board Certified Physican that preformed lots of the procedures in Dallas or Nashville. In Dallas you have UT Southwestern Medical School, the best in Texas. In Nashville you have Vanderbilt Medical School, also a very fine medical school. So you should have not problem finding a physician.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Opt for the Schmidt & Bender quality lenses! Get the fixed 4x and forget about scopes! As said above, the best eye surgeons in America, you see....

 

[horsedoc49]

Good morning all andHappy Easter!
I had both lenses replaced in November 2020. The procedure was simple at least from my side. My ophthalmologist asked me if I wanted the chevy or cadillac lenses. The cadillac (Alcon) lenses adjust for close to far distances and cost me $1000 more per eye. I too had excellent miracle like results.
I can see like I could when I was 30 and no longer need any glasses.
I shoot 505 Gibbs and 577 full nitro. As someone mentioned earlier, follow the post op instructions.
I rarely use a scoped rifle and I can see the open sights clearly. My surgeon is in Alaska so it might be a little far to come. Best of luck.
Ron

 

[Rob404]

I've had Both eyes done Never a problem shooting any heavy recoil rifles. I think what you will really enjoy is seeing colors far better than you used to