In the first part of 2010 I found that it was hard for me to read street signs so I went into my optometrist to have my eyes checked and was fitted for new contact lenses. Three months later I had the same problem and had to be fitted again. The doctor told me that it was because of cataracts. He also said that they were not bad enough for Kaiser to justify surgery. Three months later I had the same problem so I went to Kaiser and they agreed to do the surgery.
Since I was wearing hard contact lenses I had to go back to wearing my glasses for one month in orderbfor them to correctly measure my eyes. At the same time I attended a class explaining the whole cataract surgery. I opted to have both eyes done at the same time. Surgery was scheduled for Oct 18, 2010 at noon. I was prescribed four different eye drops. One I had to start taking four days before the surgery. One I had to use one hour before the surgery to dilate my eyes. The others were for after surgery.
In the weeks preceding the surgery I was searching the internet to learn more about cataracts. I found lots of good information but I could not find anything about the actural surgery experience so I decided to do this blog to possibly help others who may be facing the same situation.
When I first showed up at the Kaiser Permanente Santa Teresa surgery center I was taken to a bed. I had to remove my shirt and wore a hospital gown. I also had to wear booties over my sox and a matching cap over my head. I was immediately started on an IV of 'happy juice" to relax me. I did feel relaxed but I did not feel like I was drugged at all. The IV was almost completely painless, just a little pinch feeling when the needle went in. Also at this time I was intgerviewed by the assisting RN and the anesthesiologist.
Within twenty minutes I was wheeled into the operating room. I was fitted with a nose inhaler for oxygen and a blood pressure sleeve. Then they taped my eyelid open and somehow kept some kind of liquid flowing in my eye. I guess it was to keep me from wanting to blink and also the anesthesia. Then the doctor lowered the microscope to my eye and for the next ten minutes all I saw was four red lights inside the microscope and felt absolutely no pain, just occasionally a little presure. Then they repeated the procedure on my other eye. I would say I was in the operating room a total of about 45 minutes until they wheeled me back to the recovery room. There I was give some apple juice and some graham crackers. My wife was able to come in at that time. After about 30 minutes I got dressed and was released. I could see! Everything was in focus but a little foggy. The next day there was less fog and still no pain or irritation. Now I no longer need my contacts or glasses except for reading. On the second day my vision was slmost perfect (about 98%). No more fog and I was able to go back to work and drive my car. I was amazed! The only hassle is having to take three different eye drops four times a day.
