Eye Surgery

[Danda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Danda]

Anyone know the difference between Lasik and Cataract eye surgery, ? basically I've been for the test and though I qualify the optician advised that because of my age ( 63 ) I should go for cataract instead of Lasik, any one know whats what ?
any and all advice appreciated,
Cheers,
Davo

[tassie tiger Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close tassie tiger]

I thought they were two completely different things.

[SWR Banned Find all posts View Profile Close SWR]

Gday davy

LASIK = laser eye surgery is to correct the shape of the cornea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LASIK

Cataract is to remove clouding of the crystalline lens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataract

Cheers

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Eye'd see another iDoctor!

[SWR Banned Find all posts View Profile Close SWR]

I believe if you was to go to an "iDoctor!" .... I am sure he will make you wear an "iPad!"

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Don't know the difference but I had the cataract surgery on both eyes (1 at a time) .

The isurgeon just said I had cataracts and it was best to get them removed.

Prior to surgery I could read the newspaper without glasses , but found it difficult to see clearly objects in the distance.
This is now reversed and I need glasses to read .

[Danda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Danda]

Don't know the difference but I had the cataract surgery on both eyes (1 at a time) .

The surgeon just said I had cataracts and it was best to get them removed.

Prior to surgery I could read the newspaper without glasses , but found it difficult to see clearly objects in the distance.
This is now reversed and I need glasses to read .

Thanks for the help Sky walker but if you read Pedro's input you'll see why I'm confused I always thought if you needed cataract surgery it was because your near blind , not quite that bad but do need them fixed for my job and no they wont help pay for it so we've been looking at places like Bangkok etc as the guys I've spoke to have all had it done there and are delighted with the results (no more specs)
cheers,
Davo

[MDSimpson Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDSimpson]

I had eye surgery a few years ago, called PRK, to fix my short sightedness (glasses to drive). PRK and LASIK are to fix the shape of you cornea so you get 20/20 vision with out the need for glasses. Cataract surgery is a different beast, as it is removing the cloudy parts of your eye.

Maybe the procedures are similar, but cataract would be covered, in part, by Medicare, whereas PRK and LASIK are classed as 'cosmetic' and you get nothing back on it.


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[prh Member Find all posts View Profile Close prh]

As stated above, LASIK will not correct cataract. Cataract is a progressive clouding of the lens of the eye, which can over time cause blindness.

The fix for cataract is surgical removal of the clouded lens, and replacing it with an artificial lens. This new lens does not have variable focus (accommodation) like the natural lens does (although technology is moving in this direction). That is to say, the prosthetic lens has a fixed focal length. Usually, the ophthalmologist will recommend a lens for distant vision, so you won't need glasses for distances of more than 1 meter or so, but you will need glasses for closer vision.

Surgery is day surgery, the procedure itself about 20 minutes under a sedative and local anaesthetic. I had cataract repair for both eyes a couple of years ago, age 47. Doctor thought my cataract may have been slowly developing since childhood.

LASIK is used for correction of refractive vision problems like astigmatism. You can have astigmatism AND cataract simultaneously, of course. (I did)

Paul

[Bigben Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bigben]

As stated above, LASIK will not correct cataract. Cataract is a progressive clouding of the lens of the eye, which can over time cause blindness.

The fix for cataract is surgical removal of the clouded lens, and replacing it with an artificial lens. This new lens does not have variable focus (accommodation) like the natural lens does (although technology is moving in this direction). That is to say, the prosthetic lens has a fixed focal length. Usually, the ophthalmologist will recommend a lens for distant vision, so you won't need glasses for distances of more than 1 meter or so, but you will need glasses for closer vision.

Surgery is day surgery, the procedure itself about 20 minutes under a sedative and local anaesthetic. I had cataract repair for both eyes a couple of years ago, age 47. Doctor thought my cataract may have been slowly developing since childhood.

LASIK is used for correction of refractive vision problems like astigmatism. You can have astigmatism AND cataract simultaneously, of course. (I did)

Paul

Yes I agree with above.
I had the lense replacement surgury done about 6 months ago now.

For me, it worked out great. I initially went to find out about Lasik
but too much reshaping would have had to be done I didn't have enough
cornea to do that & i also showed signs of starting cataracts, so I ended
up going for Refractive lense replacement and it worked out great.

My eyes were crap, nearly up to coke bottle lenses for reading & a bit less
for everything else.
Now I only need the cheep chemist +1 glasses, for small print in bad light
& some computer work.
As stated in earlier post if the optomatrist says you have cataracts you should
be able to claim it on Mediare where Lasik you cannot. I got mine done here in
Perth.
Sorry but i need to Australian Made.

This is what happened for me, it cannot be guaranteed for all.

[Danda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Danda]

As stated above, LASIK will not correct cataract. Cataract is a progressive clouding of the lens of the eye, which can over time cause blindness.

The fix for cataract is surgical removal of the clouded lens, and replacing it with an artificial lens. This new lens does not have variable focus (accommodation) like the natural lens does (although technology is moving in this direction). That is to say, the prosthetic lens has a fixed focal length. Usually, the ophthalmologist will recommend a lens for distant vision, so you won't need glasses for distances of more than 1 meter or so, but you will need glasses for closer vision.

Surgery is day surgery, the procedure itself about 20 minutes under a sedative and local anaesthetic. I had cataract repair for both eyes a couple of years ago, age 47. Doctor thought my cataract may have been slowly developing since childhood.

LASIK is used for correction of refractive vision problems like astigmatism. You can have astigmatism AND cataract simultaneously, of course. (I did)

Paul

Thanks for that Paul you too bigben as I'm not yet in need of cataract surgery the optician has advised to go that way due to my age but I wont qualify as I'm not there yet so I'll be paying for it but at least I've a better idea now so all I have to do is find the right surgeon then see Mr bank manager aye ?

[prh Member Find all posts View Profile Close prh]

I am fortunate to have private health insurance, which covered a substantial part of the total cost. I don't remember exact figures, but I think I ended up paying around $400 in out of pocket expenses. That covered the "eye doctor" consultations before and after surgery, all surgical expenses, and 2 hospital admissions.

I will say that the difference in my vision quality was dramatic. It took a few weeks for full eye healing, and several months for vision to finally settle. As mentioned, I also have some astigmatism. Even so, I can get 20/20 on the Snellen chart, and with corrective specs, I score better than 20/20. Even though my lens implants were prescribed for distance vision, I can read normal print unaided in reasonable light. I use specs for fine and close work.

You will no doubt hear a range of experiences as you speak with different people. Some will develop eye infections or other complications. Others will be disappointed in surgical outcomes - this tends to be somewhat dependent on co-existent eye pathology.

Cataract surgery is one of the most well-standardized of all surgical procedures. It is quick, mostly uncomplicated and can be life changing.

Cataract never goes away on its own, and always worsens. It is, in fact, the #1 cause of preventable blindness in global terms. Seems incredible that something so potentially debilitating can be completely and permanently repaired in a 20 minute operation.

Hope you can sort things out in the not too distant future.

Paul

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Just a bit of humour to lift your spirits: