My Cataract Journey (Part 2: In Limbo)

In her first post, Vicki talked about the lead-up to her cataract surgery. In this post, she goes through the week following the surgery on the left eye.

The afternoon after surgery I went home and did nothing but keep the eye open for a while until it got tired. So, I spent most of the afternoon listening to the TV and relaxing.

The discharge instructions said no water in the eye, so showering became interesting. I figured out how to put my shower cap over the eye so absolutely no water would get in it. No makeup for a week and no stooping or bending over for a week. I found ingenious ways to pick up laundry off the floor without bending over.

Day 1

Wow, I can see with my left eye and read the news at the bottom of the TV screen without glasses. Woo-hoo! Off to the doctor for a post-op check. He says the healing of my eye is progressing really well. I could only read four lines on the chart. But as the nurse said, it’s only been 24 hours. Okay! Ended the day with no glasses on. I put drops in the eye four times a day for the three prescriptions.

Day 2

I woke up and my left eye didn’t want to open – it had been covered all night with a patch. I had some fluid draining and a little fluttering in the left eye where the incision is. The eye also felt a little scratchy.

The doctor had said to take the left lens out of my glasses in between surgeries. That way the new lens would have a clear view and the eye that still needed correction could still operate. I did, and decided that it wouldn’t work for me – my brain couldn’t merge the two images because they were so different. I took out the clear lens, put the corrected lens back in, and decided to let them fight. Oh, and I put in four eyedrops per day for two different prescriptions and one drop a day for another prescription.

I went to the office and worked a little too long. The eye was really hurting, so I went home. That’s when my eye started draining fluid. I didn’t realize how much water they had put in my eye to get the lens to stay in place.

Day 3

My eyes are getting better each day, but still a little blurry.

Day 4

I was able to watch TV with no glasses on. Both sides are fighting each other, so they get tired real fast. But I’m getting closer to the second surgery.

Day 5

Drove to work with no glasses on. I was able to read my computer without glasses. I had to wash my hair, so once again the shower cap came in handy. I attached it to my ears and put it across my eyes. The things we do for good hygiene…

Days 6 and 7

Really able to see well today, but still need glasses to read the close stuff.

Day 8

Today was post-op for my left eye and pre-op for the right eye. The left eye is progressing nicely. Time to “map” the right eye and check the pressure. We made sure the doctor has the information to order the correct lens for my right eye and get it ready for surgery next week.

The next Monday it was time to start the pre-op drops for the right eye. We put different amounts of drops in each eye, so I made a chart ensuring I wouldn’t forget how many of which drop in each eye.

I spent the next week looking forward to Thursday’s surgery. Both eyes will be the same!

Over the years, we’ve discussed cataract surgery and how it affects shooting performance afterward. If you’re a member of the Knowledge Vault and want to know more, we discuss the topic in-depth in the November 2017 Coaching Hour, as well as in July of that year.