Cataract Surgery
In less than a week I'm having cataract surgery on one eye with the second to follow about three weeks later. Now I have what I think/thought a really good Ophthalmologist and I trust him, kind of...
What has me in a quandary is the IOL (lens) being implanted. When I went for the measurement in early January, I knew very little about lenses. I knew there were mono vision and multi vision lenses but that's about it. I knew though that I wanted the multi vision lens because after wearing glasses for the better part of 60 years I really wanted to toss them, permanently. I also wore multi focal contacts from time to time and really liked them. Well good old Dr. R point blank said no, "we don't use them in the hospital because they can cause problems" without telling me what those problems were.
I started thinking about this and did some research on various lenses. Then I started obsessing about why? Was it a cost issue and was our overburdened public health care system trying to save money by not giving us the best lenses?
I saw his nurse during a recent pre op appointment and asked about cost. She gave me the prices for three upgraded lenses ranging from $155. to $875. I left a message for him to call me to discuss the lenses. He did, at 7:30 am the next morning when I was half asleep and could barely function. He basically told me that an upgrade was unnecessary, hadn't we already discussed this, and I would just have to "trust him", I'd be very happy.
I suppose I should have left well enough alone at that point but you know I'm not like that. Whenever someone says trust me, I have a problem. The last doc who said that to me messed up my foot for life.
I became totally convinced that the lens I wanted was the Acrysoft Restore Multi Focal and nothing but nothing was going to change my mind. I've been having sleepless nights over this so last night around two or so I got up and typed up a nice letter to Dr. R and faxed it to him. Feeling somewhat better I was able to fall asleep. Well at 6:45 am, (doesn't this guy sleep), he phoned and very nicely told me that nope, that lens is not an option for me because of the retinal scarring surgery I had in March of 2009. Seems that even though that surgery was successful, there is still some scarring there and he feels the multi focal lens won't work for me. Why the heck didn't he just tell me that in the beginning? He would have saved us both a lot of grief and me sleepless nights.
I give up, whatever will be will be...
Labels: cataract surgery
posted by Rositta @ Wednesday, January 20, 2010
17 Comments:
Well it's nice to know that doctors on either side of our border share that doctor knows best attitude. I thought it was just here. There's nothing wrong with you wanting to be an informed consumer, whether you're considering a new pair of glasses or an implanted lens. What a boor. He should have shared his educated thoughts a little more clearly.
I wish you well.
When all is said and done, will you rename your blog, "A Better View From Here?"
Rudee, I'm a little tired of the "doctor/father knows best" attitude of some of them. I don't know about A Better View, I'm hoping for a clearer view, LOL...
Yes, he should have explained that to you. Communication is so important between a doctor and his/her patients. Trust is better established when they explain their thinking and reveal their knowledge about your case.
Now, you understand the situation. Remember....they want a good outcome too. Try to relax and rest up for your surgery, and get yourself in a good place mentally for it. Be good to yourself, and keep us posted.
Chrysalis, I'm still not convinced. I think he is using the retinal thing as an excuse and I'm thinking he either doesn't know how to use this lens, or he is so entrenched in the medical system that he doesn't like the idea of people paying for things. I discussed this with my GP today and he's puzzled at the excuse. Problem is I haven't the time to look for a new doctor. The wait time to get an appointment with an Ophthalmologist is two months and then the wait for surgery is about 118 days. I can't last another five months like so so I'm going ahead with it and hoping for the best. The positive side is that he has an excellent reputation as a surgeon with hardly any side effects reported.
Good luck Rositta. I had both of mine done last year. Those upgrade lens prices sound pretty good to me as I had to pay $350 each for the lowest lens and the multi focal ones were $1600 each so definitely not an option. Oh and everyone pays here since only hard lens are fully covered and the surgeons all think the soft are so much better they assume you will cough up the money.
People do pay to have those lens but usually only those who who have a specific reason for choosing them, like people who are active in sports as I understand it.
My ophthalmologist has problems inserting the first one and used a different one for the second. It was very funny in retrospect as he kept telling me to stop squeezing my eyeball with me telling I was doing no such thing. Trust me, with your eyelid in a clamp it would be impossible to squeeze your eyeball.
I'm sure it will be fine, fine, fine.
I'll say a prayer for you, Rositta. You have to do what you feel. Once your mind is made up, just go with it and don't look back then.
Well follow you along.
Hi JMB, the upgrade I wanted was not that expensive that I couldn't have managed but he won't do it. The lens he is using is soft, its called Arcon Folding Blue and he now told me he would shorten the distance a little to give me better close up. I still want to climb that mountain and can't do it without close up vision.
Thanks Chrysalis, I had made up my mind definitively but he says no, sigh. I'm sure it will all come out alright, my doc says he is an excellent surgeon.
Good on you! Absolutely right to persist. I also like to know WHY. I like to understand what the doctor is talking about, not just "trust his word". I hope you won't be needing any good luck ,but just in case, GOOD LUCK!
You know when I work in the surgical daycare I she up to 20 pt in one day having catarac surgery. I also now work in the area where the procedure is being done. The surgeons make it all look so nonchalante. Having never experienced what you are going to go through I can't imagine your trepidation. It is your "sight" we are talking about here. You don't want anyone messing with that.
Personally, I think if some doctor's did their job in the first place...that being a thorough discussion with their patients, listening to thier concerns and answering any of their questions would eliviate so much time, stress , cost and effort.
I wish you much success in your upcoming surgery.
ooops I am sorry I didn't proof read my comments....bad nurse....you see my typo's...sorry....cheers
MaryAnne, maybe you need your eyes checked, he he...
Any feedback now, Rositta? How did it all go, and are you happy, as he said you'd be?
I've decided to have this surgery too (in Ontario) and the multi-focal sounded so great...no more glasses! But I guess OHIP doesn't cover it all, so I'll just get what I can.
I'd love to know how you got on.
Hi Fran, in one word the answer is NO. Now having said that, if you have healthy eyes to begin with you will probably only need glasses for reading. The 7 people I know who have had this surgery are happy.
As for me, I have received a second opinion although I think they all know each other and stick up for one another, I have been told that the eye has healed well and that he got the lens in "dead on".
The problem I'm told stems from the fact that one year ago there was a tear in the retina and I effectively went blind (20/200) It was operated in March 2009. The small cataract then grew very quickly and by January my vision was 20/100. Now it is 20/40 and I'm told that maybe there could be some laser some time in the future. My problem is that I cannot find any readers that work for my right eye, next Monday I'm having my left eye done and two weeks later I go to hospital for a hip replacement. Unless he can find reading solution for me within that two week period I will effectively be unable to even read the food menu in hospital. It will be difficult. Bye he way, I'm told that the multi focal lenses are not good. Good luck with yours...
There are many types of surgeries available for eye treatment and cataract is very dangerous disease in which people can loss their eye without getting treatment.
what is cataract
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