3 ms·
I had cataract surgery done. For cataracts. At age 42. The doctor was able to correct out something like -12D myopia in both eyes with a precision that was mai
by mschaef 8y ago
I had cataract surgery done. For cataracts. At age 42.
The doctor was able to correct out something like -12D myopia in both eyes with a precision that was mainly limited by the fact that lens implants only come in 0.5D increments. She was also able to use a laser to ablate the cornea in a way that corrected out astigmatism. In the span of two relatively brief surgeries, I went from >35 years of needing to use glasses to now, where I'm typing this post without any external correction at all. It's an amazing result, particularly considering the risks involved with such a high degree of myopia.
That said, I'd never do it just for the purpose of correcting nearsightedness. The implants work, but you mostly lose the ability to focus. There are ways around this, but the technology is still relatively new, and carries with it risks of visual artifacts. There are also the literally 500 eye drops you have to take and risks of various complications during surgery. (One noteworthy risk is that if the lens's bag ruptures during the phacoemulsification, the lens drops into the posterior chamber of the eye and requires a vitrectomy to retrieve.)
It's an amazing procedure, I'm thankful to have had the option to have it done, but I wouldn't recommend it unless and until you absolutely need it.