Slow in here (aka Toho's Puzzles)

When are you going to have cataract surgery.

I'm going to schedule it next month some time. I want to wait until I'm done with the retinal surgery I had done last week. I go back for the checkup on that the second week of May so once that's over with I'll start on the cataracts.

How are the eyes recovering from the retinal surgery?

Praying for a quick recovery.

The retinal surgery was super quick. It took 10 times longer waiting for my eye to dilate than the actual laser treatment did. The procedure itself was weird. A bright green light. It wasn't painful (they use numbing drops in your eye) but it was still unpleasant. It almost felt like getting an electrical shock in the eyeball. But the whole procedure took about 3 minutes. When it was over I couldn't see anything at all for about 15 seconds but gradually I started to be able to make stuff out. By the time we walked out to the car I had my vision back.

This surgery didn't do anything to improve my eyesight; it was a preventative procedure to keep the hole in my retina from getting bigger and to "tack down" (the ophtamologist's phrase) the retina so it doesn't become detached. All this crap is a normal part of aging as the eyeball "shrinks".

LOL getting older stinks but it beats the alternative. When my husband had lasik surgery I watched and how weird it was to see

My wife had laser eye surgery. They actually take a video of the procedure and give it to you on DVD.

The whole laser surgery thing is amazing to me. Before she started I asked the doctor what restrictions I would be under afterward and she said "None". I was like "By none you mean you can do normal stuff but don't exert yourself right?". She said no, do whatever you want. This was so quick there really wasn't anything to record on a DVD.

With lasik I believe they peel the layer off the eye. My husband could see but was sensitive to light and was in a little discomfort.

Here's the latest one. I ordered this without knowing it was only 500 pcs so it only took half the time. It was easy but fun because the picture is so cute.

very nice

Started this one next and it's going to be tough.  I already gave up doing the frame first because it's almost all solid black pieces.  I'm starting from the lighter colored parts of the leopard's face and hoping to work my way outward.

Eilene1015 wrote:

When are you going to have cataract surgery.

I'm scheduled for the right eye on 7/13 and the left eye on 7/26. I'm really anxious to get it over with; my vision has gotten really, really bad.

Will keep you in my prayers..

That black is going to be difficult!

It is. I've got most of the leopard done. As expected I had to start with the interior and work outward.
I love the picture tho; such an expressive face.

Eilene1015 wrote:

Will keep you in my prayers..

Thanks Eilene.  The surgery itself doesn't worry me too much but I have all kinds of angst about the aftermath.  There's all kinds of stuff you can't do and stuff you have to be careful about.  And you have to use prescription eyedrops 3 times a day for 4 weeks.  I think the worst part is going to be not being able to wash my hair for a week.  Before covid when I had a crewcut that would have been no big deal but since I haven't had a haircut in about 2 1/2 years and have a ponytail that between my shoulder blades, not being able to wash it is going to suck.  I bought some no rinse shampoo that you just rub in and towel off but that's obviously not going to be the same as good old water and shampoo.

the dry shampoo works pretty well but i know where you are coming from..Greasy hair is gross

Had the right eye done this morning. So far it's not really a big deal. I wasn't even very groggy with the sedation they used. I didn't feel anything but I wasn't out of it either. Now I'm sitting here with a clear plastic shield taped over my eye.

hoping for quick healing and no pain.

Went for the followup today.  Everything is normal.  My vision went from 20/100 to 20/30,  The biggest thing I notice is how BRIGHT everything is now.  The doc said the lens gets sort of yellowish as we age but it happens so slowly we don't notice.  Then when you replace that with a new synthetic, clear one you can see true colors again.  I compare it to how different things look depending on the lighting. With my left eye, everything looks like it's illuminated with a GE "soft-white" bulb.  But with my new right eye everything looks like it's under the fluorescent lighting of a lab. No pain at all so far; not even all that irritated feeling either. When I wore contacts I got sand under one one time and scratched the cornea. That pain was way worse than this.

Great to hear you are doing so well.

I even managed to fit in 7 or 8 more pieces of that leopard puzzle above. All I have left are solid black pieces but fortunately the shape of every piece is unique so you all you have to go by is that. My vision in the operative eye is so good now I'm actually looking forward to getting the other eye done in a couple weeks. I'll actually be able to get by without glasses unless I'm driving or working on the computer. This morning when I woke up and took the plastic eye shield off my eye I was actually able to read the bedside clock from the "new eye" for the first time in about 40 years.

Finished it today.

thats great news with the eyes. So worth the operation when you feel or can see better.

Had the other eye done today.  This one is causing me a little more discomfort than the first one did.  Not unbearable, more annoying than anything else. The whole surgery didn't seem to go as smoothly as the first one did. I was more "aware" this time which I was warned might be the case because the anesthesia doesn't have as much effect the second time. It wasn't painful just uncomfortable.

hoping you are on the mend now..

Doing well but it's weird going without glasses. I drove to the followup eye exam with no glasses; first time I've been able to drive without glasses in about 50 years. It's weird to not have to grab them as soon as I jump out of bed or before I get into bed too.

I wear glasses since i was in my 30s.. I cant imagine not wearing them and its not as long as you..Glad you are doing so well

I'll still need glasses eventually once my eyes have totally healed (probably around September) but they won't be a necessity like that have been for all my adult life. I'll just need them for distance - like when I'm driving in an unfamiliar area and will need to be able to read signs fast. But it's so cool to roll over in bed and actually be able to read the clock. WITHOUT having to pick it up and hold it up to my face.