Vision changes - varifocals and cataracts

[JessicaBrassica]

Hi,
Anyone got any experience of cataracts?
I have been short sighted with astigmatism since I was a child. Annual check ups for contact lenses and full check up every 2 yes. I've needed new glasses about every 6 yes or so.

During covid I realised I took my glasses off to read so last yr had my eyes checked and got varificals. I was also diagnosed with cataractisation ( but optician forgot to tell me).

After 12 months I'm prefering to read without my glasses and using a laptop is really hard work. New test, and I need new glasses again.

Now:
will my glasses need changing more often because the lenses do multiple things and I need new ones if I become slightly longer sighted OR more short sighted OR my eye balls change shape.
OR
Do glasses need changing more often as cataracts develop?

Quite frankly I'm not thrilled with forking out £250 every year.

(Yes I have googled but I can't simplify the question enough to get helpful answers!)

Yes your vision may change. However, cataracts is the lens in your eye clouding over, and no prescription will stop/help that. It will develop and get worse until its at the operable stage. That is usually when it is impacting your daily life too much. With some people it's very slow and takes years, others it can be quicker.

After a cataract operation your vision will change as they usually put a replacement lens with prescription in.

Thank you. That's pretty much what google said. So it's likely to be just my eye sight changing and making things blurry and I'm just destined to spend a large proportion of my disposable income on glasses.

Cataracts are just something else

I could have written this. I have astigmatism (and have worn glasses all my life) and have had varifocals for about 10 years. I have new glasses every two years, although my prescription has hardly changed recently, but this summer I was also told I have early cataracts in both eyes.

What stage do they have to be to have them operated on? I am thinking I might save up and go private so I can have corrective lenses out in. Good idea or not?

Just be aware even with new glasses you may not notice much change to your vision. Its all about your visual acuity, and a stronger prescription may not achieve the vision you expect. It will begin to feel like you need to clean your glasses, even though they are clean. Your optician may advise you that there's no point in spending money on new glasses if they don't feel they will make much difference to you.

Yes you could go private, it's generally quicker than waiting for a referral. I'm not exactly sure how early they would operate if going private, through NHS it has to be when it stops you from doing n g day to day things I.e driving etc

At the moment I'm struggling to read my laptop. I have an essay to write so reading is really quite important. Can't imagine I could go from learning I have cataracts to surgery in a matter of weeks though. Think it's the power of persuasion going on here -i can't be that blind but maybe I do actually need the glasses I've been prescribed and was trying to avoid paying for!

If your distance vision is OK and you can manage day to day, maybe get a cheaper single vision pair for laptop use?

Sadly I can't see my own feet without my glasses! Maybe I go with contact lenses for distance with stronger reading glasses. That might solve my issue much more cheaply. Thank you!

65 year old here. Extreme short sightedness all my life and astigmatism. Approximately 2 years ago I was told I was developing a cataract in left eye. This progressed very quickly to point of needing treatment. Did have one also in right eye but not So bad. In order to keep my sight balanced, both eyes had to be treated (6 weeks apart). Had my astigmatism been slightly worse, it too would have been treated. Now I only wear glasses for reading.

HI @Thistlelass I hope you don't mind me contacting you. I am in the same position you were in. Cataract in one eye now bad enough to be operated on and I'm waiting for an assessment appt. My prescription is -10, also with astigmatism. My question to you is what sort of lens did you have put in? I'm worried that having a long-sighted lens will mean e.g. I can't drive as can't see the dials. Currently I use reading glasses for up close. I'm wondering whether to go private and have one that does both. Thank you.

Is there any sign that your other eye is going to need doing at any point, soon? I would talk to whoever is likely to be carrying out the surgery about the likelihood of imbalance if only one eye is corrected. I only have astigmatism and only needed one eye doing and ended up with a neutral lens for that reason. I know someone who is currently between eyes (having them done 2 months apart) and really struggling with the difference.

For once, reddit is a good place for perspectives. There is a cataract subreddit and as most users are in the US, most have theirs done privately and get a choice. The adaptive intra ocular lenses aren't without their drawbacks.

Thankyou, @PickAChew. I know I have a cataract in the other eye but the woman I spoke to at the referral centre said they only have me down for one eye at the moment. She didn't have any knowledge - was just in charge of appointments - and said to ask at my assessment, coming up. Thanks for the info about reddit Not something I've used much as seems to be full of people with very extreme views, but I'll have a look. It's the 'between eyes' bit that is worrying me.

I had both cataracts removed within 8 weeks last year. I was -10 so very short sighted during the interim, I wore my usual glasses with the lens popped out on the " new" eye. It worked perfectly and nobody even noticed!

Thank you @uncomfortablydumb53 . That's good to hear. So you didn't need correction on that eye? Do you wear reading glasses now? Which lens did you choose? I've today had a letter saying they are going to do a telephone consultation with me next week, so I can ask some questions then. They say I will need to not wear contacts for two weeks prior to the operation, which is going to be a challenge as I don't drive in my glasses. But I'll cross that bridge...

I have had both done but in the 8 week gap between them when I had one corrected eye but still short sighted in the other I popped the glasses lens out over the corrected eye
I could see perfectly after the op within hours, it was miraculous!
I now wear only reading glasses which is a bit of a faff but well worth it
I could choose whether near or far sighted implanted lens and I chose far and honestly it has been life changing
I think possibly there are other choices of lens privately but mine was nhs
I went from -10 to near on perfect vision

Probably the leaving contacts out for 2 weeks is to let to eyes return to normal shape.
I've no doubt it will be difficult but so worth the inconvenience!

I just found out I have a cataract in my right eye, the optician had referred me to the hospital as though it is small it has significantly affected my vision. They advised me to get distance glasses for driving, the cheapest I can and not change the others because of the expense. As they said I will either have the operation or my sight will get worse so not worth spending the money

Had an eye test yesterday, was a yearly recall due to start of a cataract. No change in prescription though and optician advised could stay like that for years and put back on 2 yearly retest and obviously any problems to contact them.