Shooting after cataracts surgery

falconew

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2013
Messages
99
Location
Salisbury, North Carolina
I am set for June 9 for the start of surgeries on my eyes for cataract. I am just getting into long range shooting. I have a few different options on lenses for my eyes. But **** the price tag. I was thinking just a regular lens for distance. Anyone have cataracts and does it effect your shooting? And what type of lens did you have.
 
Normal distance lenses work for me. Scopes and field glasses work without glasses now. I even shot some pretty remarkable targets with some peep sighted rifles. I've not been able to do that for decades.
Do get astigmatism correction if you need it. And you will need readers for arms length and closer.
Hope yours work out as well as mine did. 20/20 in right and 20/30 in left.
 
Cataract surgeon here. As Cemetery above stated, astigmatism is usually the only thing that will mess with your vision in a scope. That is where the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. It is correctable with glasses, but if you shoot without glasses the reticle will tend to be out of focus. Depending on your eye prescription you may or may not have a significant amount of astigmatism, but about 1/3 of the population has enough to need glasses.

In my practice I do many advanced technology lenses and tend to attract the hunter/shooter crowd just by word of mouth. I would shy away from lenses that are multifocal (Restor, Symfony, Panoptix, Tecnis multifocal, etc). For the hunter or "distance" demanding person they will give you less low contrast vision at far distance. This means less acuity in low light (dusk, dawn). For my hunters that want more spectacle independence I offer a distance option that corrects astigmatism (even the small amounts) and we aim to give the best distance vision without glasses and patients wear over the counter readers after. I would also recommend EDOF lenses (enhanced depth of focus). These give Great distance but also give some intermediate and near (just not as much near as a multifocal). This will keep the best distance vision needed for the prime hunting times but allow to see your phone and computer without glasses. For small print and reading for long periods a small pair of cheaters are usually needed. The lens I usually recommend in this category is the VIvity lens.

Feel free to PM me or reply here with any questions.
 
Cataract surgeon here. As Cemetery above stated, astigmatism is usually the only thing that will mess with your vision in a scope. That is where the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. It is correctable with glasses, but if you shoot without glasses the reticle will tend to be out of focus. Depending on your eye prescription you may or may not have a significant amount of astigmatism, but about 1/3 of the population has enough to need glasses.

In my practice I do many advanced technology lenses and tend to attract the hunter/shooter crowd just by word of mouth. I would shy away from lenses that are multifocal (Restor, Symfony, Panoptix, Tecnis multifocal, etc). For the hunter or "distance" demanding person they will give you less low contrast vision at far distance. This means less acuity in low light (dusk, dawn). For my hunters that want more spectacle independence I offer a distance option that corrects astigmatism (even the small amounts) and we aim to give the best distance vision without glasses and patients wear over the counter readers after. I would also recommend EDOF lenses (enhanced depth of focus). These give Great distance but also give some intermediate and near (just not as much near as a multifocal). This will keep the best distance vision needed for the prime hunting times but allow to see your phone and computer without glasses. For small print and reading for long periods a small pair of cheaters are usually needed. The lens I usually recommend in this category is the VIvity lens.

Feel free to PM me or reply here with any questions.
Thank you for the information, I too will be needing cataract surgery at some point and this info is invaluable!
 
I had cataract surgery on both eyes in February of 2020. I chose the best distance lenses I could afford, about $7k after my insurance. I would recommend it to anyone who needs it. I no longer need corrective lenses for anything other than reading.

I also had severe astigmatism prior to surgery, but it was greatly reduced it. Enough that I can now use more red dot sites, no longer stuck with etched reticle optics, which was a blessing beyond the improvement in vision.

One suggestion, buy these and use liberally, gel at bedtime and the Oasis drops during the day. Also, buy the best wrap around polarized sunglasses you can afford and wear them religiously when outside, regardless of conditions.

You will appreciate the new eyes afterwards, I know I love my new eyes and I can see as good or better than a number of people with perfect vision. Mine corrected was 20/20 after surgery, last visit was 20/15 and my ophthalmologist was surprised they had improved since the initial healing stage.


75769DFC-EC97-4972-A77F-F88E9DA18512.jpeg
EBD50AF1-4ECA-4911-9C00-CC4AA1728EA3.jpeg
 
If you are a veteran, check with VA. They paid 100% of mine, including the extra cost astigmatism correction. The Dr. told me Medicare wouldn't cover the astigmatism cost and there would have been a copay.
 
+1 on distance lens. Had both eyes done on April/May 2012 just before I retired under company insurance. Cannot believe difference and 10 years later still great distance acuity. Foster Grant readers and all good. Just buy a few extra readers cause I just can't seem to stop putting them down...somewhere? Then wife asks " where did you leave them?", then I say "then they wouldn't be somewhere cause I would know where they are". 😂😂😂😂

I believe my shooting improved 10X after surgery. Good luck! You are gonna get shocked at results!
 
Had one done 20 years ago, which was great, used a contact for the other eye, will have the other eye done this year. Readers work well! No pain post-op, just slight irritation. For a few days. You may feel the wind more, but shooters have good glasses already. Your color vision will change. The yellow tint of an aged lens will disappear and things will seem more blue.
 
Top