cycling after cataract op advice

[wearwell]

cycling after cataract op:
10 days in. Right eye. A miracle! Eyesight better than ever was in the last 50 years.
Specs: kept bifocal lens for the untouched eye and removed lens for the right eye which now has very good long distance vision unaided. So no probs with eyesight and they have settled in nicely.
But the advice about exercise is ambiguous.
Eye feels OK, I feels OK, can I go for a pedal? Getting slightly desperate!

[Jdsk]

Sounds good.

I'd ask the ophthalmologist who took it out...

Jonathan

[richardfm]

Ask a healthcare professional, not a bunch of random strangers.

[prestavalve]

Ask a healthcare professional, not a bunch of random strangers.

You don't need to be an eye doctor to know that the OP should ride to Barnard Castle.

[Jdsk]

Ask a healthcare professional, not a bunch of random strangers.

You don't need to be an eye doctor to know that the OP should ride to Barnard Castle.

Very good. : - )

Via Catterick? (Debatably... )

Jonathan

[wearwell]

Barnard Castle too far, I might try Ashbourne.
Yes of course I will ask the doc but I was wondering what advice others might have received as it is common amongst the over 70s and there's a few on here I expect.

[531colin]

You might want to use safety specs. to keep the wind and debris out of your eye, at least to start with. Screwfix and tool shops sell safety specs. to fit over prescription glasses.
I had to do this when I went from glasses to contact lenses, but after a while my eyes got used to it all, and now I don't bother. Its great not to have the faff of glasses, mine were always dirty, or wet, or steamed up. Still need readers in the cafe though.

[simonineaston]

cycling after cataract op: 10 days in. Right eye. A miracle! Eyesight better than ever was in the last 50 years.

That's so cool! Whoo-Hoo! Look after it!

[Audax67]

cycling after cataract op:
10 days in. Right eye. A miracle! Eyesight better than ever was in the last 50 years.
Specs: kept bifocal lens for the untouched eye and removed lens for the right eye which now has very good long distance vision unaided. So no probs with eyesight and they have settled in nicely.
But the advice about exercise is ambiguous.
Eye feels OK, I feels OK, can I go for a pedal? Getting slightly desperate!

When my right eye was done I was back on the road in two weeks. First ride was 60k in 12°C. If it's colder than that I'd wait a bit longer.

[531colin]

cycling after cataract op: 10 days in. Right eye. A miracle! Eyesight better than ever was in the last 50 years.

That's so cool! Whoo-Hoo! Look after it!

I'm almost looking forward to having mine done. A cycling pal is now glasses-free after a lifetime of being shackled to bloody glasses.
They fit a lens that you can actually see out of....whats remarkable to me is that the lens is inserted using something no bigger than a regular needle.
They are quite small! https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fbrbu6-RVk8/maxresdefault.jpg

[wearwell]

...
I'm almost looking forward to having mine done. A cycling pal is now glasses-free after a lifetime of being shackled to bloody glasses.......

Very quick -local anaesthetic - completely painless but a bit strange with bright lights a bit psychedelic.
I was amazed at the instant improvement (following day) I had expected longer recovery needed.
Can now manage without glasses except for reading so have kept a varifocal in my specs for the old eye and lens out for the new one, pending new prescription.

[rmurphy195]

Not yet.

I had mine done about 6 weeks ago (yes, and what a difference it does make) and went out on the bike for the first time today.

I was given a sheet that said what I should be able to do and when (you probably have one, the timescales to avoid bending, strenous exercise etc.). I asked specifically about cycling, was it considered strenuous exercise. "On no account for at least 4 weeks" was the emphatic answer.

But light exercise is OK on my list after a couple of weeks, so it was then gentle pedal-turning for 15 mins/day on the trainer.

BTW I replaced my expensive varifocals with a pair of Bolle Contours from Screwfix for going outdoors to keep the cold wind off the offending eye. And today found they really do work well as cycling specs as per the advice on this forum! And have kept them on when cooking etc. in case of splashes. Well worth a tenner.

Consider what you are risking if you flex the rules on this one!

BTW in my case the other eye has early-stage cataracts - nowhere near bad enough to operate - and slight long-sightedness. Taking one lens out left me with the worst of both worlds for reading, so for reading now I use reading glasses from the pound shop pending seeing the optician. If you are in the same position, youve by now noticed that with your "new" eye your white ceilings look white, but with your old one they look slighty yellowish! I've now adjusted my TV and computer screens, I had over time adjusted them to compensate, but now they are too harsh so have adjusted them to a warmer colour temperature.

[wearwell]

Not yet.

I had mine done about 6 weeks ago (yes, and what a difference it does make) and went out on the bike for the first time today.

I was given a sheet that said what I should be able to do and when (you probably have one, the timescales to avoid bending, strenous exercise etc.). I asked specifically about cycling, was it considered strenuous exercise. "On no account for at least 4 weeks" was the emphatic answer.

But light exercise is OK on my list after a couple of weeks, so it was then gentle pedal-turning for 15 mins/day on the trainer.

BTW I replaced my expensive varifocals with a pair of Bolle Contours from Screwfix for going outdoors to keep the cold wind off the offending eye. And today found they really do work well as cycling specs as per the advice on this forum! And have kept them on when cooking etc. in case of splashes. Well worth a tenner.

Consider what you are risking if you flex the rules on this one!

BTW in my case the other eye has early-stage cataracts - nowhere near bad enough to operate - and slight long-sightedness. Taking one lens out left me with the worst of both worlds for reading, so for reading now I use reading glasses from the pound shop pending seeing the optician. If you are in the same position, youve by now noticed that with your "new" eye your white ceilings look white, but with your old one they look slighty yellowish! I've now adjusted my TV and computer screens, I had over time adjusted them to compensate, but now they are too harsh so have adjusted them to a warmer colour temperature.

Thanks for that. I've decided on stiff walking in the meantime, the weather is crap anyway.
Without glasses my left eye is good for reading but nothing else, my new right eye is good for distance but not reading. Which means I can function without glasses but will need a new pair to get the benefit of both together.
Should be OK by early spring so the timing is good.

[philsknees]

Following cataract removals in 2010 (right) and 2016(left), I left it 2 weeks or so, taking it easy at first and wearing cycling glasses for protection. Obviously, if your sort of riding activity routinely rattles your fillings, you'd be sensible to take it steady for a while.

Without wishing to hijack the thread, has anyone experienced laser removal of tissue overgrowth on the lens implant? After 10 years I'm currently putting up with this problem which is developing in my right eye and feel treatment may soon be preferable. Despite some comments upthread I've previously found the reassurances of the "professionals" to the effect that such procedures are completely painless can be sadly wide of the mark! (("Fool me once etc".....)

Also, are any activity restrictions imposed following the laser procedure?

(NB: I'd not discourage anyone from the undoubted benefit of the cataract procedure and found the actual operation to be aa completely pain-free, if strange sensation. However I, and a small but significant minority of others I've spoken to experienced quite severe pain for up to 48 hours when the anaesthetic had worn off - way beyond the scope of the suggested paracetamol remedy.)

[wearwell]

Sorry to hear about the pain.
I felt nothing during the op nor at any point afterwards so far (3 weeks). Apparently that is pretty normal so maybe not worry too soon about the laser treatment. I expect it'll be my turn sooner or later!
Might give it another week and go for some short runs - I was doing C25K before the op, definitely felt the benefit and am missing it.
Next prob is arthritis - getting on/off the bike is not what it was! Amazingly OK once on however.