Glasses after eye operation

[groberts]

I have just had operations on both my eyes for cataracts with a mini-monovision inplants (right eye = long vision + left eye = near / intermediate) which should then produce blended vision i.e. once the brain works out and re-calibrates for the new set-up. It's early days but seems to be going well so far, after wearing specs for +60 years it takes some getting used to but is truly life changing.

Going forwards I will now need sun + clear glasses for cyling with UV400 protection and wondered if anybody who has been through this operation can recommend suitable glasses?

Graham

[ANTONISH]

I have just had operations on both my eyes for cataracts with a mini-monovision inplants (right eye = long vision + left eye = near / intermediate) which should then produce blended vision i.e. once the brain works out and re-calibrates for the new set-up. It's early days but seems to be going well so far, after wearing specs for +60 years it takes some getting used to but is truly life changing.

Going forwards I will now need sun + clear glasses for cyling with UV400 protection and wondered if anybody who has been through this operation can recommend suitable glasses?

Graham

That interests me. I'm due to have a cataract operation on my right eye which should improve the vision TBH it isn't too bad and I've been quite happy with normal vision correction glasses.
This gives me the problem of my glasses having to be modified - perhaps plain glass for right eye.
During pre-op tests the surgeon found a problem with my left eye that may indicate damage due to diabetes - never diagnosed despite the fact that I've had a number of bloodtests over the years.
Removal of cataracts for that eye deferred until results from another blood test are available.
This has all arisen after going to "specsavers" for new glasses. They assured me that my vision with glasses was fine for driving.
As for cycling glasses I've never used vision correction glasses for cycling as I've always found my vision good enough for that.
I do however always wear glasses of some kind when cycling - I often use site safety glasses - bolle are good and they are available in a range of UV protection. I once had a bit of road grit embed itself into the lense of my glasses - I could see it approaching and that could have led to eye damage.

[groberts]

Thanks Antonish,

I had my right eye done nearly three weeks ago and my left eye last Wednesday, so it will probably be at least a few more weeks before I really know and understand what my eventual sight will be like. However, already my long distance sight is now excellent (though bright) in my right eye and getting there with my left. The real unknown is how well the so-called mini-monvision will work. +3 days since my recent (left eye) operation I have reasonable reading sight with the eye and was able to read the paper (same old stuff!) this morning, though the mix of left eye and right eye is still not fully functioning fully. However, the signs are very promising and I'm expecting that I will only need standard (non optical) glasses for cycling.

Good luck with your operation, would be interested to hear how things turn out.

Graham

[rjb]

Mrs rjb has recently had her cataracts done in both eyes. She's had a check up post op by the optician who recommended glasses for reading, driving, and sun glasses. Cost quoted was about £400.
She went to see the Asda optician with her prescription and had 3 pairs made up for £45. Ie £15 each.

[groberts]

Thanks rjb, it would be interesting to know if she had monovision lenses in both eyes or a mix like me?

Graham

[rjb]

Mrs rjb has monovision lenses put in both eyes.

[ANTONISH]

Mrs rjb has recently had her cataracts done in both eyes. She's had a check up post op by the optician who recommended glasses for reading, driving, and sun glasses. Cost quoted was about £400.
She went to see the Asda optician with her prescription and had 3 pairs made up for £45. Ie £15 each.

Costs for glasses seem to vary enormously.
Around 2012 I had a pair of distance glasses from an independant optician which cost me about £200.
My last trip to "specsavers" cost me in the region of £300 for 3 pairs (distance,reading and distance sunglasses) - there was a special offer involved.

[st599_uk]

The cost depends on the refractive index of the lens and the coatings added.

Can easily be £450 for mine with thin lenses, UV coatings, photocromatic and scratch resistance.

[Grandad]

When both my cataracts were done last year I had the choice of distance or close up lenses - no mention of the possibility of one of each so still have glasses.

Having had glasses since the age of 10 I wonder how I would have felt without them 80 years later.

[groberts]

Thanks all.

Because I had the mini-monovision mix I'm told that I will probably not require prescription glasses at all, except perhaps low diopter reading glasses. My right eye is now +3 weeks post op and my left + 1 week and the mix seems to be working well. I mostly get by without any glasses except occasionally some cheap diopter +2.5 reading glasses from Amazon, solely for the right eye, so I've popped the lens out of the frame which works well.

I'm told 'full' recovery takes 4 to 6 weeks so things may still get a little better.

I'm therefore expecting / hoping that for cycling I may be able to get by without prescriptions at all but ref. my original post, I'm really looking for advice for decent cycling clear and sunglasses with UV400 protection; it's UV that significantly harms the eye and especially contributes to the formation of cataracts.

[pjclinch]

I'm really looking for advice for decent cycling clear and sunglasses with UV400 protection; it's UV that significantly harms the eye and especially contributes to the formation of cataracts.

I wear Bolle safety glasses as "cycling eyewear", including a clear pair for if it's very cold or there's clouds of wee summer flies. Bolle Safety have a page about UV400 at https://www.bolle-safety.com/us/insight ... ction.html but there's annoyingly not a marketing bullet point by individual models to say "UV400" or reassurance that they all do this.

I'd drop them a line and ask specific questions, because if a pair you like does UV400 (and I think they quite probably might) they're cheap, good quality and comfortable.

Pete.

[fastpedaller]

The cost depends on the refractive index of the lens and the coatings added.

Can easily be £450 for mine with thin lenses, UV coatings, photocromatic and scratch resistance.

I've posted on here for a couple of years about the (rip off) cost of glasses from most suppliers. I've had glasses (for over 6 years) from Asda Opticians, and can't fault them. Other suppliers (some wouldn't even quote!) gave prices of over £600 fro my glasses. The first pair I got from Asda were £39 (pre-covid) and were IMHO the best glasses I'd ever had, varifocal, high index, coatings etc. I went to a local Specsavers for an eye test a couple of years ago, and no change in prescriptiomn. The optometrist asked where I'd got the glasses, said 'they are the best available'. To be fair to her she said "we can't compete with their price, so that's the best place for you to go". I suspect they can compete on price (but choose not to). It's been a big rip-off for years (I remember paying over £70 fourty years ago in a high-street optician, and one of the lenses kept falling out, and then they bodged them, but I was young and foolish - I wouldn't accept that service now I'm an old and cantankerous
If Asda ever stop their deal I don't know what I'll do.

[groberts]

Thanks Pete & fastpedaller, that looks like good advice. I still have a few weeks before I can (a) cycle again - 4 to 6 weeks advised post-op and (b) also a similar time is required for the eyes to settle down + brain calibrates the new optical set-up so that the outcome can be properly assessed. Therefore just trying to line my ducks up in advance.

Graham

[fastpedaller]

Thanks Pete & fastpedaller, that looks like good advice. I still have a few weeks before I can (a) cycle again - 4 to 6 weeks advised post-op and (b) also a similar time is required for the eyes to settle down + brain calibrates the new optical set-up so that the outcome can be properly assessed. Therefore just trying to line my ducks up in advance.

Graham

Best of luck - From what you've said, your glasses are likely to be minimal complication. The surgery and procedures they can do on eyes is astonishing, and very reassuring. I had detached retinas 34 years ago, and was fortunate they pieced my eyes together. The surgeon said "years ago your only option for sight would be to lay on your back and pray ). It really shows how good the NHS can be. I had 4 months without glasses for the eyes to settle, so I can empathise with your situation. My first ride after all that wait was indeed very joyful.

[axel_knutt]

Has anyone had an eye test done by machine instead of the optician?

I had one for the first time last month, and it's left me thinking that this is the first pair of glasses I've ever had with a correct prescription. For twenty years or more I've been telling them that my specs don't seem quite right, and they've just fobbed me off, and made me feel that it's my expectations that are unreasonable. Well, clearly not.

I have just had operations on both my eyes for cataracts with a mini-monovision inplants (right eye = long vision + left eye = near / intermediate) which should then produce blended vision i.e. once the brain works out and re-calibrates for the new set-up.

So what do you do for stereo vision if you can't focus both eyes at the same time?

The first pair I got from Asda were £39 (pre-covid) and were IMHO the best glasses I'd ever had, varifocal, high index, coatings etc.

I recently looked at several website with prices like that all over their home pages, but by the time I'd put the details of my glasses in, the price came to within a few percent of what I paid at Specsavers on the High St.