Risk is the same regardless of lens type, but the risk increases with surgery plus Lasik. I don’t know by how much. Last I heard, which was several years ago, was that Lasik does not have as high a success rate as surgical lens replacement. I may be wrong, but it was my understanding that correcting something that goes wrong with Lasik is more likely to be more difficult to do. But perhaps I’m out of date on this. I suggest thinking about the lens replacement and Lasik as two unrelated procedures at least as far as risks go.
Myopia is just near-sightedness, correct? Any replacement lenses should fix that. I don’t even think it’s possible to put in a lens without some magnifying power – by definition, that’s what a lens is. With my surgery there was never even a suggestion that I get a replacement lens that would leave me as nearsighted as before the surgery. I took that as a given.
One of my new lenses is a toric lens. The other is a “basic” one. There really isn’t and should be no difference.
I did ask my doc about multi-focal lenses. She said she wouldn’t recommend it, some people have difficulty adopting to them and they may have more of the “halo” kind of distortions. But then I have been wearing glasses for 43 years, so I really don’t mind having to wear glasses to read.
And actually I can read without glasses, if lighting is reasonably good and I hold the book far away (basically almost arm’s length away) from my eyes.
My doctor told me that the risk level for Lasik was much lower than for lens replacement. For example, he said, Lasik is generally done on both eyes at the same time (if both need it), whereas lens replacement is always done one eye at a time. And yes, it would be a separate procedure after the lens replacement is healed up, at least that’s what I recall him saying.
Yes, myopia is nearsightedness. The cheapest replacment lenses, he says, provide no vision correction at all, they just don’t have cataracts in them.
The options I was given all included correcting nearsightedness. The “basic” lens was “free” (that is, insurance covered it). Toric (astigmatism correction added) was $900+ per eye. Multi-focal was $2K. But all corrected nearsightedness.
You should talk to another doctor, or ask some more questions. Seriously, I have never, ever heard of someone getting cataract surgery without any correction for near or far sightedness. Think of it this way – the lens they put in has to have some kind of focal length put in – even if it to match what your past vision is. And it doesn’t cost any more to put in a different lens with a slightly different focal length – one to correct for the myopia.
My vision before the surgery (and before the cataracts) was about 20/300. My vision after the surgery is 20/40, and there was no special extra cost lens to do it.
I am 55 and had cataract surgery in both eyes in May. They were diagnosed last October and progressed from being correctableto 20/30 to barely being able to see. the lenses I got correct for astigmatism and were not completely covered by insurance between my 3000+ deductable and what the insurance did not cover the surgery cost me about $7000. On the other hand I see really well now, 20/15. I do need reading glasses because they can only correct so much at this time. They have lenses that correct for near, middle and far vision but don’t correct astigmatism.
My Dad had cataract surgery and at 79 y/o he does not need glasses at all so it depends on your specific eye issues.
I was awake for the operation and while there was a small amount of pain on the first surgery it was not bad at all. The second surgery I was more annoyed about the copious amount of saline the doctor used because I had just washed my hair and now it was soaked with salt water. I felt a little fragile afterwards and had a headache I could see clearly almost immediately. I could have returned to work the following day after my doctors appointment but i had already taken the time off.
I have to go back to have some scar tissue removed by laser which they told me is quite common and takes about 5 minutes per eye and is done at the doctors office.
You are already having lense replacement surgery (yes, one at a time). Cataracts are a “cloud” on your lense, they can seriously affect your vision or at least mine did in addition to any other eye problems like near or farsightedness. Lasik is slits made in the corneas so that the shape of your eyes will reshape to less nearsighted shape So I don’t see the point of having a 3rd set of surgery on the corneas of your eyes when the correction can be done with the replacement lenses. Except maybe it is slightly cheaper to have plain repalcement lenses and then the Lasik. Seems like a lot of surgery and in my opinon less is better.
I was incorrect in stating that the basic lens has no vision correction. They are properly called “monovision” and would correct only myopia.
Adhemar, according to what I’ve found elsewhere and what my doctor said, there is no lens that will correct all of the problems with my left eye: cateract, myopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism. The doctor said they would wait three months after the last cateract surgery to do any Lasik, since they need to be sure the eye(s) are stabilized. He says that Lasik would be to correct the astigmatism, not the nearsightedness.
There is no question that the cateract-infested lenses need to be replaced. My decision is on what kind of artificial lens to authorize. I saw my general family practice doctor today for the pre-op clearance. She told me that of all her patients who’ve had the multi-focal lens implant, there were zero complaints except for the cost. She also told me that the eye group I’m dealing with is excellent in her opinion.
Another question: I know that no insurance covers the cost of the lenses beyond the basic monovision type. Does anyone know whether this is tax deductible as a medical expense? How about the Lasik?
I am still vacillating. One part of me says heck, I’ve been wearing glasses for almost 60 years now, save the money for travel. Another part of me answers back saying I have a chance to get perfect bionic vision, why not go for the best? I wish those two parts would stop arguing already.
I was (am) really nearsighted with astigmatism and presbiopia too. I relied on my eye surgeons expertise to tell me the best lenses for my needs. the corrective lenses I got make me far sighted which after 45 years of nearsightedness has taken a bit to get used to it. I am still amazed at the quality of my vison and often just read stuff on walls because I can. I live alone and have no family in thsi area so I choose to wear reading glasses rather than have another surgery that will entail more time off for me and a friend. (and another $3000 deductible)
Parts of my out of pocket costs they told me was tax deductable and to keep the receipt, I am not sure of what all is, I guess I will find out in a few months.
The surgeries went amazingly easy for me, I hope that whichever route you persue it is the same. i was scared crazy before the first one because my eyes are my independence. the doctor told me that while complications from the surgeries were possible they are able to correct most of them. My surgeon developed some of the techniiques used by eye surgeons and also has professional atheltes who come to him from all over the country, so he does a lot of eye surgery. the other doctor told me that in the last 5 years they have had complications in only a handful and all were correctible. Once the first eye was done the other was a piece of cake (except for the salt water in my clean hair, they don’t want you to wash your hair or shower for 24 hours so I had crusty hair for a day)
If I can answer any more questions about my experience, ask away.
As far as tax deductions – I can’t say, but I don’t think it’s cut and dried that additional Lasik surgery is deductible. I’m reasonably sure that it would be considered elective surgery, and not medically necessary. It might be considered as a category of cosmetic surgery, and I don’t know if that’s deductible either.
Perhaps your doc or someone in your doc’s business office will have the experience to offer a more concrete answer.
Thanks! Adhemar, I’ll make sure to wash my hair really well the night before and hope I don’t get salt in it!
I, too, am anxious about having sharp things stuck in my eye. It helps to hear good stories from everyone that the procedure itself is not a horrid experience. I’ll definitely accept whatever sedatives are available.
all of the action is off to the side and you look at a white light in front of you. I could sort of see the doctors hands but had no inclination to look at him or his hands. the first surgery hurt a little bit as it happened but not much and I am a wuss. The second one I didn’t feel any pain but they had put a plastic drape over part of my face and it shifted so it was covering my mouth and nose so i had to tell him I couldn’t breathe so I was able to talk and was able to move immediately after he finished. My dad slept through all of his he says. the drops to dialate your eyes are worse than the surgery.
I took Tylenol afterwards for what felt like a sinus headache, ate breakfast and then went to sleep for several hours. the first one, I felt well enough after several hours I got up and drove myself to get something to eat. The second one, My parents came into town and wouldn’t let me drive. I did feel quite tired most of the first day and slept a lot but really good the second day.
And I am still amazed at how well I see. I do have some trouble with dryness from time to time especially first thing in the morning but probably did so before and jsut never noticed because the first thing I did was pop in soft contacts with saline in them.
I live near a major airport and have to stop and look at the planes going over because they are now so crisp and clear.
I don’t know about Lasik, but I would suspect the extra implanted-lens fee would be deductible: glasses are considered a deductible expense and I routinely run the cost of mine through my flex spending account.
My brother used flex spending to pay for Lasik, as well.
Of course,you may not have enough medical expenses to be deductible unless there are a lot of issues that year (we’ve only once ever deducted anything).
You’re probably right on these costs being deductible. We do itemize medical, as we have other substantial medical expenses. I’ll spare everyone the boring details.
Well, I’ve spoken to my doctor again today, and decided to have the multi-optic lens in my right eye, see how that goes, and then decide on the left eye. This will be done next Tuesday.
I love not wearing glasses. I am still getting used to seeing blurry when it’s up close (since I was VERY myopic before, without glasses up close I could see extremely well). But since you will have the multi-focal, you shouldn’t have this problem.
I do find myself reaching for my glasses a few times a day though. Like a phantom limb
As it turns out, my surgery scheduled for October 30 didn’t happen because of the storm(s). I’m now scheduled to have it tomorrow. I have to be at the surgical center at 6:30 AM. Unfortunate because my husband and I will have to get out of bed earlier that we’ve done in quite a while, but fortunate that I won’t have to do without coffee until about the time I usually get up.
Anyone else (Terr? liana_f?) have any updates on how you’re doing?
