KB, my cataract experience was very different from most people’s. Firstly, I had not noticed any change in my vision and only required the surgery on one eye. At my yearly exam, the doctor said that I was developing a cataract. The following year she told me it was ready to be removed. I had it done a couple of weeks later and had a soft lens implanted. For the next couple of days my vision was very “crisp” and I didn’t need to use my “over the counter” reading glasses, but within a week or so, I needed them again. I was told that was very normal although my friend had both eyes done a few weeks apart and no longer needs her bifocals at all. She wears a very weak OTC reader. About a year ago, I was told that I am developing a “secondary” cataract on the operative eye and am developing a cataract on the unoperated eye. I am told that the secondary cataract is treated by a zap from a laser right in the office. A couple of weeks ago I was told that I can have the unoperated eye done whenever I feel it is the right time. I suppose that one of these days I shall do it – in the spring, after my trip to Israel (insurance reasons). I am beginning to notice that small print is little more difficult to read these days and I use the strongest OTC lenses that I can find – 3.50. I don’t feel like paying for prescription glasses before I discuss the option of having a “reading” lens implanted at the time of the surgery. This is a fairly new development (within the past 8 -10 years) and only became available in Canada a short time after my original cataract surgery. I had no post-op problems with the first surgery. I hope that I have given you enough information for your project. I forgot to mention that the doctor told me the reason that I developed only one cataract (and at a relatively young age – 60) was because I had been on a high dose of prednisone for quite some time, followed by a low dose for about a year to treat an autoimmune disease. This was about 4 year before developing the cataract. Apparently, prednison can cause an earlier onset of cataracts.
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