I postponed cataract surgery until I could pay for the operation and have both eyes done close together and by just one surgeon. I became shortsighted by the age of 12, with about 1 dioptre correction and 0.5 dioptre astigmatism in both eyes. I had been used to seeing things near clearly and wondered how I would adapt to long sight. However, I opted for spherical acrylic IOLs and asked the surgeon to adjust for distance.
Once the right eye was done I noticed a distinct improvement in colour and clarity. Yellow objects looked somewhat pink. Initially there was a great deal of rainbow halo and starburst, but the halo was gone within a few hours and the starburst reduced gradually. I had the left eye done within 2 weeks of the right and colours were balanced again and close vision was a little clearer. Again halo went away quickly and the starburst reduced somewhat over time.
On my third aftercare visit the surgeon told me I have vision in the top 1% of the population and I am able to read the Snellen chart from top to bottom without correction. Contrast sensitivity is excellent as well and I have 20/10 or better vision. If I wear the weakest contact lens available in my left eye I obtain the best vision possible and it is as good as ten or more years ago with contact lenses. I have been able to see the HD in HDTV since the IOL insertion.
The operations went without issue and both lens capsules were left intact. The cataract removal was pain-free and I do not remember much of the procedure. For five days after the operation my left iris remained fully open and I began to wonder if it had been damaged until it started working again. At no stage during recovery did I experience any pain or real discomfort.
Residual cataract on the lens capsules is minimal and I do not see halos in either eye, with no starburst in the right eye and some starburst when looking at lights in the left eye. If glare and starburst are different, then I do not experience glare. If it might be of interest, I have pale blue eyes and it seems that some of the astigmatism was caused by my lenses - the cylinder angles have changed and the cylinder additions have become smaller, almost vanishing in the right eye.
When driving I can see into the shadows again and although I do not need sunglasses I tend to wear them in sunshine. Night driving is so easy now and the starburst in my left eye is not great enough to cause any problems. It is great to be able to see so much detail in the distance. With the left eye I can read newsprint in bright light and I wear spectacles only occasionally.
I found edge flickering quite noticeable in both eyes, but after a year I am unaware of flickering - it has reduced to a level where I usually ignore it. When I am tired and have been staring at the LED monitor for too long I may become more aware of flickering. It is when I look at something close to my eyes that I become aware of the edge of the lens and there is often some flickering.
Before the cataract removal my right eye often seemed dry. After some months this feeling reduced and I can use the computer or read for hours now without dry-eye problems. That may be nothing to do with having had a cataract, of course. It seems that my brain now recognizes that I cannot focus on objects and no longer makes much of an effort.
I am pleased I chose to have the operation done privately. A friend used the NHS route and had different surgeons for each eye and has been left with one watery eye with an IOL that was stitched into place. He has to wear spectacles for everything and his vision is not anything like as good as he had before cataracts developed a few years ago. He sees halos and starburst / glare around lights and is conscious of the edge of the IOLs after a couple of years. Talking to my friend was what convinced me to choose what seemed to be the best surgeon.
The only sympton I notice is the IOL in the right eye is sometimes a little uncomfortable when I look at something I am holding. The discomfort is sudden and vanishes quickly whether I continue looking near or relax to a distance. I can find no obvious link to anything I do - after hours of reading today my right eye is very comfortable.
I hope this is not too detailed, but I felt it might be helpful to write about my operation that went very well. I am 59. I did not explore more advanced lenses and the result has confirmed that was the right decision - it might not have been.