The Eyes Have It

After 75 years Pat's eyes required improvement. Her cataracts had become worse, last year a doctor had told her she did not need an operation yet. This year, a doctor told her she should have had an operation over two years ago. She had voluntarily stopped night driving because she could not see well enough, despite a different prescription for her contact lenses. She had worn contact lenses from the time they were made from glass and were relatively thick. Thin lenses were a god-send and she used them for many years. Every night she would remove her lenses and put them in a solution for the night. So she was ready to get an improvement in her eyes. After all, all it takes is money. The operations would be scheduled one week apart. The cataract, which causes a cloudiness, would be removed and an interocular lens would be inserted. These lenses would take the place of her contacts. The operation is done at an out-patient part of the hospital. Two follow-up visits are required for each eye. Medicare takes care of the costs of the operation. We are responsible for the cost of the lenses and the doctor's price for their insertion. (Lens and doctor's price was $2,000 for each eye.) After the operation, a clear eye patch is worn to keep anything from happening to the eye and dark glasses are worn to keep bright sun from affecting the sensitive eye. Pat had no problem with the operations and required only Tylenol for a headache. At her last follow-up she was told her eyes are 20/25 and everything was fine. She says that colors are now more vivid and she can see very well. While sitting in the kitchen the other day, she looked down the fairway and said she could see two people getting up to the t-box, she had never been able to see that far before. The concern about night driving has now disappeared. She returned to Atlanta today.