Cataract surgery and scroll sawing

[TAIrving]

I had cataract surgery for both eyes in June.  My vision has changed.  I am still trying to adjust for scrolling.  It is close, but not quite the same.  The magnification I get with reading glasses and the magnifier lens doesn't quite work anymore.  I am going to try stronger reading glasses.  Has anyone else had this happen?  

[jollyred]

When I had cataract surgery, I went from near sighted to far sighted.  Now I just need reading glasses instead of bifocals.  Took a little bit to get used to but has not been a real problem, except for leaving my glasses at the last place I was at instead of where I am currently.

Tom

[Jim McDonald]

I had surgery in July. For the most part, I have far better sight. But, even with the trifocal lenses, I have trouble on close in work. I have only scrolled a couple of simple pieces so far.

You can't squint and adjust your vision like you've done before since your new lenses are not hooked to the muscles formerly used for focusing. 

I did have issues soldering some silver plated rings with silver solder.

 

[BadBob]

I've had my new lenses for over a year. I have not had any issues with scrolling or anything in the shop. I don't wear glasses 90% of the time, only putting them on when I go outdoors, the same way I have done for years. I like to do a bit of competitive shooting, and so far, with handguns, I can shoot with or without prescription glasses. Shooting rifles with optics is not an issue, but I haven't had time to figure out iron sights yet.

I studied the issues with different lens types, focal distances, and nearsightedness vs. farsightedness. I chose the nearsighted lenses with the highest contrast. I used what I think of as the 90% rule and asked myself, "What do I do 90% of the time, and do I want to wear glasses while I am doing it?" This choice was the opposite of most people's choices, and I had to explain my choices repeatedly to medical personnel.

I have been nearsighted my entire life. Changing to farsightedness would significantly disrupt my daily routine, and then there are the reading glasses. I don't want to wear glasses whenever I need to look at something up close.

So far, I have only made one adjustment. Because the focal length was closer, I had to move my computer monitors closer. I use two large monitors, and it was a pain to figure out how to mount them so I could read both screens.

I bought some prescription polarized sunglasses for flying radio-controlled aircraft. Now that my prescription is not going to change, I decided it would be worth the money. Wow, what a difference! I can see much clearer with the polarized lenses. Now, I can look at the sky all day and not come home with my eyes feeling worn out.

[JimNC]

I had both eyes done too. My sight how is 20-20 but now I need glass' to do close work. I got a prescription glass for computer work. I use these glass' for scrollsawing and they work better than over the counter reading glass'. I just make sure I have excellent lighting.

 

[barb.j.enders]

I have had both eyes done.  The first one was in 2009, the other in 2019.  Because of the difference in vision between the eyes, and my age at the time, 20/20 wasn't an option.  I still wear progressive lenses.  My mid-distance is my best vision and I can go without glasses for that.  However, I wear them all the time.  Because of this, I didn't notice a difference when I was sawing.

[jerry walters]

I too have had both eyes done 2 years ago.  Dr. told me just to use readers, never worked for me.  It seems every time I sat at my scroll saw I needed a higher power reader.  That along with having glasses all over the house I couldn't find one when I needed one.  Didn't need glasses for driving but did had trouble seeing dashboard clearly.  At my last appointment I asked my Dr. if I could have prescriptions.  Said sure, I'm now happy with scrolling and driving.

[redwine]

Ditto on all of the comments after having cataracts removed and now being farsighted instead of nearsighted!  I had mine done about 3years ago and just need readers for anything closer than 12 to 18 inch's!  I was nearsighted all of my life and it was a pain to go in every year and get a new prescription and was told that I would soon have to have the procedure done and the day finally arrived to have one eye done than about 2 weeks later the other eye was done! Now it is just once a year for a check up and no problems! I highly recommend the procedure!

Erv   

[Denny Knappen]

My all the people with cataract surgery.  I am also on the list.  The right eye is 20/20 and the left is 20/20 minus 2.  I asked what that meant and he said I missed two letters.  I too use a magnifier lamp.

[OCtoolguy]

I'm in the same boat. I hated having to carry readers with me. I was used to wearing glasses and actually missed them. So I had a new progressive lens made that had no prescription on the top half and only at the point where my eyes needed help. About 3 feet out and closer. So for me, nothing changed. I still use the same lighted magnifier and computer monitor distance. I have the "Transistion" coating that darkens when outdoors. So, one pair of glasses is all I need. No shirt pocket is necessary. I won't be losing my glasses because they are on my head unless I'm sleeping or showering.

[Jim McDonald]

My glasses were the first thing I put on in the morning  and last thing off at night.

When scrolling and doing board level soldering, I frequently ended up looking over the frames. My major complaint to the eye doctors was a combination of rainbow halos around lights and tired, watery eyes.

With the trifocal lenses I got, I still get halos, but they are the color of the light source and they seem to be hexagonal spiderwebs instead of the old circular pattern.