Readers and Contacts

Last spring I had cataract surgery. The procedures and aftermath, which are not gory in the least, were described in two separate posts in late April (The Better to See) and early May (Seeing Clearly Now). Those details won't be repeated in this post, which is more of an update.

As posted earlier, both surgeries were successful in giving me distance vision which has eliminated the need to wear glasses for driving/seeing things far off and in seeing colors much brighter. Prior to surgery, my glasses did not correct well enough for distance while driving, especially when trying to see road signs.

And, everything was totally covered by basic Medicare. However, we also have a Medicare Supplement plan which would have taken care of any additional costs, if needed. The only "expense" was the co-pay required for eye drops used before and after the surgeries.

All has been great, except that reading glasses became a definite necessity to read anything with fine print not only papers, magazines, mail, but also grocery store labels which became the most challenging as I disliked taking the "readers" on and off.

Yes, I know, it's a minor inconvenience and far less costly than my previous eyeglass prescription and frames. So I bought some readers many to put in the apt — kitchen, bedroom, living room, by the PC, also a pair in the glove compartments of our two vehicles, my purse. Also a spare pair in the suitcase so as not to forget one when going on a road trip.

Sounds excessive, perhaps, but as noted above, they are comparatively inexpensive. Dollar Stores, pharmacies, and many other places carry them. No prescription is needed, just a recommended strength, which for me is +2.00.

Still, I wanted freedom to not need to carry/look around for readers, especially when using a cell phone, tablet, and especially a digital camera. The smaller the camera, the smaller the settings to read.

The solution — a single contact lens that's worn in my left eye and corrects for close reading. The right eye remains corrected for distance. Unlike when wearing reading glasses, I can walk around and, yes, even drive my car with the single contact. However, I've opted not to wear it when driving. I prefer to have both eyes distance corrected when on the road.

Yes, I still have reading glasses strategically placed around the apartment and in the cars, but now I have a choice. The contact lens is a "daily wear" that's removed nightly, cleaned with a solution, and placed in a lens case overnight. It can be worn for up to 2 weeks. If necessary, it could be worn overnight; my optometrist doesn't advise this on a regular basis.

A separate exam was required before a prescription can be written. Our medical plans don't cover the cost of the exam or contacts. However, my optometrist's office price-matched so I was able to save $ and shop locally. 

If anyone else has or will be having cataract surgery and wants a choice, this might be something to consider.

So far, it's been working well for me.