[grhazelton]

Please move this thread if needed.

I am facing cataract operations in the near future. My dominant eye, the right, looks like looking through a really dirty filter - all is blurred. Since virtually all cameras are designed for right handed and right eyed users, I wonder what to do? Some of my SLRs and DSLRs have a diopter adjustment or can accept an attachment to the eyepiece, those may work out well, but probably not my Canon P rangefinder or my Contax IIa rangefinder.
I'd appreciate any suggestions from the other old guys out there! Many thanks in advance.

[Bob 256]

Usually, cataract surgery will result in infinity focus (unless you opt for one of the newer vari-focus implants). You have to wear reading glasses just like any old foggy (like me) to see near things clearly, but if your camera is currently adjusted for no correction, you should be good to go with it since your infinity focus is well suited for 0 diopters of correction.

Cataract surgery is a lot different today than it was some years back. I had a 90 year old friend who had it about a year ago, and was in and out in just a couple of hours. His vision is quite good now in both eyes (had them done separately in case something went wrong). I also had a friend a few years back (he's passed since) who had the wrong strength lens installed in one eye (not infinity focus). He had to wear glasses all the time (one eye corrective and the other flat glass), but his was the exception to good results. The condition of your retinas are the only limit to the quality you can achieve with a good transplant with today's surgical techniques.


Good luck on your surgery, hope it turns out well, and your camera eye is back to the viewfinder in no time.

[grhazelton]

Thanks for the info. I feel reassured that I'll be able to use my now-blurred right eye in the familiar manner. Now to regain my sense of smell, which packed it in during 2019 - following some strange olfactory illusions!

[Lord Lucan]

I have had my right eye done and am waiting for the other op.

I don't really understand your I wonder what to do? question. The new lens can be any power (ie dioptre) you want. They don't ask you for a dioptre value of course, they asked me if I wanted my eyes to focus on distance or focus on near - the plastic lenses are fixed focus, but then the natural lenses of everyone over about 40 tend towards fixed focus anyway, which is why older people need glasses either for reading or for distance, or both, even before a cataract operation.

I chose focus on distance (infinity), and can't imagine why anyone would not unless they spend their whole life reading. I will use reading glasses when reading and prefer it that way because I do that indoors when glasses are no inconvenience - I have put on reading glasses for reading for some years. Otherwise, when walking about, being outdoors, driving and even watching TV across a typical room, you want distant focus. Camera viewfinders are set up by default (ie before any dioptre correction) for your eyes focussing on infinity, so all the more reason for a photographer to choose distance lenses for the operation.

Your vision before the operation is not relevant to it, other than indicating the need for it. I took my existing optician's prescription with me and they did not even look at it. They measured my eyes just before the op and presumably picked out an appropriate lens from their stock. I now have sharper distance vision with that eye than I can remember, and the colour is more blue/green making me realise my old natural lenses must have been yellowing. It is miraculous how they can nail it with such accuracy, or do this stuff at all..

The operation is under local anasthetic from eyedrops and I felt nothing, but it requires some stoicism. As entertainment it gets 0/10. But it only lasts a few minutes, and I just concentrated on staring straight upwards and not moving my eyes. You only see a blurry light above and some movements of the surgeon - they mask the other eye. You walk away from the theatre, with a transparent plastic face mask to protect against bumps for a day or two. Before I left was then given a lecture on applying anti-biotic eyedrops for a month and advised to postpone my bid for the World heavyweight boxing championship.

It is possible for the implanted lenses to be bi-focal and/or astigmatically corecting. I did not want any flaff like that, I do have slight astigmatism, but asked for simple spherical lenses. One day they might develop flexible implanted lenses that can "autofocus" like the natural lenses can in younger eyes, but not yet. Hope that helps..

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Last edited by Lord Lucan; 10-26-2021 at 04:10 PM.

[nicolpa47]

I had both my eyes dealt with a few years ago now. The first probably about 7 years ago and the second, left eye, about 5 years ago. I was given a general anaesthetic at my own request. No pain at any stage. I have distance focus. My optician says I'm ok to drive without glasses during the day but advises glasses at night. I use varifocal glasses and wear them all the time as I had got used to them over 30+ years.

I could use the cameras without glasses, but then I'd have to carry them for other reasons, so I just wear them and deal with it. Very recently the left eye had laser treatment to clear it up after scar tissue developed. Again, painless and quick. Your sight will be clearer, and colours more vivid - in my experience.

[ramseybuckeye]

I have not had cataract surgery, though my eye doctors have said that cataracts have started, so I have no advice on that. But I am a left eyed shooter, and have no problem doing so, it just feels more natural to me. I can use the right eye if I think about it, so if I needed to switch, I think I could. Good luck in your surgery, I remember my grandpa getting that in the 1960s, I think he was in the hospital for a week. They have come a long way!

[jumbleview]

I have a strong astigmatism and my left eye (almost normal) is better than my right. Whenever I use camera without diopter adjustment I shoot with my left eye. For all other tasks I am righty (not lefty).

[AggieDad]

I had my cataracts removed in early 2020, just at the start of the pandemic. My wife had hers done this past spring.

My eyes were not good. I had been wearing trifocals for over 20 years and lately had correction for double vision along with everything else that was wrong. Cataract surgery with the prescription lenses (if you are in the U.S., Medicare will provide only basic lenses) took care of everything. Today I only need glasses for reading and need nothing more than drugstore readers.

Removing the cataracts was like taking dirty yellow glass from in front of my eyes. The difference was astounding! Since cataract surgery is done one eye at a time, I enjoyed the time between surgeries by going around looking out of one eye and then the other – I was like a kid with a new toy.

Now I do not need any glasses when I using my K-3-ii.

I cannot recommend cataract surgery enough. BUT only an ophthalmologist can tell you exactly what it will do for you.

[MikeNArk]

Agree with everyone, if you need it, get it done. It will will clear the muddy waters. I am scheduled to have laser surgery to clean up some scar tissue next week. My doc said it can happen for some people, but is easily dealt with.

[ToddK]

I am left eye dominant and have always shot with my left eye. However, I developed a cataract early this year and just had surgery about 3 months ago. I ended up switching to my right eye for a few months prior to the surgery and it was surprisingly easy to do. FYI, I had laser surgery and it was a breeze. I was able to use my eye on the way home from the surgery. I had surgery on my other eye several years ago, and the recovery took a little longer because it was done conventionally rather than with a laser. I now have 20/20 in both eyes which I never had before. The only draw back is that I need readers to look at the rear info screen or at images. Not really a big deal.

[nicolpa47]

.......... The only draw back is that I need readers to look at the rear info screen or at images. Not really a big deal.

That is why I continue to wear the varifocals I'd got used to wearing for 30+ years. I'd rather keep them on my face than have the hassle of constantly putting on/taking off, and carrying, them. Also, when driving, I can see the road okay, but the instrument display is not as clear as I'd like.

[Lowell Goudge]

Can’t give first hand advise, I’m not there yet, but I recall taking my father for his surgery

Thee were two things he said after he had the first eye done. The first was that he needed new lenses because his prescription was almost perfect, at least for distance, and the second was that it was like having sunglass lenses removed from one eye only, it was that much brighter.

Once done, I doubt you will have any real issues

[grhazelton]

Can’t give first hand advise, I’m not there yet, but I recall taking my father for his surgery

Thee were two things he said after he had the first eye done. The first was that he needed new lenses because his prescription was almost perfect, at least for distance, and the second was that it was like having sunglass lenses removed from one eye only, it was that much brighter.

Once done, I doubt you will have any real issues

I believe I'll have the "plain vanilla" distance implants for both eyes. I can then shoot with my SLRs and DSLRs and rangefinder cameras with ease, and for close work use the reading glasses I've used for years as my arms became too short.

[David W]

I'm just in the process of having cataracts in both eyes removed, three weeks in between for safety's sake.
Just had the first one today, still blurry but there is a very noticeable difference in "colour temperature" between the old and new eyes. White surfaces with halogen or tungsten lights are much more blue with the new lens than with old one, almost on the scale of tungsten versus halogen colour temperatures between them.
Anyone else had this - or have en explanation ?

[Lord Lucan]

White surfaces with halogen or tungsten lights are much more blue with the new lens than with old one

Your old natural lenses will have gone yellow-ish with age. The new artificial lenses will be neutral. I guess the brain needs to re-adjust to the new (correct) colour balance. Give it some time anyway. I was not seeing properly again after my operation until the following day.