Cataract Surgery and Shooting

[Bob Gerard]

I’m was going over an older thread about this ( it suggested starting a new one since it was over 129 days dormant) because I will be having my first (of two) cataract surgeries later this week, with the second scheduled a couple weeks afterwards.
I am assuming my long gun shooting will be put on hold for a while, but that by mid to late October I can start again. I will be asking the surgeon of course.
I am wondering if pistol shooting can be an option in the nearer future?
Looking forward to clear vision, nonetheless🥳

[Daniel Coats]

I was told occasional recoil from shooting isn't a problem. Repetitive jarring or vibration is to be avoided.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Your surgeon will tell you how long to wait for the eye to heal before shooting can resume.  Follow their advice.
I had a new lens installed in my shooting eye a few years ago, and it was the best thing to have happened for my shooting in my entire life.  I am able to see both rear and front sights as well as the target crystal clear now, for the first time.  I shot pretty well even when things were blurry, but now my confidence has soared and I'm enjoying the results.  I still don't see as well as Stoner Creek...he can see bullet holes appear in the target where I cannot.
You will enjoy having been healed.

[grouse]

Hi Bob,
yes listen to your Dr.,I had my left eye done 2 years ago
and it sure make visibility way clearer.
The craftsmanship that you do ,it hard to believe that your
eyes are clouded over.  It is a very easy operation, the worst
is putting drops in after  surgery.

[Austin]

Your surgeon will tell you how long to wait for the eye to heal before shooting can resume.  Follow their advice.
I had a new lens installed in my shooting eye a few years ago, and it was the best thing to have happened for my shooting in my entire life.  I am able to see both rear and front sights as well as the target crystal clear now, for the first time.  I shot pretty well even when things were blurry, but now my confidence has soared and I'm enjoying the results.  I still don't see as well as Stoner Creek...he can see bullet holes appear in the target where I cannot.
You will enjoy having been healed.
[/quote

Having witnessed Taylor’s shooting, whatever he had done works…. He’s tough to clean after!

[Daryl]

Ahhhh, he's not THAT hard to beat - sometimes, depending on whether a rest is allowed or not. LOL

[reddogge]

I just had my second eye done last Thurs. and asked the post op doctor when I could resume golf, gym, shooting. He told me a week. This was not the surgeon who keeps busy running them in and out like a factory. I'll resume golf and gym but maybe wait a couple of week on the shooting.

[Bob Gerard]

I just had my right eye done this morning and the change is amazing. In two weeks the left, dominant eye gets done.
I am told a month for complete recovery.
No rush to get back to rifle shooting as these new eyes are a long awaited gift I don’t want to mess up !

[Jeff Murray]

I go in Monday.  Tired of supporting the winners, but that may not change due to my very extensive experience (aka geezerville).

[teakmtn]

For the fellows that have gone through this surgery, what replacement system did you do? The standard replacement lens or one of the more fancy/pricey adjustable lenses ? I'm having a tough time making the decision. My left eye sees pretty perfect, except for some discoloration. The right eye, my shooting eye, sees double.

[Bob Gerard]

I chose the regular/ common lenses. But you will have to decide what’s best for your eyes. If you’re seeing double your surgeon or eye doctor should know what you need.

[Don Steele]

I have recently had this surgery. The second eye was done just two weeks ago. I chose the “ basic” lense implants. I have astigmatism, glaucoma, and need bifocals. I’ve worn glasses since the 9th grade and “ getting out of glasses” had nothing to do with my choice to have the lense replacement. Everything I do requires eye protection so I’ll always be in some kind of glasses anyhow. I’ve just started back trying to shoot my 40 cal SMR . Recoil is nonexistent so I’m not concerned about that. On a related note, I also have “ floaters “. FWIW… I believe they are the result of many years of competitive ATA Trap shooting when I was firing at least a case (500 rds) of 12 ga shells a week, year around. IMHO, heavy recoil can create issues, especially as we age ( I’m 73).

[Dphariss]

I had one eye done 3 (?) years back and now can see front sights, well ONE front sight. The right lens developed a weird flaw and I would see maybe 3 “ghosted” front sights. My at the time retired  optometrist (and ML builder/shooter), told me to have a lens just under the optimum so the front sight would be sharp. He was right. My prescription was between two so the doc put in the lower one. I can shoot optics (yeah I shoot competition with one of those supposed “nasty” black guns too), with no corrective lens at all Just cheap shooting glasses, irons better with my glasses. Once it was changed I could hunt with my FLs again. The left eye is still OK but if I look at the white wall etc with the right eye its white, with the left eye its somewhat off white. Like a somewhat dirty window. 
Just do what the doc tells you. The VA paid for it so fancy lenses was not an option. Was not even mentioned by the not the VA surgeon.

[hawkeye]

Hi guys, for every shooter who needs a cataract operation.
Never chose for a bifocal lens.I had mine done with a bifocal lens and had to stop long range muzzleloader shooting because pour vision on long range, also open sights I can't see sharp.
Hawkeye

[hanshi]

I had cataract surgery on both eyes quite a few years ago.  initially my vision was (to me) super and clear.  I got the regular lens and need reading glasses to read and to shoot.  But another problem arose 3 or 4 years ago.  My vision in the dominant eye went south.  And there was a "blind spot" that had developed somewhere along the way.  I couldn't see a front sight.

I ended up having "retinal" surgery on that eye.  You can't be put to sleep except for a very short interval so they can give a shot in the eye.  You have to be semi awake because you have to hold your eyes open - with help of one person who holds up the eyelids.  There is no pain and you are put at the entrance of LA-LA land.  I could hear the and feel the scraping going on but I didn't care.  That eye was bandaged closed for a few days and a healing period was observed which was not terribly - or maybe it was - long.

But as I aged (77 now) I see a double image or ghost image which interferes with shooting.  So in just a few years I went from a good shooter to a lousy one.  I shoot so badly these days that I tell others that I shoot by sense of smell.....well...I do!.

[Jeff Murray]

I chose upgraded lenses that correct astigmatism but will likely require readers for small print and scrimshaw work.  The doc did one eye Monday and one Tuesday.  Each eye was a little scratchy for the first day.  Both are comfortable now and I am anxious to test them out when I get the final follow-up check.  It is weird not wearing glasses and still being able to see clearly.

[reddogge]

I chose the regular/ common lenses. But you will have to decide what’s best for your eyes. If you’re seeing double your surgeon or eye doctor should know what you need.

I had to get the upgraded Toric lens due to my astigmatism in both eyes. My left eye is never going to be great due to amblyopia since birth. The surgeon said for superior distance vision I was seeking the Toric lens would be the best. I still need reading glasses but distance vision, vision on iron sights, and seeing golf balls and ducks in flight are fantastic.

[Prairie dog shooter]

I had one eye that needed astigmatism correction and the other did not.  Cataract surgery was the best thing I have ever done for my shooting.  I do need reading glasses but that's no issue for shooting. 

[Bear River Tom]

I had my cataract surgeries last April. I went from being unable to drive after dusk and nearly in need of a seeing eye dog without glasses to 20/20 vision. My doctor told me to avoid heavy activity for 3 or 4 days, but normal activities would be fine by the next day. As far as shooting goes, I would think as long as ypubwere using safety glasses you should be able to start after a day or two. Best to let your doctor tell you.

[HighUintas]

With my eye issues, I have major floaters that likely won't ever go away. There's some large blobs with attached webs that like to obscure my central vision when I'm trying to find animals or shoot. So I have to flick my eyes around until the gunk is out of the way for a few moments.

The doc said I can have a vitrectomy done but it would then require that I get be cataracts surgery shortly after. Or maybe it was that it requires a replacement lense. I can't remember, but it essentially requires a subsequent cataracts surgery.

Hmm... 37.... Deal with floaters or have surgery and also have cataracts surgery? I don't know enough about the effects of replacement lenses to know if I should. I know I'd need reading glasses. I also know that when the dang floaters aren't in the way I have 20/15 vision.

[Daniel Coats]

Results are not guaranteed.

[Joey R]

As any surgery.

[Swampyankee]

 I had a detached retina in my right eye and the cataract surgery that followed has made the curvy lines that remain pretty clear. Good thing I'm left handed, although that eye has it's own issues with floaters and a haze, hopefully the laser treatment it received will keep the retina intact. That laser one was like looking into the sun.

[Bob Roller]

I had cataract removal on both eyes about 3 years ago and it went well.I needed help in seeing while doing shop work and it helped a lot.
What little shooting I have done in the past with black powder was BPCR  at Ralph Marcum's "Hootin Old Town "in McKee Ky but that was way before the cataract removal.My eye surgeon is a woman,Dina Blom and I told her I will not let anyone do anything to my eyes that can't perform surgery on them.Now almost 88 and can read the absurdly small print on this forum with no correction.When I joined this forum I commented about the first shoot I attended at Friendship,Ind, and mentioned someone with a .600 Nitro Express double rifle blasting big  carp out of Laughery Creek by leaning over the rail of the foot bridge.I declined the offer to fire this rifle from that position and Daryl Sapergia said it could have jolted by head so hard that a detached retina could occur.EYESIGHT is a treasure must not be taken for granted and I hope all on this forum have a good eye surgeon that is only a phone call away as we do here.
Bob Roller

[Bob Gerard]

Well it’s been just three months sines surgery I am really so happy with the results of both my cataract removals. I still use cheater glasses for reading and detail work but just about everything else is great. Night driving isn’t a problem anymore and to top it off, I am shooting so much better.
So who wants my old edition of “100 Excuses For Shooting Like Sheet” ? 🤓