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Cataract in my right eye V's birdwatching optics! (1 Viewer)

Peewit

Once a bird lover ... always a bird lover
Hi there

I have made the decision that when I am back from my holiday in Spain in September time i will get my cataract done in my right eye.

My eye sight is 100 per cent in my left eye (it was done about 4 years ago and there has been no problems). I was dagnosed with cataracts at the age of 40 years old, and they are pain in the whatsit!

The right eye is misty now, and it is not good to have both eyes being so different to one another (when I look through the camera, scope, or my bins I use my left eye all of the time and it is tiring now). I get a bit sea sick at times.

i also see a black circle in the middle of my scope lens when i am looking at a bird or anything else. Anyone else had that problem?
I am slow in finding anything that OH sees before me, and it drives him mad! :eek!:

Hopefully the spelling errors will improve on the Birdforum too. LOL :eek!:

Regards
Kathy
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Hi there

I have made the decision that when I am back from my holiday in Spain in September time i will get my cataract done in my right eye.

My eye sight is 100 per cent in my left eye (it was done about 4 years ago and there has been no problems). I was dagnosed with cataracts at the age of 40 years old, and they are pain in the whatsit!

The right eye is misty now, and it is not good to have both eyes being so different to one another (when I look through the camera, scope, or my bins I use my left eye all of the time and it is tiring now). I get a bit sea sick at times.

i also see a black circle in the middle of my scope lens when i am looking at a bird or anything else. Anyone else had that problem?
I am slow in finding anything that OH sees before me, and it drives him mad! :eek!:

Hopefully the spelling errors will improve on the Birdforum too. LOL :eek!:

Regards
Kathy
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Hope it goes well Kathy.

John
 
Kathy,
I had my first eye with cataract corrected a couple of months ago, the second is absolutely fine at this time. It was a big improvement to get it done, hope everything will be improving for you as well. However, I cannot recognize the problem with a black circle, make sure that the ophthalmologist makes a thorough evaluation before doing the surgery.

Good luck with it all!
Niels
 
Kathy - I am the same at the moment, left eye perfect vision, right eye cataract with everything very misty. Hopefully I am due to be operated on in one month from now. At the moment binoculars are pretty much a no no. I hope everything will be back to normal after the op.|;||8.|
 
Hi Kathy,I hope everthing goes OK my wife had one done last year and is awaiting for the other to 'ripen`.I´m afraid I can´t help with the black circle as she doesn´t use binos.Best of luck from an Old Bedfordian.
 
Kathy, I'd go to an optician about that black spot as soon as possible. It sounds like something that my father developed. A black spot that grew and got larger, blotting out a portion of his vision in that eye. It was a retina problem. If they get onto it soon enough I believe they can fix it, but my dad left it a bit too long.

If you only get it when you look through your scope, though, maybe it's a problem with the optics rather than your eye?
 
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I've got my check up next Wednesday having had my right eye done a few weeks back. I'd love them to do the left eye but don't think it is current at the level it needs to be at for surgery.

I'm loving the idea of hopefully just going down to reading glasses.

As Barred Wobbler has suggested, get yourself back to an optician for another eye test and explain everything. Some might have changed over time.

Di
 
Peewit, you're not alone. I found my way into this forum just now by querying the net with combinations of "cataract why black spot binoculars". Since I'm also a bird enthusiast, I thought it would be worth registering for the forums if only to say "me too!". Maybe if one of us finds a concrete explanation one day, we can come back and share it.

I've had a cataract in my right eye since birth or infancy, and since I grew up with it and adapted mysteriously decent vision in spite of it, the current plan is just to leave it there. However, if want a reminder that it's there, all I have to do is to look into any pair of binoculars (or to try to use my right eye to look through a microscope, monocular, or telescope, for that matter). My good old Dad bought me a nice monocular to watch birds with my perfectly average left eye, and that works just fine.

Here's something: the shape and location of the patch I see in the lens of the binocular bears a striking resemblance to what I've been told is the shape and placement of my cataract. Not quite centred, not quite round. I wonder if something about the multiple lenses in the device is reflecting the almost-opaque part of my eye back at me somehow, like a shadow. Not sure if this stands up to the science of optics. I told an opthamologist about this phenomenon once, and his answer was to cock his head to the side and say "huh!". I think I'd need to get a neuro-opthamologist and an optic physicist in the same room to get a complete answer; between an eyeball and the bucket of lenses that makes up a pair of binoculars, well, that's a lot of lenses.

Well Kathy, do let me know if you come across anything pertinent, and all the best with your treatments. My cataract is more of a quirk than a major setback. Sounds like this is not the case for you.

Regards,
R-McT
 
I am really sorry for the 'slow' reply everyone

Been a bit occupied recently. I can see what you have all written, and it is very interesting to hear what others views are oabout cataracts

My cataract in my right eye - I want for an eye test at 4pm this afternoon as a temporary measure over travelling to Edinburgh to get the eye test!
I will be added to the list of hospital operations as they are at the moment
I want my right eye this done before my Spanish birdwatching holiday in September so all normal sight will be resumed - cannot wait now

Now, I am on the hospital waiting list to get my cataract done this year!

Great, as I will nearly be a perfect person again with no PC typo errors, and no mockery (once new vision is completed like the bionic woman) to go with it now .....

Hope it goes well Kathy.

John

Thank you, John - I will glad to have my 2 eyes on par with all the bird watching that goes on.

Regards
Kathy
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Kathy,
I had my first eye with cataract corrected a couple of months ago, the second is absolutely fine at this time. It was a big improvement to get it done, hope everything will be improving for you as well. However, I cannot recognize the problem with a black circle, make sure that the ophthalmologist makes a thorough evaluation before doing the surgery.

Good luck with it all!
Niels

Hi Neils

Glad to hear of your success with your cataracts! :t:

The strange black dot seems to be around and on the go, but I will ask as few more questions yet.

I did not get my usual Optican, so when i visit Edinbugh I wll ask what is what with the black circle?

Kathy - I am the same at the moment, left eye perfect vision, right eye cataract with everything very misty. Hopefully I am due to be operated on in one month from now. At the moment binoculars are pretty much a no no. I hope everything will be back to normal after the op.|;||8.|

Thank you Geoff, and that your operation goes well for you too.

I look through the binos with one eye and shut the bad eye, and it seems to work to a point - but looks a little clumsey and mad looking.

Hi Kathy,I hope everthing goes OK my wife had one done last year and is awaiting for the other to 'ripen`.I´m afraid I can´t help with the black circle as she doesn´t use binos.Best of luck from an Old Bedfordian.

Thank you eddy and I hope that your wife is okay with her ops too

Great to met another Bedford person - where did you live? - we stay at Putnoe end of Bedford at the moment.

Kathy, I'd go to an optician about that black spot as soon as possible. It sounds like something that my father developed. A black spot that grew and got larger, blotting out a portion of his vision in that eye. It was a retina problem. If they get onto it soon enough I believe they can fix it, but my dad left it a bit too long.

If you only get it when you look through your scope, though, maybe it's a problem with the optics rather than your eye?

hi BW

I will make further enquires about the black dot. i have not tried too many pairs of binos/other scopes to place a comparsion if the black dot appears each time

I will be more obervant about the dot now, and if it re-appears with some models of binos/scopes over others

Of course damaged optics could be the issues too :smoke:

I've got my check up next Wednesday having had my right eye done a few weeks back. I'd love them to do the left eye but don't think it is current at the level it needs to be at for surgery.

I'm loving the idea of hopefully just going down to reading glasses.

As Barred Wobbler has suggested, get yourself back to an optician for another eye test and explain everything. Some might have changed over time.

Di

thank you Di.

I think your cataract needs to be ripe before any surgery occurs. I can also see the point of doing one eye at a time - just incase there is a problem
I am sure that infection will be the number one concern each and every time an eye is operated on, so it is the aftercare that is paramount too

Okay the frogman 'waterproof' goggles are not sexy in the shower or bath, but they are ideal if you want to want wash your hair (as mine is long) and not to have any water near the eyeball (a no no for a month at least!)

The eye drops have to be administered too as when they are needed

Another eye test with my Edinburgh Optican is on the cards after my holidays in Spain May-time.

Regards
Kathy
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Hi Peewit,after the war I lived in Grove Place,in the centre of the town and then moved to Mile Road,where my mother lived for 55 yrs.I hope everything goes OK with your next Op.Kind regards Eddy.Ps .where are you going to in Spain.
 
Hi Peewit,after the war I lived in Grove Place,in the centre of the town and then moved to Mile Road,where my mother lived for 55 yrs.I hope everything goes OK with your next Op.Kind regards Eddy.Ps .where are you going to in Spain.

Thank you for your reply, and your good wishes.

Interesting where your mother stayed in Bedford - I do not know where the streets are you mention but take another good look as always interested n finding out things

OH and I are going to Menorca - Fornells for a 2 week dinghy sailing holiday with bird watching attached of course!!! - tomorrow morning

We have gone to Menorca for 6 years or more in a row - the same time each year

In mid-September we are going to Andalucia, Spain for 8 days with Travelling Naturalist for the bird watching holiday 2013

https://www.naturalist.co.uk/tours/andalucia.php

Looking forward to both holidays

Regards
Kathy
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I may see you in September if you are coming to watch the post nuptual migration if you want you can PM me nearer the time and maybe we can meet up....Regards Eddy.
 
Update on my cataract op yesterday. it seemed to go very well, right eye now completely clear of foggy mist and already can use bins again one day after the op. A doctor friend tells me that it is very good that my eyesight is much improved so soon as any inflammation remaining will wear gradually off and my eyesight can improve even further. I have already discovered that I can now see distance vision much better without my using my present distance vision spectacles.|:D|
 
Update on my cataract op yesterday. it seemed to go very well, right eye now completely clear of foggy mist and already can use bins again one day after the op. A doctor friend tells me that it is very good that my eyesight is much improved so soon as any inflammation remaining will wear gradually off and my eyesight can improve even further. I have already discovered that I can now see distance vision much better without my using my present distance vision spectacles.|:D|

I am glad to hear of your good news Geoff - it is the best to be able to use your optics the way they should be used

I know when I had my left eye done in 2006 or so, my eyesight in my left was a made a lot stronger, to compensate for when my right eye would have to be sorted.
For my right eye to last to 2013 is not bad, but it need done now as both eyes are not in harmony anymore

The local hospital has been in touch with me and i will attend my first appointment in October this year.

Looking forward to getting my full sight in my right eye :king:

Going on holiday to Spain tomorrow morning so wish me luck. Here is the link to remind everyone what we will be seeing

https://www.naturalist.co.uk/tours/andalucia.php

Thank you for everyone's contribution to this thread, and sharing your related stories in support of my plight.

Regards
Kathy
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Kathy my latest update is that both eyeballs now working perfectly and bins and scopes no trouble whatsoever. I only really need glasses for reading any small print! Have a good holiday and don't be afraid of the impending op, I am sure all will be well in due course.:t:
 
Kathy my latest update is that both eyeballs now working perfectly and bins and scopes no trouble whatsoever. I only really need glasses for reading any small print! Have a good holiday and don't be afraid of the impending op, I am sure all will be well in due course.:t:

Hi Geoff

Good news there for you with your eyesight. :t:

The holiday was fabulous, and I will write a report at the end of next week due to my hectic life.

I have had 2 letters from the NHS. So hopefully the operation will be done by Xmas 2013

Regards
Kathy
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