[VinceF]

I had my annual eye exam Thursday. The good news is no more retinopathy, everything looks fine except I now have cataracts...huh! what the! My doc tells me protect my eyes from the sun. Today I go get what I'll call Joe Paterno/Harry Carrey sunglasses. My wife insist they don't look that bad but they sure feel like it right now. The doc also sais take extrra vitamin C and come back in 6 months. No surgery now but return in 6 months...hey what the! Sorry I've subjected you to the rambling but this stinks. I found articles that states diabetics have a 60% greater chance of cataracts than the general population. Grrrr

[notme]

Oh geeze Vince.....always something huh? I am glad that you do not have to have any surgery. It is also great that there is no retinopathy. But they doctor couldn't just say "everything looks great".....always something.

Glad everything went well otherwise. Get some great sunglasses and get out there and enjoy life.

[tanyatype1]

Hey Vince - sorry to hear about the cataracts. My brother-in-law had cataract surgery and everything went well. He's a retired transit-driver now, but I don't think he's had any problems since. He's not diabetic BTW, so I guess it can also just be one of those things! I'm sorry, this probably isn't making you feel much better, but I just wanted to say that I agree with you - it does stink! Best of luck to you, and "high-five" on the no more retinopathy!

[KickStart101]

Hey Vince, sorry to hear that you need more
eye work soon BUT cataracts are nothing compared
to Retinopathy. I've had both. Having No Retinopathy
is definitely Good news. Thankfully they can both be
fixed.

I don't understand about your Wife saying they don't
look THAT bad? And you saying, "they sure feel like it
right now"? When I had the cataracts, no one could
see any difference in my eyes. I didn't feel anything
different except things looks slightly browner and a
bit blurrier. Is that what you mean? For example,
Penny's avatar: I thought it was a chocolate chip
cookie. I figured okay, Penny really likes chocolate
chip cookies although she doesn't eat them often.
It wasn't 'til after I had my cataracts removed that
I noticed her avatar was an American penny. Oh...
Penny...penny. Now that was more significant. Duh!

As far as the 6 mths., the Ophtho won't remove them
until they are "ripe" or at the Best point for removal.
That's why they have to wait.

Yes, all this stuff is a pain in the butt but it's Great
that we live in an age where all this stuff can be easily
remedied. Take Heart, take care.

[ladytaz]

My eye exams have always been good, except this last one in April, she told me I have cataracts too. Very small ones though, and one on each eye. I don't know if there are different kinds or whatever, but she told me that mine should stay the small size that they are. I do "see" them every once in a while, and they'll blur my vision momentarily. Even though I was told they should never cause me any real problems (other than what I just mentioned), I still am somewhat worried that they eventually will! Guess we'll find out when I have my next eye exam? Anyway, scary stuff! Good Luck, and here's to hoping they'll just stay where they're at!!

Carly, he was talking about the sunglasses

[KickStart101]

Hey Melissa, all cataracts get larger eventually,
I think and have to be removed. Mine took 2 yrs.
to get to the removal point. Anyone feel free to
correct me.

Originally Posted by Ladytaz

Carly, he was talking about the sunglasses

Oh, thanks! I knew that!

[ladytaz]

Originally Posted by KickStart101

Hey Melissa, all cataracts get larger eventually,
I think and have to be removed. Mine took 2 yrs.
to get to the removal point. Anyone feel free to
correct me.

I'm screwed then! Unless, I eventually get some kind of optical insurance!

Originally Posted by KickStart101

Oh, thanks! I knew that!

LOL

[KickStart101]

Originally Posted by ladytaz

I'm screwed then! Unless, I eventually get some kind of optical insurance!

Oh, sorry...I forgot that you have to pay for that
up front or billed. We pay higher taxes so we don't
have to worry about that stuff when we need it.

As far as I know, it can take up to 3 yrs. for the
cataracts to be ready for removal. Depending on
the Person, how their sugars are, what drugs they
are on, wearing sun glasses is useful. I wasn't told
about vit. c but it couldn't hurt either, I suppose.
Good Luck with that Melissa.

[cheryl]

Melissa,

If you have just regular medical insurance, atleast I only do, if your going in for a diabetic exam......they cover it because it has something to do with your diabetes. If you need sugery for cataracts that was diabetes related you can get the doctor to tell the insurance company that.....

Anything on insurance that is caused my diabetes is supposed to be covered.....whether the eyes even though if you have vision coverage or not, they are not gonna cover a reg eye exam or glasses but they are supposed to cover anything that would do with the diabetes.....

I have had three different insurance companies so far and all have covered my diabetic eye exams, and I have never had vision insurance....

Cheryl

[VinceF]

Hey thank for the well wishes. I've had retinopathy and all the laser I can take without loosing vision. The cataracts just through me for a loop. I thought my eyes were doing fine. My cataracts are still just starting. I was told some good sunglasses may help slow down the progress so, we went out to get some Rx sunglasses. Unfortunatly the ones that really cover the eyes are much larger than the ones I typically wear so they feel like huge dark windshields to me. My wife insists they don't look like huge dark windshields and that helps.

I was really hopeing for the typical no new retinopathy and everything else looks fine see ya in 1 year.