The Case of Getting Early-Onset? Cataracts

I am in my late thirties with high myopia and a history of retinal detachment, but in the spring of 2023, I noticed a rapid decline in my vision.

I thought it might be because I had quit my medical job and was just staring at my computer and smartphone at home... but it turned out to be cataracts.
(Though smartphones are likely a contributing factor to cataracts as well.)

My eyes have been like those of an elderly person since I was born, so while I thought they had held up well until now, I also felt like, isn't this a bit too early?

It seems that cataracts caused by factors other than aging are called early-onset cataracts, but I wonder about my case...?

The treatment is the same.

Whether it's early-onset or whatever else, there is only one thing to do.

The only option is to have surgery to insert an artificial lens.

I thought I could get it done quickly at my regular clinic, but with my extensive medical history, I was sent off to a more specialized hospital (an hour and a half away) in the autumn of 2023.

First visit to the specialized hospital

By this time, I could no longer correct my vision with over-the-counter contact lenses, and everything looked triple-layered.
Fireworks looked unnecessarily spectacular, though.

As expected of a specialized hospital, they had a different level of equipment, and they finished several types of tests in a flash.

I was also able to get my prescription checked properly since I had prepared by not wearing contact lenses for several days beforehand.

This period of being unable to wear contact lenses with high myopia was quietly painful.

And as a result of the examination, I was safely? given the official diagnosis of "It's cataracts."

Confirming the surgery date

Since it was already late autumn, I thought the earliest I could get it done would be around the beginning of the year, but there was an opening just before the end of the year.

I had already researched that there would be regular follow-up visits for about three months after the surgery.

Once my older child starts elementary school, securing childcare becomes super hard mode, so I was grateful for a schedule where the post-operative checkups would settle down within this fiscal year.

I asked my husband, who was accompanying me, to adjust his work, and we finalized the date.

Once I was prescribed the eye drops to use before the surgery, all that was left was to focus on managing my health until the day of the procedure.

Perhaps because many patients travel from far away, it is wonderful that there is no need to visit the clinic multiple times.

Selecting the Lens

I heard that there are things called multifocal lenses these days (though they are not covered by insurance), but since I have a history of retinal detachment, I am not a candidate for them.

I had no choice but to go with a monofocal lens, so there was no room for hesitation.

The only thing I could choose was where to set the focus.

Since I was originally nearsighted and the thing I was struggling with most was not being able to read books, I requested that the focus be set for near vision.

The Surgery Experience

There are already so many personal accounts of this, so I will skip it.

However, as many people say, while it is not painful, there is a feeling of being pressed and pushed around, which made me feel slightly unwell.

Changes in Vision

Since I am blind in one eye, I was exempted from wearing an eye patch after the surgery.
(Apparently, some hospitals have a policy of not using eye patches at all.)

Because of that, when I got up from the operating table, my vision was already incredibly clear.

What surprised me was that I could see further away than I had expected.

I had been told that the focus would be set for about 30cm away, so I was prepared for things 1m away to be blurry.

But in reality, I can even read a clock about 3m away.
It feels like things closer than 15cm are a bit blurry.

It is possible that because I was nearsighted before getting cataracts, my expectations were low, but if a monofocal lens can provide this much clarity, isn't it incredibly cost-effective...? (Cost-performance enthusiast)

At the vision test the day after surgery, I could see up to 0.5 with my naked eye.
From 0.6, it was hit or miss.

I tried various things for corrected vision, so I'm not entirely sure, but I think I might have reached 1.0...

Compared to right after the surgery, it feels like my focus is shifting closer, but since I'm not having any trouble going out for now, I haven't made any temporary glasses for nearsightedness.

I plan to get a prescription for bifocals once my vision stabilizes, but since I don't drive, I feel like I might not need them anyway.

I plan to post another update in about three months.