Has anyone had cataract surgery, and is on medicare with a supplemental? If so,

[SheilaT]

4. I had cataract surgery

before I was on Medicare.

I'd known for a decade or more that the cataracts were there, and when my eye doctor said, "It's time for the surgery" my first thought was to postpone it for the two years until I'd be on Medicare. Then I spoke with a friend of mine, 80 years old at the time, who said, "Don't delay Sheila, get it done right away!"

She was right. I did pay out of pocket, and I wish I could give you the amount. I know I paid more because I opted for an implant that was more than the basic one. I still need reading glasses, no problem there. I apparently had results even better than what my doctor expected, based on how he's responded at my check-ups after the surgery. I can tell you that my distance vision is phenomenal.

Last year I was visiting my son who lives in Portland, OR, and we were on a hill somewhat south and west of the city, watching airplanes land at the airport. We were probably seven miles from the airport, and I was in total awe of how well I could see those airplanes. I know that I really did have better results from the cataract surgery than most people might expect, but it is more than worth it. I'll encourage you to spend more money, if necessary, to get a better lens than what Medicare will pay for. Your doctor will give you good advice on this.

I can now understand why in the past people just expected to lose their vision as they got older. I've been nearsighted my entire life, but fortunately grew up in the 20th century, where glasses, and then contact lenses were available to me. The vision deterioration that occurred with the cataracts was rather subtle, and in a different century or milieu I'd have just accepted what was happening. It's hard to know how blind I'd be at this point, were it not for the surgery.

I was 63 when I had the cataract surgery, slightly on the young side. Every single office visit I made leading up to the surgery I was by at least a decade, the youngest person in the office. For the older people, they could remember all too well what a huge big deal cataract surgery had been for their parents, and so they'd put it off. I tell people to get it as soon as the doctor says. It's the most amazing thing ever.

I can see! I wake up in the morning and I can see the clock across the room. I can read the titles of the books on my bookshelf near the bed. How amazing is that!

Oh, and I still need reading glasses, because I opted for the lens that would correct my distance vision, while still needing reading glasses. To me, that's not a problem.