My response Dave, was more to help allay her fears then a primer on cataract surgery (not my specialty at all ).

 

My Mom did have this done. She's been gone almost two years ago, and the surgery was quite a while before her passing. I believe our local Eye Surgery center had Boston affiliated doctors who did surgery there on a regular basis. My sister said Mom had a few issues initially, but they resolved. I don't remember too many restrictions on her, but I do remember a fair amount of bruising...My Mom was not the most stoic of patients and I don't remember too many complaints. If I recall, it is possible that the surgery won't "take" and have to be re-done, but I don't recall the percentages of that happening..

I'm sure you will do the research and find the best doc for Donna. Our best to you both.

 

Don't delay the inevitable.

 

The donor rejects run 5 to 30%, still not too bad odds but then its easy for me to say that. Thanks for checking; good to hear good outcomes!

 

I know. I'm realizing that more each day, so I will push more in that direction then I have been.

 

As Emil said, I am glad it went so well for you. I have both floaters and flashers so I may be having cataract surgery myself.... mainly because night driving is suddenly a bigger issue.

 

I am feeling a lot more comfortable about Donna's local doctor. He was the first doctor in the state of Michigan to perform DSEK back in 2005. He is the only doctor at that clinic that does cornea surgery. DMEK surgeries began about 2011. Still new in 2012 there were 800 DMEK’s performed in the USA compared to over 20,000 PK’s and over 20,000 other types of EK’s. DMEK's are challenging because the graft is quite fragile and difficult to handle but it is a procedure that that produces a significantly higher chance of 20/20 to 20/40 vision and a rejection rate that is one-tenth of the next best procedure. The consultant I spoke with did not have in her notes the number of DMEK’s he has done; however, she said he has been doing DMEK’s for three or four years. She said he is one of three or so doctors in the entire state that perform it. He teaches others how to do it and has done joint projects with UM. She said Dr. Mian performs DMEK’s for UM (the doctor referenced in the patient's story above). She wasn’t sure who does them on the west side of the state. She said we should schedule an appointment if we wanted more specifics since every patient is different. I watched a fascinating but frightening u-tube video on the DMEK operation; there are several available.

 

I'm sure you take the info on the internet with a grain of salt. Not all that is out there will apply to Donna, and watching a You tube video of surgery...ah no thanks! When Rick needed the skin graft on the side of the upper part of his nose due to skin cancer, I did a little too much internet surfing. He had a combination of basal cell and squamous cell in the lesion (which was small) and some of what I read on the internet left me extremely unsettled and almost ready to Most of what I read didn't apply to him. He had the surgical procedure and that was the end of that story.

Turn off that Mac and go have a

 

Lainey, the video I watched was 100% professional by a top notch doctor at a top notch hospital. It was entirely focused as an educational video. I do understand there is lots of stuff out there that is off the wall or does not apply. In this case it was the actual procedure from start to finish she will have to go through. At first on one eye and then in about two months the other eye. Funny you should mention basal skin cancer, I was just told yesterday I have it on my chest; so it will be removed next week. Good reason to have a beer today!

 

I could not watch something like that.. One of Rick former co-workers, a very talented mechanic, often woke in the middle of the night and would watch medical procedures. He said the docs were just like him and often used the same kind of tools. His unsuspecting wife would wake up open her eyes and see that he was watching a surgical procedure. She was not a fan.

Rick is a frequent flyer at the dermatologist office. Enjoy that beer, do you need a reason?