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Diagnosed with Cataract

• SimonTheBeetle 3,643 Posts

  Wed, Jul 27 2022 10:04 AM

  I know this is not really the right place, but the acquaintances around me in real life have no related knowledge or experience at all so I'm asking here. (And sometimes you can get more straightforward & honest opinions when it's anonymous so...)

  One of my eyes has been bugging me for sometime now (things are seen blurry & cloudy), and it's got really worse lately so I went to see an optometrist, was diagnosed with cataract and sent to a specialist. 

  Now the thing is... the way the specialist & consultation staff explained the surgery options to me sounded more like... a business person rather than folks in the medical field. :-/ They were blatantly trying to lure me towards the premium options. According to their description, the basic package lens is practically nothing but a garbage. Here is what they showed me as options.

  

  Is it a fair level of suggestion in terms of options, cost & fees? Am I getting fooled by their salesmanship as perhaps the basic package lens is plenty enough to cure the disease? I really don't know what's the right thing to do especially since I'm told once you get the surgery, it's irreversible.

  Another thing I find "funny" is that they accept cash or cheque only, not payable with credit or debit cards. I've been to some other clinics before this one and it's the first time seeing A DOCTOR insisting on hard cash. :-/ Is this a normal practice?

  Again sorry about the inappropriate question. I already called several other optometry clinics hoping to hear more options available but they all say appointments are by GP referrals only.

  Any opinions, thoughts and advice will be highly appreciated.

  Simon

• ct690911 7,205 Posts

  Wed, Jul 27 2022 11:22 AM

  Hi Simon;

     I had the same "upsell" experience when I went for a hearing test. They had me needing hearing aids from the moment I walked in the door. Lots of payment plan options as well. The salesman, errr, audiologist was very accommodating.

     Have you spoken to a family doctor about his/her opinion on this?. Different line of work but they may have some experience from other patients. 

     Also, do you have private health insurance that could help with this?. 

  ct

• craigswan 31,743 Posts

  Wed, Jul 27 2022 12:05 PM

  My son wanted lasik eye surgery so he did his research .

  The number one surgeon for this worked in miami .

  Also he happened to be the most expensive at $6000 dollars .

  But he did let him pay it up on interest free .

  3 years later he still has better than 20/20 vision .

  On the other hand a friend paid £500 in uk to a cheap high street optician around ten years ago .

  They have spots in front of eyes , need corrective surgery and been told not to drive in the dark .

  You get what you pay for .

  Good luck simon because on my latest visit to my optician he told me in ten years i might be needing same procedure .

• SimonTheBeetle 3,643 Posts

  Wed, Jul 27 2022 12:16 PM

  Hi ct,

  No, it's been a while that our family applied for a family doctor but we're still on the waiting list. :( I even went to a walk-in clinic nearby and they said this is too much of a specialized sector so they can't really provide any clear-cut professional opinions on this.

  And yes, I already called my private health insurance company and none of the premium surgery options can be covered by their insurance plan unfortunately.

  Actually... I don't mind paying even the top-end option IF all they're "advertising" is true, especially if I don't have to wear glasses after the surgery. It almost sounded like getting a LASIK or LASEK surgery if what they're saying is true.

  I just don't want to get fooled by their false exaggerated ads and sales tactics if any.

  Thanks for the comment anyways, ct. Appreciate it.

  Simon

• SimonTheBeetle 3,643 Posts

  Wed, Jul 27 2022 12:21 PM

  craigswan:

  You get what you pay for .

  Good luck simon because on my latest visit to my optician he told me in ten years i might be needing same procedure .

  You're absolutely right on this.

  Thank you, Craig. I'll leave a review, a little epilogue later if possible.

  Simon

• pmm711 5,701 Posts

  Thu, Jul 28 2022 4:08 AM

  SimonTheBeetle:

  I know this is not really the right place, but the acquaintances around me in real life have no related knowledge or experience at all so I'm asking here. (And sometimes you can get more straightforward & honest opinions when it's anonymous so...)

  One of my eyes has been bugging me for sometime now (things are seen blurry & cloudy), and it's got really worse lately so I went to see an optometrist, was diagnosed with cataract and sent to a specialist. 

  Now the thing is... the way the specialist & consultation staff explained the surgery options to me sounded more like... a business person rather than folks in the medical field. :-/ They were blatantly trying to lure me towards the premium options. According to their description, the basic package lens is practically nothing but a garbage. Here is what they showed me as options.

  

  Is it a fair level of suggestion in terms of options, cost & fees? Am I getting fooled by their salesmanship as perhaps the basic package lens is plenty enough to cure the disease? I really don't know what's the right thing to do especially since I'm told once you get the surgery, it's irreversible.

  Another thing I find "funny" is that they accept cash or cheque only, not payable with credit or debit cards. I've been to some other clinics before this one and it's the first time seeing A DOCTOR insisting on hard cash. :-/ Is this a normal practice?

  Again sorry about the inappropriate question. I already called several other optometry clinics hoping to hear more options available but they all say appointments are by GP referrals only.

  Any opinions, thoughts and advice will be highly appreciated.

  Simon

  Simon,

  I’m assuming the cost grid above is from your insurer so I’d go with the best lens option you can justifiably afford.  My wife had both of her eyes done and she sees things much “brighter” than before, but, she and I disagree on something’s color here and there.  The colors she sees aren’t always as I see them.  We’re not sure if her lenses are causing this or if I have an issue too. 😂  She does still require reading glasses and she wishes there was a multifocal lens implant to allow for better reading vision too.  Also, she experiences more dry eye than before the surgery so she’s constantly using drops.  Plus, she is highly sensitive to light now too.  I’m seeming to always have to be turning off lights when we’re doing things together…including turning down my iPhone brightness when she’s near me.

  Whatever you decide to do you must get it done.  My wife is so glad she got both her eyes done.

  Hope this helps..best of luck with the decision and surgery!

  Paul

• PureGro1 1,656 Posts

  Thu, Jul 28 2022 5:56 AM

  pmm711:

  she and I disagree on something’s color here and there.  The colors she sees aren’t always as I see them.

  That is probably more the effect of marriage then the eye surgery...lol

• Mythanatos 2,216 Posts

  Thu, Jul 28 2022 7:46 AM

  PureGro1:

  pmm711:

  she and I disagree on something’s color here and there.  The colors she sees aren’t always as I see them.

  That is probably more the effect of marriage then the eye surgery...lol

  actually other than a small % of men. Women differentiate more shades of color. there are also superchromats in both groups( very rare in men.) And they see more shades than most women. 

  I happen to be in the lucky small % of men. 

  I have to pick shades for teeth matching and i learned a long time ago that what i see and what most patients see are different. They will say at a try in that it looks great and I will see a difference. and I'll send it back to tweak the shade. 

• SimonTheBeetle 3,643 Posts

  Thu, Jul 28 2022 12:59 PM

  Wow! Thank you so much, Paul, for sharing your experiences with all the details!

  I called the specialist again this morning and made another appointment to discuss further about the option suitable for my eye. As a sage bud told me, I'm going to take my time before I make my ultimate decision. For now, I'm inclining more towards the top-end one but I'll see if it changes or not after talking to the specialist once again next week.

  Anyway again, thanks for your reply, Paul. Much appreciated! 😃

  PureGro1:

  That is probably more the effect of marriage then the eye surgery...lol

  LOL Thought you were just a GIF humour master. 😂😂😂

  Mythanatos:

  actually other than a small % of men. Women differentiate more shades of color. there are also superchromats in both groups( very rare in men.) And they see more shades than most women. 

  I happen to be in the lucky small % of men. 

  I have to pick shades for teeth matching and i learned a long time ago that what i see and what most patients see are different. They will say at a try in that it looks great and I will see a difference. and I'll send it back to tweak the shade. 

  Interesting!

  ↓↓↓ EDIT : Thank you for the kind words, Pure. :) ↓↓↓

• PureGro1 1,656 Posts

  Fri, Jul 29 2022 5:41 AM

  Good luck with the eyes whichever way ya go bud! If it was glaucoma I could possibly help...

  SimonTheBeetle:

  PureGro1:

  That is probably more the effect of marriage then the eye surgery...lol

  LOL Thought you were just a GIF humour master. 😂😂😂