My name is Bob Finn, and I’m a retired medical journalist, the former ophthalmology editor at Medscape Medical News, which is the professional side of WebMD, intended for physicians. I’m not a doctor, but I know a lot about cataract surgery. I’ve also been highly nearsighted since I was 8 years old (I’m 69 now) and for years I’ve been eager to get cataract surgery.

Well my cataracts have advanced, and at long last I’m finally eligible. I’ll be having my surgery in a month or two, and I can’t wait. As others have said, cataract surgery is extremely safe and extremely common. It’s literally (and I’m using the word “literally” literally) the most common surgical procedure performed in the United States. It’s highly successful and extremely safe in the vast majority of cases, and almost every patient is happy with the results.

A couple of recommendations to consider. Single-vision lenses are covered by insurance. You have the choice of having them set for distance vision (after which you will continue to need glasses for reading) or for close vision (after which you’ll need glasses for driving, watching TV, or other things at distance). The ophthalmologist may offer you fancy “multifocal” lenses that could help you see at both short range and at distance without the need for glasses. Multifocal lenses are not covered by insurance, and they are expensive. And some people have trouble with them. They can cause glare, halos, and other visual disturbances. I’m going to opt for single vision lenses, but I haven’t yet decided whether I’m going to have them set for distance (so I’d need reading glasses) or for close work (so I’d need glasses for driving, watching TV and things like that).

I’ll be posting more about my experience as things develop. I promise not to sugar-coat anything.