Another year, Oh Yeah!

[Grandpa Shooter]

Got the new year off to a good start.  Had an eye exam on the 5th because I realized my left eye was seeing blurry or double.  Found out I have a cataract in both eyes, and early stage glaucoma.  Put in a request with the VA for a screening.  Should be fun getting them to step up and do anything.  Can't say I have had a whole lot of luck getting them in gear in the past.

What a way to start the year

[Monkeyleg]

Swell. Do you have other insurance you can use?

[Grandpa Shooter]

Swell. Do you have other insurance you can use?

Because of my disabilities, I am uninsurable for anything other that catastrophic care, so the answer is NO.  My brother now says he has cataracts and glaucoma and my sister is diabetic.  I have not been around my family much in the last 25 years so I am finding out the hard way what they have for medical problems.

[Tallpine]

Dang 

[AZRedhawk44]

Glaucoma.

Now you can smoke the green stuff, if you want.

See?  Silver linings are in every cloud!

Sorry to hear about the vision issues, Gpa.

[bedlamite]

Actually, the VA has been great for my dad. A year ago a friend of his suggested he go in and get checked at the VA, he did and found out he has Diabetes. The VA is now paying for 100% of his meds thanks to his tropical vacation during the use of Agent Orange.

He also wore thick glasses his entire life, had cataract surgery about 3 years ago, and now has 20/20 distance vision and a set of reading glasses.

[Grandpa Shooter]

Actually, the VA has been great for my dad. A year ago a friend of his suggested he go in and get checked at the VA, he did and found out he has Diabetes. The VA is now paying for 100% of his meds thanks to his tropical vacation during the use of Agent Orange.

He also wore thick glasses his entire life, had cataract surgery about 3 years ago, and now has 20/20 distance vision and a set of reading glasses.

I have had extensive contact with the VA over the last 4 years.  They eventually get themselves in gear and do provide decent quality care.  The new director is giving them heck over their sluggish responses and they are beginning to contract for outside services.  The MOHS surgeon I had for my skin cancer was a dud, but the plastic surgeon who put my face back together did a good job.  They took 2 1/2 years to finally retire me on medical issues, but I am now eligible for full medical and my wife gets Champ-VA.

Every issue they have treated, other than my hernias, was due to my all expense paid vacation in sunny Southeast Asia.  I hope your Dad did not go through what I did.  Next time you talk to him tell him an old River Rat says Hey!

[bedlamite]

I'll do that. He was LRRP with the Black Lions in 68-69, and got to ride in the PBR's regularly.

[Tallpine]

Hey, Grandpa - I finally finished your book.   

If you ever want to talk more about what happened over there ... or if not I understand that too. 

[Grandpa Shooter]

Hey, Grandpa - I finally finished your book.   

If you ever want to talk more about what happened over there ... or if not I understand that too. 

I don't know that I can shed any light on the overall history of the conflict.  I only know my part of it.  Maybe we'll sit and have a scotch (or whatever).

[Tallpine]

Well, I meant your personal experiences leading up to 01-20-70 ...

You told me a lot about the aftermath.


Oddly enough, I'm about five years younger, and I used to read about the USN small boat operations in VN and think that was cool.  Of course, I was also a big fan of the PT boat history of WW2. 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I have both glaucoma, and the start of cataracts.  Drops can control the glaucoma, but make sure they get you on them quick (I'm on Lumigan).  Ask the eye doc for samples, Lumigan is expensive.  And get on them quick, glaucoma has no pain and no symptoms, you just go blind.

Cataract surgery is a simple procedure these days.  My wife has had both eyes done and only had to take one day off of work each time because of being light sensitive for a while.  She said the actual procedure takes about 15 minutes and is painless.  I guess in your case paying for it might be the painful part.  Good Luck.

[sanglant]

one thing you should look into is on the lenses they put in your eye's(yes IN YOUR EYE'S ) i have heard some truckers say they had to quit driving because they got the bifocal lenses and couldn't see to drive after dark because of the glare

Warnings

A very small number of patients (less than 1% in U.S. clinical studies) may be dissatisfied and request removal of their multifocal IOL. Under poor visibility conditions, your vision may be reduced more than it would be with a monofocal IOL. Under these conditions, you may have more difficulty recognizing some traffic signs and hard-to-see objects in the road. Therefore, you may need to take extra care when driving, especially in poor light conditions. In rare instances, multifocal IOLs may make some types of retinal surgery more difficult.

good luck, my dad seems to tolerate the VA pretty good

[Grandpa Shooter]

one thing you should look into is on the lenses they put in your eye's(yes IN YOUR EYE'S ) i have heard some truckers say they had to quit driving because they got the bifocal lenses and couldn't see to drive after dark because of the glare

good luck, my dad seems to tolerate the VA pretty good

I tired to copy the warning you quoted.  What I find ironic is that what they are warning about is exactly what I am currently experiencing.  Difficulty driving at night due to glare and reduced ability to read street signs and accurately distinguish traffic lights.  Luckily I live in the mountains where we have NO traffic lights or street lights.  Even the largest town which is 40 miles away only has a half dozen traffic lights.  While here in the Valley the farthest I go is to Lowe's after dark and that is only 2 1/2 miles and two traffic lights. 

My left eye has gone from 425 to 625 and the eye doctor cautioned me I may have trouble adjusting to such a large jump in strength.  She told me to come back if I can't adjust after 3 weeks.  Oh goodie!

[Cromlech]

That is indeed a pretty big power, hope you can adjust to it!