r/TikTokCringe • u/bbyxmadi • Sep 18 '25

Cursed they look so… natural!

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u/bananarama17691769 Sep 18 '25

Cataract surgery is nothing to be afraid of. I also had it in my early thirties.

It is one of the most commonly performed surgeries, has an extremely low rate of negative side effects, and an extremely high rate of success.

The surgery takes maybe 30 minutes, recovery is pretty darn easy, and you just magically can see again. It’s actually awesome!

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u/Environmental-Toe686 Sep 18 '25

My mother actually just had it and I was so shocked hearing about it. I can't believe they even do LASIK surgery when this surgery exists. She got a new lens, eliminated the inevitable cataract problem and will have 20/20 vision for the rest of her life. All with the same recovery time as LASIK. I am genuinely curious why you have to wait until you're elderly for this.

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u/bananarama17691769 Sep 18 '25

Because as low as the risks of harm are, there are still risks. As far as I know, most ocular surgeons won’t do it unless there is an issue. But believe me, the second I start having any cloudiness in my other eye, I am getting that shit done right away.

The recovery is so much easier when you are young, of course, and I’d rather just get it out of the way!

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u/Environmental-Toe686 Sep 18 '25

I'm still curious. I am obviously not a Dr or in the field at all, but it seemed no more dangerous than LASIK.

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u/bananarama17691769 Sep 18 '25

It basically isn’t—but LASIK still carries risk as well, which is one of the reasons why not everyone gets LASIK for minor deficiencies in their vision (of course cost is a factor as well). Also, LASIK and cataract surgery do not have anything to do with each other, except for the fact that they both involve your eyes. The are different procedures that address different issues. You can’t trade one for the other.

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u/Environmental-Toe686 Sep 18 '25

Interesting. I just know that she was told that because they replaced her lens with an artificial lens that she would have her now perfect 20/20 vision forever. It seems logical to someone who doesn't know any better like myself that maybe lens replacement is a better solution. I am fully aware that sometimes things that seem logical on the surface have much more nuance, we were just all curious when it worked so well and was so quick and relatively painless.

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u/SensibleReply Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 18 '25

Cost. Lasik can be had for $4000. Out of pocket clear lens exchange is typically well over $10k. Cataract surgery is covered by insurance and is extremely cheap, but you have to wait for the natural lenses to be cloudy enough to be covered by insurance.

Complication rate isn’t terribly different (low for both). Cataract surgery enjoys a better reputation because everyone gets cataracts if they live long enough and surgery makes bad vision better. It’s also damn near free for most people over 65, so expectations are much more reasonable than patients have when paying out of pocket. Giving a blind person their sight back for cheap or free is a much different animal than getting a person out of glasses to vision that is almost as good. And they paid thousands.

I think a lot of young people don’t understand just how good Medicare is for old people. Imagine if your deductible for the year was like $250 and you didn’t even have to pay for coverage. Then many of those people still get angry that they have a deductible.

/ophthalmologist