What to expect post-surgery cataracts

[Wilfred]

I now have no vision problems but Dr saw start of cataracts 4 or 5 years ago, and now specialists say its a good time to remove the cataracts....better and easier than waiting until they are a vision problem.

I have one eye scheduled for June, and the other for July.

If you have had this surgery what was the outcome relative to piloting your own airplane? Any thing I should expect out of the normal?

Thanks for any insight.

[Onex33]

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes. Prior to surgery I wore glasses(near sighted) since I was in high school and now I have 20/20 vision. I flew with glasses for a lot of years and I have to say it is easier to fly without glasses and I don't have to worry about prescription sunglasses. Also even when hunting I don't have to turn my head to see what that noise was as peripheral vision is also 20/20. You only have to report the surgery for your medical and if you are flying LSA you don't have a eyeglass restriction on your driver's license. If you never wore glasses then a lot of my comments might not apply but if you have you will "see" a new freedom.
Loren
Onex33

[mikey]

I have had both eyes done. The last one was 4 years ago. At that time, you were ok to begin flying again when your eye doc said you were ok to resume. But you are supposed to send to FAA medical......Form 8500-7 Report of Eye Evaluation, copy of Operative Report from the surgeon, and copy of post op eye evaluation. Take copies of the above to your AME when you renew your FAA medical. At the time I had mine done, you were ok to begin flying as soon as your eye doc said ok if you had the single focal length lens implanted. If you had the multifocus lens implanted, the FAA wanted you to not fly until 6 months had passed after the operation. This was a number of yeas ago and may have changed. The docs will probably tell you that there is a slightly increased chance of retinal detachment after the cataract operation. Whether this is an effect of the operation is unclear. Talk to your doc about it. When that conversation occurs, pay attention and take note of what to be aware of should it happen. I don't know about EAA medical providing info on how to handle FAA paperwork, but AOPA is a good source.

[VFR-on-top]

Depending on your circumstances, if there is even a slight possibility that you would not pass a medical following surgery, you might want to talk to a CFI. If you fail a PPL medical, you would not be able to fly even with a Sport Pilot License which only requires a valid drivers license instead of a medical. Good luck!

[Wilfred]

Thank you for the replies. I allowed my 3rd class medical to expire some time ago and just use my DL in a ELSA (RV-12) so the implications of the surgery are not great. I will probably only continue to have the "Must wear corrective lens" restriction on my DL. My concern centered about the practical aspects of flight after the surgery and how long a waiting period afterward seems logical...obviously if things are not clear I won't fly because I still have to self-certify. I was looking for experience of others in regard to recovery. Thanks again.

[mikey]

in my case(s) it was two to three weeks before doc said all stable and good to go, although I was seeing fine in about 3-4 days.