Cataracts

[Hells Comin]

I've been shooting the last month with my right eye closed- because I can't see my pistol barrels little alone the sights yes I use my sights .

I'm having surgery on the right eye February 13th and EOT starts on the 26th. How long  after cataract surgery can start shooting?

 

   Hells Comin 

[Rip Snorter]

Your Doc is the place to ask!

["Big Boston"]

Like Rip said, I followed my ophthalmologists advice. IMHO it's not something you want too rush. I had switched to LH shooting, my right was so bad. After getting both done I was in no hurry, too much to loose. All it takes is a little bit of dust in the incision and you're blind. I went for the top of the line lens, after all it's not like you can change your mind and opt for the better one later. 

 

BB 

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

I'm scheduled exactly one month after you in March. I talked to them and got a little info but will go in in a week or two to finalize going ahead.  I've seen good reports from shooters following cataract surgery but will definitely error on the side of caution as far as resuming activities. A buddy told me that he was told to not lift over 20 pounds or bend fully over. I guess I will be finding out.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I’ve had both eyes done and no longer need glasses for distance vision. Do need correction for close reading and computer work.

[Jackrabbit Joe #414]

Hey Hells give me a call had both my eyes done with no problem

 

Jackrabbit

[Kid Rich]

Hey HC with your loads you can go straight to the range from the DR's office.

kR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mister Badly]

I had both eyes done with bifocal lenses. A dusty range would be less than ideal.

If you decide to go get a pair of glasses with the foam seals on the inside. Preferably with an elastic strap. 

[G W Wade]

I have been told by friends, the doctor wouldn't let them shoot shotgun for period of time after operation          GW

[Choctaw Jack]

I've had both eyes done, two surgeries done 6 weeks apart.

IIRC, the Doc told me to restrict my lifting and shooting for a week afterwards.

Choctaw

[Nimble Fingers SASS# 25439]

18 hours ago, Hells Comin said:

I've been shooting the last month with my right eye closed- because I can't see my pistol barrels little alone the sights yes I use my sights .

I'm having surgery on the right eye February 13th and EOT starts on the 26th. How long  after cataract surgery can start shooting?

 

   Hells Comin 

I had both eyes done on Friday and was working by Tuesday the following week!  I have shot a lot of different guns since but I have not shot a .45-70, got a 1886, a Trapdoor carbine and a .45-60 1876 original that i am slightly concerned about only because my right eye has had 2 detached retinas. About that, after you get your lenses, if you start to see something like a “shade” slowly coming down your vision, go immediately to either where you got the cataract surgery or the ER, DONT WAIT!  You could lose sight in your eye!  You won’t feel anything, the only way you know is the shadow on your vision. I went to Rand Eye Institute in SE FL!  
what the others said is also good advice, ask your DR as well. 

[Mister Badly]

Low impact shotgun. 

[Go West]

Reschedule until after EOT or don't shoot. The time period you have is too short for EOT if you have surgery. A good doctor would likely tell you the same.

No charge. 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Agree with what Go West said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Oklahoma Dee]

On 1/31/2025 at 6:31 PM, Hells Comin said:

I've been shooting the last month with my right eye closed- because I can't see my pistol barrels little alone the sights yes I use my sights .

I'm having surgery on the right eye February 13th and EOT starts on the 26th. How long  after cataract surgery can start shooting?

 

   Hells Comin 

Well, God gave you brains, use em...

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

HC, if you can't shoot, please volunteer to help run side matches on Wednesday.  We'd like to see you on range.  With your newly fixed eyeballs you could spot hits on one of the long-range side matches.

["Big Boston"]

First a bit of humor: My ophthalmologist and I came to agreement years ago, I promised that I wouldn't give medical advice concerning eyes and in turn he wouldn't tell me how to shoot Cowboy Action. 

 

I commented before, but honestly, I'd sort of put the whole procedure behind me. I get a bit anxious going to the dentist, operations of any type scare the heck out of me. Because of Covid my procedure was postponed and the clinic misplaced my file. My right eye had very cloudy vision when I finally got scheduled. This was of concern, if left too long, in some instances the new lens will do nothing, IOW, you will never have vision in that eye. Worse case, the now blind eye it will adversely affect the eyesight in the good eye and they will have to remove the bad eye and fit you with a fake one. They used to be glass, does anyone know if they use a special plastic now? Immediately after, and for several hours after cataract surgery, my vision was bad, very blurry, it took a while to regain good vision. I wore a plastic cap over my eye for several days and followed a routine of eye drops for I think two weeks. After my follow up about a month or more later, to check on how the healing had progressed, is when my routine was getting back to normal. And as mentioned, no lifting anything heavy, no sneezing, and not pushing to hard when having a poop. Shooting was so far back in the things I was wanting to do, it didn't bother me to take a break from CAS. IIRC, shooting was mentioned, but I don't remember what the details were. I had surgery early in the year, in January IIRC, and I was shooting again in summer. In addition I waited even longer to shoot high power and took the 338 Lapua and a few other calibers off the list of guns I shoot. Nothing to do with cataracts, just that detached retinas are a concern when you age and the concussive muzzle blast isn't good for the eyes either. During the time when my eyesight became bad, I realized just how precious good eyesight is. 

 

Each of us has our priorities, I put my eyesight ahead of my shooting hobby. I had an stubborn strong willed aunt that was so thrilled to have restored sight she went for a walk, against her doctors advice. A bit of dust blew off the street into her eyes, they got infected, and she became blind. My thought was how could she be so stupid. Yes, true story. She spent the last 10 to 20 years of her life blind. On the other side of the coin, one of the replies above tells of going back to work within days and all was good. Like Dirty Harry said, "Well punk, do you feel lucky?" 

 

BB 

[Eyesa Horg]

I've done both eyes and only had to take one day off work. Had to wear a metal patch at night to avoid scratching in my sleep. Had a check up with the surgeon a week after and then yearly. Both were during winter, so shooting never came up, but my job as a buried cable locator required walking dirt roads daily. Each case is probably different.

[Laramie]

I had both eyes done last year. I asked my doctor about shooting. She said wait a week and then come over to her place and shoot some of the groundhogs in her yard! Lol

Laramie

[Hells Comin]

On 6 stages today I had 18 rifle misses .

I'm going to have the surgery and if I can't shoot eot So be it.  It certainly wouldn't be any fun if You can't hit anything. I'll follow the Doctors instructions to the tee and start shooting when he says I can.

 

Thanks ever for responding. 

 

    Hells Comin 

Edited February 2 by Hells Comin

[Eyesa Horg]

Wishing the best Pard, Prayers up.

[Mister Badly]

1 hour ago, Hells Comin said:

On 6 stages today I had 18 rifle misses

Were you shooting Outlaw?😉 Rifle from the hip?  Good luck with your surgery.

Edited February 2 by Mister Badly

[Hells Comin]

No I wasn't . I tried all different kinds of contouring and finally on the 6th stage either I figured it out or got lucky. I closed my right eye put my right cheek on my right shoulder and aimed at the lower right corner of each target . I got a standing ovation from the posse for shooting a clean stage. Lol 

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

  Go for it!

Had both eyes done last year, 2 weeks apart.  Learned I needed it after near-disastrous adventure trying to see while driving after dark.  Oncoming headlights were a real problem.

Only real no-no was lifting heavy items and bending down with head below waist level.

 

"Say, Doc, how soon can I shoot a 12 gauge?"  No problem, he said.

Best of luck.

[John Kloehr]

My doc has been ready to prescribe cataract surgery for several years, he has just been waiting on me to be ready. Have not enjoyed driving at night for at least 7 years.

 

In the last year, my eyes seem to have lost the ability to adjust focus to different distances at all so my "factory" lenses are done. And the bottom half of one eye is becoming useless.

 

Discussions now scheduled around March to get my eyes done. Been severely nearsighted my entire life, but figure 20-20 vision is the best target for replacement lenses. Have a great ophthalmologist/optometrist and a great optician so can get any lenses I want for tweaking to a "sports" configuration after the procedure.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I started wearing glasses for distance vision starting my junior year of high school when I started driving. Then needed bifocal lenses to be able to read plans at the Architect’s office I was working at. Then I started getting cataracts and after surgery and getting plane lenses I no longer needed glasses for distance vision and only need glasses for reading close up and computers.

[Sagebrush Burns, SASS # 14226]

Hope your surgery is as successful as mine was!

[Hells Comin]

Went in for my 8 day checkup today. 

Well the Doctor told me "NO RESTRICTIONS "  The results are great and well beyond my wildest exceptions.  I can see the front sights better than ever "HD"

 

   Hells Comin 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Fantastic!!!!!!

[watab kid]

im praying for good results , like to hear back when its over 

[Sagebrush Burns, SASS # 14226]

Good to hear that all is well!

[patsy montana]

Thank you all for sharing the information.  Just had my left eye done yesterday and planning on having my right eye done on the 24th.  I hope to be on the road, headed to Utah on April 21st to shoot the Regional and then continue on to California.  I am working on finishing shooting in all the states, so I hope my doctor approves.  As of the moment, I think my schedule is reasonable. But will wait until the Doctor says all is good.  I also want to see the states I shoot in.

 

 

Patsy Montana

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

I had my first surgery Thursday the 13th. A little discomfort the following day. By that afternoon it was feeling better and vision was getting better. Now 2 days later better still. I'm being careful, following the instructions I was given. My right eye is scheduled for the 27th. So far so good.