I usually don’t share my personal stuff on a forum but in this instance I’m going to. I had cataract surgery on my left eye 2 weeks ago last Monday and my right eye was done this past Monday. Both eyes had increased internal pressure problems after surgery and I had to have the doc draw some eyeball fluid off both. The right eye was the worst causing mevomiting & the squirts. One minute in the doc’s office though and he had me drained and feeling great!

I’d sold all of my 330 H-stands earlier this year but figured I needed a couple so I fabricated and gas-welded them up today with little problem. I had a #1.5 cheater in my tool box and that worked great in my welding goggles with a #4 lens. Because I’m still near-sighted after surgery I ordered a “throw-away’” pair of glasses so I can drive using the present prescription of my left eye because right now, I can’t see to drive but old welders can still fill the gaps by feel! LOL

Back in 2017 I got a pacemaker installed and I sold both of my welding machines to keep peace in the household, a Miller 150 mig and a Miller 150 stick/tig machine. I certainly miss my welding machines that represented an entire career and have had to step back to the old school of gas welding but I’m still welding trying to weld the crack of dawn!

Drain eyeball fluid?!? Yeesh! Made my skin crawl

Glad you are better. Keep ya rods hot Mr. Fales.

You got by a long time without getting cataract surgery. I am 60 and had my right eye done 2 years ago. The left eye is getting worse so that won't be long. Now made an appointment to get glasses. My long range sight is getting very poor. Its (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) getting old. And yes I have cheaters laying all over the place. As long as I can get after the critters all will be fine. Stay well Seldom I enjoy your videos.

Wife gets eye injections every two weeks since two years ago. Control pressure and treat her cornea. Says it doesn’t hurt. Of course, she. Is numbed up.

I was shocked at what a higher internal eyeball pressure caused/impacted. I had no noticeable problem with a high pressure in my left eye but he drained off 1 drop and my sinus pain was gone in about 5-6 hours. The right eye was a whole different experience. He had to tap it twice but once the eyeball is numbed, very little pain. The doctor just relieved the pressure through his previous incision with a little blunt tool. Better than the proverbial stick in the eye! I had very bad pain in that sinus over the eye but once the pressure was off, just a few hours the pain was gone.

Glad to hear you are doing better

I have been down that road for many years Seldom. I have Glaucoma and have had cataract surgery, lens emplants and have to use eye drops 2x daily to maintain my ocular pressure. My mother had severe Glaucoma and being the first and only born son I was destined to inherit the same problem which I did in spades. Laser surgery etc. all to try to maintain my vision.

I wish you well and hope you continue to get relief with your vision. It becomes an on going battle with such things particularly at our ages. My dad had macular degeneration for several years before his passing. I took him for injections directly into his eye 2x a month. He was nearly blind at his death.

Ya Bob, I wrote about my cataract surgery because I had no idea what it meant to have high pressure inside the eyeball and what that pressure caused. Terrible! For me, I was just as shocked to find out how quickly and easily the doc rectified the problem in 1 minute!!!

I’m still looking for the drill size to use for a dead-head in the crack of dawn!

Had my 4 week checkup on my left eye and 2 week checkup on my right eye this morning. My near vision is 20/20 in both eyes. 2 weeks ago I had my Dr made a prescription for a pair of glasses to use for far vision so I could drive. These work great while I wait for the eyes to stabilize so I can get a solid prescription. I don’t now how people can stand to wait a couple months or more without being able to see? The temporary prescription glasses are worth their weight in gold! Easily the best $100 I’ve spent in a long time.

Good to here. I have an appointment next week going to get started on my left eye. Right was done 3 years ago.

I'm 58. Had one eye done 10 years ago ands one about 5 years ago. Both eye had retina issues within 2 weeks and now I have floaters so big I have to wait a bit to see a squirrel in my scope. Sure is annoying. They say I have 20/20 vison but it's tough to get past the huge floaters.

Great to hear, keep it going!

I’m really sorry to hear about your retina issues! As a welder I’ve never taken good vision for granted. I’d put off having the surgery for a couple of years because the doc just told me that I’d know when I was ready which turned out to be true. I started to squint looking at distant objects and though I seldom drive after dark, oncoming headlights were like a starburst! LOL

I'm glad you're doing better

I used to be nearsighted but after I just had both eyes done, I am farsighted. I don't need glasses to drive now but use cheaters to read and for close up work. I am getting new glasses in a week so I won't have to be searching for cheaters every time I need to see up close. Glad I had the cataract surgery. All is bright now.

How old are you, Seldom? Seems like we had this conversation, but I’m 78 and thinking I’m getting close to the party time! Tig work is getting harder for me, especially thin, low amp work. Most people that shared their experience with me about cataracts, haven’t had the difficulties that you talked about. I hope it don’t work that way with all old welders! Best of luck with the rest of your healing!

Hi ya Lee! By golly good to hear from you! My surgery was pretty easy except for the increase in pressure but that was a quick & easy fix. When I hadthe pacemaker put in in 2017 I sold my welding machines in order to keep piece in the household and I’m not one to take chances with my ticker! Since the pacemaker I’ve gone “old school” with gas welding. As with tig it’s a 2-handed process which causes me to change how I fabricate since I don’t want to use magnets (because of the pacemaker) as fixture holding devices.

When you hired on as an apprentice welder in Dow in the 50’s & early 60’s you started in the Hand railing Crew which was strictly gas welding of 1.25” pipe. Just the year before I got my welding job Dow discontinued the handrailing crew and left the new installations and repairs to the building maintanece crew which always had a welder assigned. I was already a journeryman pipe fabricator in the Pipe Shop when I signed on to be a pipe welder so I missed out on the hand railing work.. It appears with me that regardless of how old us old welders get and with pacemakers unstalled, I miss all of the welding processes!

I’m still doing a railing ever once in awhile. Still like a nicely crafted pipe rail over square tubing like everyone else likes to build these days!

You watch your back side my friend!