New eyes..cataract sugery question

[Dallasbeek]

I had a cataract removed from my right eye yesterday and will have my left eye done Sept. 21.  I'm not supposed to lift anything weighing more than 20 pounds for a couple of months after the last surgery.  We're coming into a time when the bees need some attention.  Any advice from anybody who's gone through this?

[iddee]

Empty box and one frame at a time

[Eugene Willson]

 Do not take any chances with your eyes, do whatever it takes to not lift more than you are supposed to.
call a friend,  get help any way you can or do it one frame at a time.
Good luck
Gene

[rwlaw]

Ya, don't take any chances, my brother had a detached retina from cataract surgery, twice! Offer future indentured servitude, whine, beg, whatever you need to do to get some help.. You don't want to have complications, I can assure you.
Oh yeah, your not supposed to be reading this, right?

[Michael Bush]

A frame at a time or get some help.  If you're harvesting, maybe make some two frame boxes to hold the honey.  Or, again, get some help.  It is a little different than asking your friend to help you move some furniture.  The furniture usually doesn't sting...

[chux]

Are you in a bee club? Do you know any new and younger beeks in the area? I know what I would do if one of our members called me and said they needed a hand. I'll bet there are some folks near you who would help out. Don't bee too proud/stubborn/fearful to give someone else the opportunity to help you. It could be a blessing to them. "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

[ldeano]

I am in Denton, TX.  What part of Dallas are you in?  If you don't have someone that is crazy enough work bees, we can try to work out a weekend day or something.

[Dallasbeek]

I am in Denton, TX.  What part of Dallas are you in?  If you don't have someone that is crazy enough work bees, we can try to work out a weekend day or something.

Thanks for the offer.  There's another beekeeper a few blocks away that I can ask for help.  Thanks, everyone.

[ldeano]

no problem anytime! 

[BeeMaster2]

Dallas,
The bees have been taking care of them selves for 250 million years. You are far enough south that leaving the honey on will bee OK. If you do not get help, the honey will be there when you can get to it. You may even have better hives in the spring.
Take care of your eyes. I was blind from a virus when I was age 4. You do not want to damage your eyes for life.
Jim

[Dallasbeek]

Thanks, Jim.  I haven't planned to harvest honey this year, anyway.  My bees barely made it through the final cold spell of last winter, so I had planned to leave honey until March or April this year.  I just feel like I need to monitor the situation before cold weather hits in November or December.  I was only a little anxious about the time I've been told I'd have to wait before lifting more than about 20 pounds.  I had gotten to the point I couldn't see eggs and larvae, so removal of cataracts was necessary.  Now I'll just have to wait for healing, which the surgeon says can take a couple of months.

Gary

[BeeMaster2]

Dallas,
How is your right I doing? Hope it is working.
My dad and grandfather both had cateracts. I am having a harder and harder time reading and this surgery is probably in my future.
Jim

[Dallasbeek]

Dallas,
How is your right I doing? Hope it is working.
My dad and grandfather both had cateracts. I am having a harder and harder time reading and this surgery is probably in my future.
Jim

Jim, i had the surgery Monday morning and so far I'm having trouble finding the focal point for the lens, but the doctor said it might take several days for the swelling to go down and the vision to stabilize.  My wife had here cataracts removed last year and immediately was amazed at the clarity when the first bandage was removed, so I guess it varies with the individual.  She had worn monovision contacts for about 10 years and the doctor put the same kind of lenses in her eyes -- one for distance and the other for close up -- but I wasn't a candidate for that. 

I had gotten so that it was like looking through a dirty window, so I'm confident that when my eyes stabilize, there'll be a great improvement, even if I still have to wear glasses.

My doctor will not use crystal lenses or any of those, by the way.

[GSF]

I'd let it go if I couldn't get any help. Getting your eyes messed up isn't like getting a bad haircut. Permanent is permanent.

[BeeMaster2]

Dallas,
Thanks.
What lens did he put in?
Did you get the flexible lens?
Jim

[Dallasbeek]

Dallas,
Thanks.
What lens did he put in?
Did you get the flexible lens?
Jim

Flexible?  Didn't know there was such a thing.  No, far as I know, just standard lens. Card they gave me says Abbott Medical Optics model ZCB00.

[BeeMaster2]

Several (many) years back. I saw advertisements for a replacement lens that was flexible and allowed your eye to focus just like your real lens. Not sure what ever became of it. It may have been a failure.
Maybe some of our members have heard or had them and will add info about them.
Jim

[Dallasbeek]

Several (many) years back. I saw advertisements for a replacement lens that was flexible and allowed your eye to focus just like your real lens. Not sure what ever became of it. It may have been a failure.
Maybe some of our members have heard or had them and will add info about them.
Jim

A friend who is also a beekeeper has lenses that have concentric circles, where each part of the lens has a different focal point.  The brain adjusts to use the one that is in focus for what you are looking at, according to him.  He's happy with them, but they cost about $2,500 more than regular lenses -- I don't recall whether he said that was per eye or total.  I'm not sure my brain would work like that, but I don't have the money to find out, so.... 

[BeeMaster2]

Sounds interesting. I were progressives. Probably would not bee much different to get use to.
Jim

[Dallasbeek]

It's at least something to keep in mind.