Eye Exam

I had my annual eye exam today, which has for the past few years become an annual reminder of my getting older. Once again, I have a change in prescription, again in my right eye, and again caused by growing cataracts. I’m not real clear (no pun intended; well, maybe a little) on just how cataracts affect focus – does it matter that I do? – but I’ve noticed the past few months having problems reading signs when I’m outside, particularly while driving. And my optometrist explained to me that this was due to the cataracts, and it will only get worse, and at some point I’ll have to have cataract surgery, if not the gouging out of my eyes (I think he was just laying out the options). But the good news of that, he said, is that the surgery would go a long way in correcting my nearsightedness (now some 55 years old). I asked why not just go ahead and cut away now? It’s an option, and some people do it, but my insurance doesn’t cover cataract surgery until it reaches a certain point (even though the surgery is inevitable; inevitable that is if I live long enough, and the insurance company is betting I won’t). I could go ahead and have it done, he said, if I wanted to pay out of pocket, about $5000 per eye. But I think I’ll call the insurance company’s bluff on this one.