I've thought long and hard about where to put this, and finally decided here because a lot would see it and it does have to do with hunting in the U.S.

I'm in my sixties and have lost a good portion of the useful vision in my right eye due to cataracts. Vision other than up close is a blur. Surgery in the not too distant future can't be avoided.

At present I'm getting by for deer hunting with using a scope and for iron sights I've learned to shoot using the left shoulder with rifle and with the left eye using a handgun.

Anyway, here's the question. I know I will be able to see much better, but, will shock waves from muzzle blast have a negative impact on the eyes after those glass implants are installed to replace the natural retina (I hope I described that right - feel free to correct it).

I know...wear clear impact resistant glasses. I've already thought of that.

But, I'd still like some informed opinions on it. One thing, I'm particularly interested in handgun shooting including magnums, which obviously intensifies my interest in this question.

I also know to ask an ophthamologist. I'll do that one day, but am not willing to trust to just that, and besides how many of them shoot S&W Model 29s?

I'm not looking forward to eventually having to switch over to being only a gun collector...

How about using mild recoiling rifles after the surgery? Hopefully your right eye will be good as new

You can do most of the hunting in the U.S for deer and smaller animals with a .243 Win or a .260 Rem and you can shoot all day with a .223 during off season practice sessions.

No reason to just become a rifle collector.

Shack, relax, you will love your new vision after cataract surgery. I had both eyes done a year ago this week and have been completely satisfied.

I, too, am in my sixties and my vision had steadily gone down hill. (It never was good, I was extremely near sighted.)

I went to the eye doctor who had previously told me I had cataracts but not bad enough for surgery. He told me on that visit that I need surgery NOW.

He lined me up with a great surgeon near here and I could not be happier. The procedure is completely painless. They even made a video of the operation and gave me a DVD, I can watch it on my TV.

I now have wonderfull distance vision and just need glasses to do close work like reading, etc.
I just had some progressive lenses made that are clear on top and have more correction as they go down. Works great!

I shoot lots of firearms. I compete in IHMSA pistol competition and still shoot all the guns that I ever did. I recently bought a 375 H&H rifle and have shot it extensively, no problems.

I am fixing to work up some loads here soon on a 416 Rigby and am not concerned at all about the recoil.

I did have to refocus the occular lenses on all my scopes, and I did have to change the dipoters I use in my competition shooting glasses. But it was well worth it, I can see like never before.

The colors I can see are really amazing. Things that I thought were beige are really pure
white in color. There really are different colored green leaves on the trees, etc.

But once again, do not be afraid of the recoil issue, I have no problems at all.

I know a bunch of people who have had cataract surgery and all of them have been well pleased except one relative that wound up with an eye infection a couple weeks after the surgery and still cannot see worth a darn.

Hey there, my grandfather had the catarac procedure when it was very new. He was good to go very soon afterward. He was a gunner in WWII so he has always had an afinity to rifles. He never cared for, or owned a handgun. Always a rifle. After I became LE and really found out that when ur life is on the line its going to be a long arm over a handgun anytime....he never let me forget it.


He is now about to turn 91 and still in the color guard Legion Post 224. Cataracs are fine -- macular degeneration got him pretty good though.

Go forward feeling good about it.

The new lenses are not glass.I have had b oth mine done and my eyes are great now.You can even get lenses that work like bi-
focals.You will no longer need glasses.Do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way I shoot my 416 Rem. mag with no problem except a sore shoulder.

My brother let his vision go so long that one season he was forced to shoot "off" handed.

He had his surgerey the following spring and now only wears glasses to read.

I had new lenses installed in each eye two years ago. I'm now able to use iron sights again, after 30+ years of being saddled to scopes.
There is no issue with shock waves, or recoil after cataract surgery, just do the doctor recommended recovery, and go shoot.
I celebrated and bought a Marlin 336 in 30-30 with irons sights on it after getting new lenses. I can now actually see the front sight, and the target at the same time. I'm like a kid with new eyes.. It's the single BEST thing that's happened to me since I got divorced...

Don

Does anyone think I'd be pushing my luck with high power magnum revolvers? Compared to long guns, that's a lot closer to your face with short barrels and gases from the cylinder gap.

But, on the long guns I'm grateful for the opinions I'm hearing.

Biscut, I also have a 90 year old father who had the cataract surgery. He saw really well for a while afterwards. He also had that follow up procedure with the laser. That was in his 80s. But, like your father he now has a case of macular degeneration. It's been there a while but it's gotten worse and he's no longer getting much use from the right eye. We just came from the eye doctor and he said new glasses won't help. I gather there's no cure for it.

The best idea they could come up with is double the daily dose of that eye vitamin. You probably know the one.

His eyes also took way too long to dilate in advance of the exam, which can be a sign of other problems.

My attempt at a solution is to reposition the table he reads his paper on so as to get him more under the overhead light. And furnish a large high quality magnifying glass. And provide a separate light for reading with the strongest floodlight type bulb that will fit in it. That's what I've come up with to try and help. Btw, he was WWII Army Air Corps also.