Recoil effect on post cataract surgery

Swedeshutr · May 23, 2018, 03:57 PM

I was going to post on an old thread on shotgun forum dealing with vision floaters and flashes that has been archived, but rather than revive it, thought I would be best to start over.

My hope is to raise the attention of EyeDocMD. I recently (May 15) had cataract surgery with toric lens replacement on my right (shooting) eye. I have no desire to be shooting until my vision returns, but when It does, I will be returning for surgery on my left eye. It sure will be crowding pre-season sighting and target shooting, So I'm wondering how long I need to wait before getting back to shooting and sighting in. I have an excellent opthamologist, but he's not a hunter/shooter. Not sure how sympathetic he'll be to me shooting.

Any advise from the Doc or anybody else would be appreciated.

NoSecondBest · May 23, 2018, 04:33 PM

I had cataract surgery a year and a half ago and had Crystalense's put in each eye. I asked the surgeon who did my eyes how long until I could shoot and he said fourteen days. He's done something like 20,000 eye surgeries in the last thirty some years. I had no problems at all and I shoot a lot. My vision came back pretty quickly also. A year and a half later I have 20/20 left eye and 20/15 right eye. Even if your doctor isn't a shooter, he should know the answer to your question. There are kick boxers, moto-cross riders, bronc riders, wrestlers, football players and a hundred other groups of activities people put themselves in and he should know what your eye can handle. Fact is, your eyes are much more robust than you think they are.

TXAZ · May 23, 2018, 04:39 PM

Anecdotally, there are several .50 cal shooters that have had cataract surgery and don't seem to have any issues.
I'm also guessing they didn't run to the shooting range right after surgery.

Jwrobinson · May 23, 2018, 06:30 PM

Your IOL will not give you any problems once you have finished healing from the surgery: 60 to 90 days is plenty. I have plenty of post cataract surgery patients and have never had an issue with an implant other than SEVERE trauma (bungie cord). Just no kick boxing

**Mal H** · May 23, 2018, 11:47 PM

Just an admin note, Swedeshutr. Don't wait for a reply from EyeDocMD as he hasn't returned here for about 6 years.

Evan Thomas · May 24, 2018, 08:39 AM

Your best bet is to ask your surgeon what he or she recommends. Strangers on the internet aren't the best source of medical advice.

hagar · May 24, 2018, 10:05 AM

I had the Restor lenses implanted. About 6 months after my surgery, I shot a Garand and Enfield match, 50 shots each with sighters.

It knocked something loose, next day I was seeing humongous floaters and light flashes. I had my eye doc check it out, he could not see anything obviously wrong like a retina tear, so he told me to take it easy and come back if it does not clear up soon, then he would refer me to an eye specialist.

It did eventually clear up after about a week. So yes, there is potentially negative effects from shooting. Most of the shooting I do nowadays is with an AR15, and I have not noticed any adverse effects.

Swedeshutr · May 24, 2018, 03:21 PM

Mal H, thanks for the thumbs up on EyeDocMD. Optical technology is like everything else, growing in leaps and bounds, and I wanted more recent input anyway. Yes, I will be talking to my doctor when I go back in for my 30 day check up next month.

Hagar, I shoot 6mm. 243 and 6.5x55 Swede. They have less recoil than 30-06 or 45-70 but can still have some kick, depending on weight and configuration.

I've also picked up on the possibility of how tight you cheek up. If you press tight on the cheek piece, I can see how you might feel the recoil more on the facial bones. Interestingly, I tend to float my cheek a bit to line up on the scope.

May 23, 2018, 03:57 PM	#1
Swedeshutr Junior Member Join Date: May 23, 2018 Posts: 2	Recoil effect on post cataract surgery I was going to post on an old thread on shotgun forum dealing with vision floaters and flashes that has been archived, but rather than revive it, thought I would be best to start over. My hope is to raise the attention of EyeDocMD. I recently (May 15) had cataract surgery with toric lens replacement on my right (shooting) eye. I have no desire to be shooting until my vision returns, but when It does, I will be returning for surgery on my left eye. It sure will be crowding pre-season sighting and target shooting, So I'm wondering how long I need to wait before getting back to shooting and sighting in. I have an excellent opthamologist, but he's not a hunter/shooter. Not sure how sympathetic he'll be to me shooting. Any advise from the Doc or anybody else would be appreciated.

May 23, 2018, 04:39 PM	#3
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	Anecdotally, there are several .50 cal shooters that have had cataract surgery and don't seem to have any issues. I'm also guessing they didn't run to the shooting range right after surgery. __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

May 24, 2018, 08:39 AM	#6
Evan Thomas Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Upper midwest Posts: 5,631	Your best bet is to ask your surgeon what he or she recommends. Strangers on the internet aren't the best source of medical advice. __________________ Never let anything mechanical know you're in a hurry.

May 24, 2018, 10:05 AM	#7
hagar Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2000 Location: Colombia, SC Posts: 745	I had the Restor lenses implanted. About 6 months after my surgery, I shot a Garand and Enfield match, 50 shots each with sighters. It knocked something loose, next day I was seeing humongous floaters and light flashes. I had my eye doc check it out, he could not see anything obviously wrong like a retina tear, so he told me to take it easy and come back if it does not clear up soon, then he would refer me to an eye specialist. It did eventually clear up after about a week. So yes, there is potentially negative effects from shooting. Most of the shooting I do nowadays is with an AR15, and I have not noticed any adverse effects. __________________ I don't have time for busy people

May 23, 2018, 04:33 PM	#2
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	I had cataract surgery a year and a half ago and had Crystalense's put in each eye. I asked the surgeon who did my eyes how long until I could shoot and he said fourteen days. He's done something like 20,000 eye surgeries in the last thirty some years. I had no problems at all and I shoot a lot. My vision came back pretty quickly also. A year and a half later I have 20/20 left eye and 20/15 right eye. Even if your doctor isn't a shooter, he should know the answer to your question. There are kick boxers, moto-cross riders, bronc riders, wrestlers, football players and a hundred other groups of activities people put themselves in and he should know what your eye can handle. Fact is, your eyes are much more robust than you think they are.

May 23, 2018, 06:30 PM	#4
Jwrobinson Junior Member Join Date: April 25, 2016 Posts: 2	Your IOL will not give you any problems once you have finished healing from the surgery: 60 to 90 days is plenty. I have plenty of post cataract surgery patients and have never had an issue with an implant other than SEVERE trauma (bungie cord). Just no kick boxing

May 23, 2018, 11:47 PM	#5
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Just an admin note, Swedeshutr. Don't wait for a reply from EyeDocMD as he hasn't returned here for about 6 years.

May 24, 2018, 03:21 PM	#8
Swedeshutr Junior Member Join Date: May 23, 2018 Posts: 2	Mal H, thanks for the thumbs up on EyeDocMD. Optical technology is like everything else, growing in leaps and bounds, and I wanted more recent input anyway. Yes, I will be talking to my doctor when I go back in for my 30 day check up next month. Hagar, I shoot 6mm. 243 and 6.5x55 Swede. They have less recoil than 30-06 or 45-70 but can still have some kick, depending on weight and configuration. I've also picked up on the possibility of how tight you cheek up. If you press tight on the cheek piece, I can see how you might feel the recoil more on the facial bones. Interestingly, I tend to float my cheek a bit to line up on the scope.