indeed, it is close to miraculous --- left untreated, I could have eventually gone blind. Instead, I can see perfectly out of my surgically repaired eye, which has now swapped places with my previous "good" eye, which is now the "bad" one because it still has a small cataract. So if all goes well with surgery on my new "bad" eye in a few weeks, I will be able to cease using walking-around glasses for the first time since third grade or so. That is a long, LONG time ago, folks. I am a little lopsided now -- without glasses my good eye dominates, with current glasses my bad eye enables me to see fairly well enough to do minor chores....as you suggest from your wife's experience, Steve, there is a dizzying array of drops to take -- have to keep a chart just to be sure all are taken.....about time I finish the regimen for the first surgery, will start all over for the second surgery -- that'll be about a month of drops altogether. My prescription plan doesn't cover all of them but the wonderful eye surgeon's office has given me enough samples to probably get me through or close to it. Also have to wear a protective covering for the night, to prevent inadvertent rubbing of the eye. That's kind of awkward but necessary.
The lady eye surgeon is brilliant, and exceptionally caring. And yeah Steve, this being tied in with the aging process, your time may very well come. But it is not something to fear.