“Advice is what you ask for when you know the answer, but wish you didn’t.”

I don’t know what philosopher, comedian, or entrepreneur first said that, but I do recall chuckling the first time I read it. And I agree there’s some truth to it. After all, when we’re dealing with complex issues in our lives, or trying to decide on next steps or a course of action, we often find that the answers we were looking for were inside of us all along. We just didn’t realize it. Or didn’t want to face it.

On the other hand, there are many times when we don’t have the information we need to make a proper decision, and asking others for their advice can help us determine what our own decision should be. I faced that situation recently when I found out I need to have cataract surgery in the near future.

Cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy lens—the cataract—and replacing it with a clear, artificial lens. My eye doctor gave me some information on five types of lenses that can be implanted. There are differences in what they do, what their benefits, drawbacks, and side effects are, and how much they cost. Different ones can correct distance, intermediate, and/or near (reading) vision. Some can cause a glare or halos around lights at night, which people may find merely annoying, or debilitating—especially for night driving.

I decided to ask for advice from people who have had cataract surgery, so I posted my situation and questions on “Nextdoor,” the app where people in your own neighborhood post questions, answers, recommendations, and reviews.

Many people who’ve had cataract surgery responded, and I appreciate the time they took to do so. Unfortunately, their experiences—and advice—were all over the map. I heard from people who had each type of lens implanted. Some had a great experience, others not so much. Some experienced side effects, others had no problem. Some said it was the best thing they could have done, others said if they had it to do over, they’d make a different choice.

So I’m back to square one. What I plan to do now is go over all the information and advice I received—from the eye doctor, the surgeon, and those who’ve had the surgery—and decide what I most want from the surgery, what risks I’m willing to take, what side effects I could live with, and to what degree.

Then I’ll make my decision, say a prayer that it’s the right one, schedule the surgery, and hope for the best.

Sounds like good advice to me.

February 18, 2024
©Betty Liedtke, 2024

I welcome your comments, but please be aware that all comments will be moderated and approved before appearing on this blog. This is to protect all of us from unwanted spam.