What to Expect After Cataract Surgery
95If you've just had cataract surgery, you may be feeling a little confused. These days it's a walk-in, walk-out procedure, and you may go straight back to work next day. On the other hand, you've probably been given a leaflet telling you to take a whole range of precautions for the next several days, weeks or even months.
So, should you treat yourself with kid gloves or not?
It's understandable doctors want to downplay the risks of cataract surgery. Why make patients needlessly anxious, when most people sail through with no complications? However, for most people, cataract surgery is a very expensive operation and you only have one set of eyes, so I think it's important to know what you can and can't do, and what's worth worrying about.
Take It Easy
After cataract surgery, your eye may feel gritty or sore, but otherwise you'll be back to your normal self - with the bonus that the world suddenly looks bright and sparkling! - so it's tempting to think you can plunge straight back into normal life.
Don't! You've just undergone incredibly delicate eye surgery. Even though you can't see it, and may not be able to feel it, you now have a wound in your eye that needs to heal. You may have tiny stitches which you don't want to burst. You don't want to do anything that might dislodge or displace the new lens, and you don't want to do anything that might cause swelling or bleeding behind the eye.
Although it takes a couple of months for your eye to fully heal, it's in the first week or two that you have to be most careful.
Showering and Bathing after Cataract Surgery
Ordinary water from the tap can harbour bacteria - or it can wash
bacteria from your skin into your eye. Keep your face out of the shower
for the first week - not just to avoid getting water in your eyes, but also
to avoid any need to rub or press on them (think about it - what's
the first thing you do after you've dunked your face under water?).
You can use baby wipes or make-up wipes to clean your face until you're allowed to put your head under the shower.
Of
course, that means you also can't wash your hair. Most surgeons
recommend you don't wash your hair at all for the first two or three
days, and after that they'll only allow you to wash it with your head
tilted backwards, so the water runs away from your face. If that's a
problem at home, you may need to go to a hairdresser's.
It also means absolutely no swimming for the first two weeks. Not only is the exercise too strenuous, but pool and sea water can be loaded with bacteria.
Physical Exercise and Weights after Cataract Surgery
Although some doctors say you can go straight back to normal after surgery, most surgeons recommend NO exertion for the first week. That includes any kind of exercise, including all sports, no matter how gentle.
After a week, you can start gentle activity such as walking or lawn bowls.
You must wait at least two weeks before restarting any vigorous exercise such as aerobics, contact sports or weight training.
If you're an exercise nut or a keen sportsman, you may be tempted to ignore these restrictions - however, isn't it better to miss out on a couple of weeks' exercise than risk your sight? Think about the impact of your foot on the pavement when you run, and how that jarring transmits through your body to your eye. Imagine the feeling of pressure in your body when you lift a heavy weight - that transmits to your eye, too.
More importantly, if you work in a job that involves physical exertion, it's important to let your surgeon know. Because most cataract patients are retired, doctors often forget to ask what you do for a living. Even if they know you're working, they may assume an older person isn't doing a physically demanding job.
If your work involves lifting heavy objects, digging, or any other physical activity, you may have to take one or two weeks' sick leave, or request light duties, for the two weeks after your op.
Sex after cataract surgery
Many people are too shy to ask their surgeon about when they can resume sex after cataract surgery. And if you're in an older age bracket, the doctor may (wrongly) assume it doesn't apply!
The most common advice is that you can resume "gentle" sexual relations one week after surgery. Unfortunately,there's no explanation of what that means!
Remember that for the first two weeks, you're only allowed to go walking or bowling. Are you more vigorous in the sack than that? Be honest, now! For the average active male, a two week wait would be more realistic and much safer. However, the best solution is to pluck up the nerve to ask your own surgeon!
Other Precautions
Protect your eye
For the first two weeks after cataract surgery, it's a good idea to wear sunglasses whenever you go outside. If you wore glasses before the op, you've probably forgotten how easy it is to get something in your eye on a windy day! Even a tiny speck of dirt or dust can be contaminated, so don't take chances.
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Housework and Gardening
With your newly acquired eyesight, you're probably horrified at the dust and debris you couldn't see before - but hold your horses!
- Bending over at the waist (weeding, scrubbing floors) puts too much pressure on the eye, so you need to be patient and put up with it for a couple more weeks.
- Garden soil is absolutely chockful of bacteria, so you need to stay well away from it.
- You mustn't lift anything over 15 lbs for the first few weeks - so someone else may have to take out the trash.
It's not a good idea to mow the lawn after cataract surgery, because mowing sends so much dust into the air - but if you must, wear wraparound sunglasses to avoid any risk of grass blades or soil blowing into your eye. Better still, get someone else to do it, just this once.
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Gritty or Dry Eyes after Cataract Surgery
If your eyes feel scratchy or a little tender after surgery. You may feel as though you have debris or grit in your eye. That's perfectly normal. You should only worry if your pain gets worse or if your vision starts deteriorating.
Another common symptom - which surgeons often don't tell you about - is "dry eye". Sometimes it's a long-term problem caused by the surgery itself, but often it's just a temporary reaction to the post-operative eye drops.
If you have dry eye, you may feel itchiness or grittiness, or you may just have an odd sensation of tightness. It will help to avoid air-conditioning and keep off the PC - staring at a computer screen is a common cause of dry eye, even in people who haven't had surgery!
If it's severe, though, it can be painful and it could even affect your vision. Don't panic, there are some very effective treatments available over-the-counter! However if you're still taking the post-op eye drops, don't take over-the-counter drops without asking your doctor first - they might interfere with the prescribed drops.
Once you've finished the prescribed drops, you can buy lubricating eye drops which will help ease the dryness until your eye has time to recover. A dry eye won't heal as fast as a properly lubricated one, so it will help your recovery, too. Tranquileyes offers a soothing eye bath designed specially for dry eye, or look for eye drops labelled "for dry eye". Ordinary eye drops for contact lenses, sore eyes or redness aren't strong enough to do the trick. A few people are sensitive to the preservatives in these eye drops - in that case, look for single dose ampoules.
It takes a couple of months to fully recover from cataract surgery, so be patient with yourself!
*
All text copyright Marisa Wright. Eye photo by Maschinenraum. Shower photo thanks to Viditu. Mowing the lawn by Jennifer Chernoff.
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This is my 5th day following cataract surgery. I do not yet need surgery on the other eye but when I do, I'd definitely have it. I do have some discomfort from scratchiness, but it is not constant. I also am experiencing "negative dysphotopia", which the doctor may not mention but seems to be a fairly common occurrence. It is like a dark crescent at the outer periphery of one's vision in the operated eye, and is said to disappear usually within 3 months. It has to do with how light may hit the new lens. That, too, is not constant. I was amazed that this surgery could be done without general anesthetic, as I fear most medical procedures and suffer from anxiety as well. The surgery caused NO PAIN and only minor discomfort from pressure, and it was over in about 10 minutes. The stinging eyedrops were far more uncomfortable than any part of the surgery.
On the plus side, the COLORS!!!
I had forgotten what "sky blue" really is, and tomato soup is vermilion. My home is incredibly dusty, something I could not see before. The idea of being poked in the eye while awake is not appealing, but the surgery is NOT scary and I'm glad I had it.
Thanks Nancy. I'm the world's worst housewife and for the last three years (while my husband was delaying cataract surgery) he's been mercifully oblivious to the dust. Now ol' eagle eyes is back - I'm telling him that as soon as he's allowed, he can do his own dusting!
This is great advice. I ruined my second surgery by overexerting, lifting my grandson mostly and also semi-heavy things - taking out the trash, carrying laundry. That one eye has stayed weak and not best of vision permanently since.
I wish I could do it over. I hope people listen to you and read this Hub before they mess up like I did.
To 2besure: Do not be afraid of having been told you have cataracts. I was told a few years ago in one of my bi-annual visits to my optopthamologist. He normally is a great guy but I have to admit he was rather callous when he dropped the cataract bomb on me! To him it was business as usual, to me it was devastating especially since I thought it only happed to "old" people and being in my mid-50's I didn't feel old!
Anyway, last Thursday I had the left eye's cataract removed (the right eye is very good right now). DO NOT BE AFRAID IT WAS NO BIG DEAL. And trust me I am a worry-wart so if I say no big deal, I really mean it! The operation is easy because you are sedated and have no fear. You do not really know what he is doing although you can "kind of" see up the instrument he is using to do the operation. It is similar to looking up a kaleidoscope, you see beautiful colors. After the operation, you are relieved that it is over and you go home. I took a nap and then watched TV (you have a patch on the one eye). No pain, slight irritation for a day (less than the irritation from allergies). Now it has been a week and every day since the operation has been good. DO NOT WORRY, IT IS SLIGHTLY MORE THAT HAVING DENTAL WORK DONE BUT A LOT LESS PAINFUL.
I hope I relieved your fear and the fear of others.
Thanks for sharing your experience Gary. My husband felt the same about being told he had cataracts at 55! You're quite right, the operation is no big deal, and most people are back to normal in a day or two - but that's why I wrote this, because it's so easy to forget you've just had a major op, and if you overdo things you can ruin the result.
You'll notice one lady who commented (Iðunn) who started taking out the trash and lifting her grandkids too early, and the eye has never had good vision since.
Hi Marisa,
Excellent advice on your hubs about eye treatment. I've had glaucoma for several years and had two operations for cataracts and experienced everything you put so clearly into words about the after effects.
I would add one thing though, reaction to the operation does depend on each individual as we are all different, and of course, how healthy one is before and after the eye operation.
I am based in the North West of the UK and count myself lucky to have a top class eye clinic within the Royal Preston Hospital that not only do excellent work in the theater, but in follow up aftercare too.
I would add that anyone with glaucoma should insist on family members (and friends) having regular eye checks with an optician. It is worth any cost for the examination to have peace of mind and know if your eyes are healthy, or there are signs of trouble ahead that can be corrected before it becomes too late.
In my case, I lost 40% of my sight in my left eye simply because I did not know I had glaucoma until it was diagnosed too late by a good optician.
I solved the showering and hair washing problem by wearing a snorkeling mask in the shower. Of course, my wife injured herself falling down laughing, but that's her problem. As for sex, I DID ask my surgeon. To my surprise she seemed embarrased by the question and kinda mumbled something about "nothing too strenuous for a month." No worries, my girlfriend (who is 60 like me) figured out a couple of positions pretty quick that wouldn't cause undue straining on my part.
I had a good laugh about the snorkel mask too, Bob! I've certainly got the feedback from readers that surgeons are avoiding the "sex after cataract surgery" question - don't they think anyone has sex after 50? Ridiculous!
I had the op 2 days ago but cannot see properly out of the eye - how long before sight is restored?
Helen, it sometimes takes a while for the vision in the eye to settle down. However, it might be an idea to call your surgeon and see if you can drop in for a check-up, to be on the safe side.
One question though - what kind of lens did your surgeon implant in that eye? My mother-in-law was concerned after she had her first eye operated on, because everything close was fuzzy.
It turned out that was perfectly OK, because the surgeon gave her what's called "monovision", i.e. she got a distance lens in one eye and a reading lens in the other. She had the distance lens done first, so naturally it didn't work close up.Once she got her other eye done with the reading lens, her brain adjusted and she could see close up and far away with equal ease!
I have been having trouble good seeing for a couple of years. I have bad nearsightedness in my left eye but could not afford new glasses. Went to SAMS and had an eye exam only to be really disappointed because I could not read beyond the 2nd line. She said it was because of a dry eye condition. I didn't get the perscription filled. There was no mention of cateracts. I did put in the suggested eye drops and warm eye compresses with gentle massages.
Went to a different eye doctor last week with a more comprehensive test. He mentioned cateracts with a range of 1 to 4, my left eye is a 2+ and right is a 1. I am seeing double vision, my night vision is horrible and there is a halo around everything. I was told I would eventually need surgery but not yet.
How am I to see better without surgery right away? I am to see him again tomorrow with continued treatment for dry eye to see if the vision is better. He also would not fill a perscription as the prescription was so different from SAMS. He said he may tomorrow.
What should I be asking him? When does it constitute having surgery? How expensive is the surgery as I have only major medical with a high deductable and recently had a 60% cut in pay.
Any suggestions
Coffacuppee, did you feel you had dry eyes before the eye doctor diagnosed it? Dry eye can make your sight a bit blurry, but it has to be severe to have a big effect. So unless it's something that's been bothering you for a while, I doubt you'll see a big improvement when it's treated.
Double vision, halos around everything and bad night vision are classic cataract symptoms. There is no "right" time to have surgery for cataracts. In the old days, delaying the surgery made it easier to remove - but with the new technology that's no longer the case. In fact, delaying too long can be bad, because an old, hard cataract can shatter during removal.
Once you've got cataracts, your only decision is - do I have surgery now or later. There's no other choice - if you don't have surgery, you'll go blind. Most doctors say you should have the surgery as soon as your vision starts affecting your lifestyle.
The cost varies depending on your surgeon and the kind of lens you choose (if you want perfect vision after the op, you can choose optically corrected lenses which are more expensive). In the US it's about $3,000.
The operation is not to be feared, it's a routine procedure and I had both eyes done one week apart and the last one only 3 days ago. My problems started with an accident and a detached retina about 18 months ago and caused a traumatic cataract in one eye. They fixed both eyes because it would hard for the brain to work with no correction in one eye and lots in the other. I've had no issues since the surgery and take the drops religiously. It's tempting to go back to full speed because there's no pain etc. and my vision right now is better than 20/20. A bonus for me is that it costs me nothing as it's covered under the Canadian health car program.
I had a cataract operation a month ago. Real piece of cake - no pain or much suffering. The incision healed very well. About 2.5 weeks after the op I woke up in the morning and everything was blurred in the operated eye.
I went to the doctor and he gave me pred forte drops.
Later in the day the blurriness went away and I could see 'normal' again. Now every morning I experience this
blurriness which after a few hours goes away. Is this normal?
I am 5 weeks after the operation. Thanks
David N, in the first two or three months some patients get swelling of the macula, which causes blurred vision. That's why the doctor gave you the pred forte drops, to get rid of the swelling.
I can't explain why it's worse in the morning, but I'd recommend you keep taking the drops and go back and see your doctor in a few weeks.
I am just getting over my second surgery and God Bless the doctors! I, too, forgot how vivid colors were and see how dirty my house was getting! LOL The doctor told me that cataracts will not return so Im good for another umpteen years! The only thing I noticed with the second surgery is that all the background colors were pink! When the doctor examined me and I asked about it, he told me that it is quite common and would go away. Again, he was right, the pink went away after the second day. Good luck to all those about to have this procedure, you will NOT regret it!!!!
Hi, I had cataract surgery in my right eye last April and in my left eye 10 days ago. The op went great and although I was compeltely awake it was painless. The next morning I woke and the vision in my left was much darker than that in my right. The doctor had contricted the pupil in the operated eye in oder to allow the new lens to to imbed quicker. This caused a type of under exposed vision in darker light conditions because the pupil was not opening. After a few days the pupil started to work normally again and my vision became normal. But I have the same problem as David N in the morning. It takes about 4 hours for my vision to normalise after waking but apart from that it feels very comfortable. If this is caused by swelling do you know how long it can last and do the drops have an immediate effect. I was using Pred Forte drops for my right eye so maybe that was why I did not have this problem. I am working in Hanoi and I had the surgery done in Singapore so I am a little restricted concerning facilities here. Due to the fact that my right eye has always been lazy I was advised to use monofocal lenses. I have an Alcon mono in the right and an Alcon mono toric in the left. Could the toric cause this effect. I have 0.25 in the right and 0.5 in the left so I am seeing intermediate clearer than reading or distant vision.
Great forum thanks for all the information
Martin, I'm not a doctor but I've been doing a bit more research on this since I replied to David N.
The most likely cause is corneal oedema, which is always worse in the morning (because the eye has been closed so the fluid can't escape), and gets better as the day goes on due to surface evaporation. Don't ignore it - it does need treatment (i.e. PredForte drops).
Thanks for the quick reply. I sent an email to my doctor just before I wrote the comment this morning. His reply was similar to yours and said that a number of patients complain of this bleary eyed syndrum which is believed to occur due to the drying of the eye because of the longer period without drops during sleep. His suggestion was to use artificial tears first thing in the morning to lubricate and hasten the visual recovery. Apart from that he reckoned that there is cause to worry and that the vision needs a number of weeks to settle down. I must say that I really felt safe and comfortable while in his care in Singapore. If he is not the leading then he certainly is one of the top Ophthalmologists in Asia and maybe even worldwide and has carried out thousands of cataract op. He poineered the micro surgery in Asia and is constantly flying to the US, Aus and Europe to either attend or give lectures. But of course he is a 3 hours flight away from here but his reply came within the hour.
But it is great to have a forum like this to exchange our experiences and have the opinion of someone knowledgeable like yourself as a backup.
Once again thanks.
I devoloped a cateract in the right eye two years ago. It originated from steroidal injections I received in the neckto deal with pain and avoid neck surgery. I was 38 then. Now I'm 40 and having cateract surgery in the left eye. My concern is i coach martial arts and wrestling. There are no blows to the head that I take in these sports but an occasional eye rub is not uncommon. My doc said I should be fine that it would take a tremendous blow to dis lodge the implant. How are the implants put in? I looked at a million sites and none explain what the implan is connected to etc. How is it that my doc makes it seem like not a big deal? I want to return to all my activities and not have to worry about anything. I am extremely active. In addition I enjoy weight training and hang gliding.
Mark, the lens isn't attached to anything - it just sits inside the capsule. Considering the lens had to be folded to get it in there, it's highly unlikely it can go anywhere once the incision has healed!
However, you do have to be very careful until the wound has healed so NO weight training or martial arts for at least two weeks.
Hi Marisa,
You're right- I was sent to do an OCD an was found with corneal oedema. In the meantime I am taking Uromax
a pill that is suppposed to lower the oedema and I have been taking it for almost a week. If this doesn't work they may have to do some kind of injection. I go back for another OCD in a couple of weeks. How long would it take for the pill to work?
Thanks,
David
David, as I said I'm not a doctor. I've never heard of treating corneal oedema with Uromax but theoretically it could help and should do so fairly quickly. Good luck with the return visit.
Thanks so much for all this information. I am 39 and very short-sighted (-19 & -20). Went to see a specialist yesterday about having an IOL fitted for purely cosmetic reasons. Things didn't quite go according to plan and it turns out I've got cataracts in both eyes (ah, the sound of the penny dropping, had just assumed a mix of scratched old contacts and early presbyopia were causing me to squint a bit more than usual). We'll be monitoring over the next 6 months but a cataract operation is where I'm heading (the good news is that I hopefully won't need my big thick glasses anymore - every cloud has a silver lining!). My question is this: pre-presbyopic to fully presbyopic in the space of 30 minutes... does anyone have any experience of this or have you read a report anywhere on the internet about this? I have searched but can't find anything... have noticed 2 people here who are 40 or under and so are probably pre-presbyopic. I would love to hear from them. Thanks, Kathryn.
PS Errrr, presbyopia - needing reading glasses - just in case anyone wasn't sure.
kpqb, I can give you some feedback based on my husband's experience. He was very short-sighted too (-12).
When he had cataract surgery he was told he wasn't suitable for either monovision or multi-focal lenses, so he had to settle for fixed lenses. He loves the fact that he can see distances clearly - but several months later, he's still adapting to full presbyopia.
The thing is, being fully presbyopic isn't just needing glasses to read. It means needing glasses to see everything closer than about a metre (a yard) away. He has to put on his glasses to eat, to shave and even to see me across the table. He can now recognize friends in the street, but once they stop to chat, he can't see their face unless he puts on his glasses.
He's actually considering getting a pair of multifocal specs, even though the upper section would have no visual correction, just because the constant need for reading glasses is so annoying.
Hi kpqb
I am under 40 and have had catarcts removed from both eyes over the past few months. I have lenses inserted for distance vision now. I was very worried about whether I would only be able to focus only on one specific distance after the op, but I guess the lack of precsion of my focus at different distances is really subtle and does not bother me much. I feel like an old man though, needing my glasses for reading. I am shocked at how bad my eyes are for reading the paper or the streeet directory. I can easily see across the table and accross the street though and can recognise ppl no worries. Good luck!!
Some specialists say that my Cataracts have been there since birth, but recently iv'e seen other specialists from my local hospital who claim they were brought on due to my Diabetes. Yesterday (28/09/2010), I had them removed from my right eye and have been taking the precautions you have listed above. Going by what I have heard I should see a dramatic change in my vision, but at the moment I can't tell much difference. My thoughts were that I would be able to see one again straight away after the operation. Maybe I am being too optimistic or I am just unclear on the situation.I would like to know, if there is how long is the period of time before I will be able to see again and have my vision back in my right eye.
Many thanks,
Tim
Tim, most people do see a dramatic improvement in vision immediately after the surgery, though their eyes may be too light-sensitive to look at things outside. If your vision is poor in the operated eye, you need to call your surgeon now and let him know - there may be a problem.
Thanks for sharing,
I was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes at the age of 18. At that time, though, I wasn't disturbing me at all so the doctor advised me to wait with any kind of surgery, which I did.
Just before I turned 26 I got my right eye operated on. Initially I ordered an accommodating lens but during the surgery (which lasted 2,5 unpleasant hours, btw) there where all kinds of complications that made it impossible to place a lens of that type in my capsule. So they had to place a multifocal lens, instead.
For the first couple of weeks after the surgery I had perfect vision with my new lens, even though some of the old cataract was intentionally left to balance the new lens out (or something :-)). After a few weeks, though, my sight began to deteriorate, rapidly. It turned out I also had astigmatism which seemed to be worse than before the surgery. My doctor didn't want to do any laser treatment to deal with this problem because my eye was still weak so I decided to get some glasses for a couple of years. At first the glasses (cilinder: -2,75) did the job. vision tests gave me a 90% score. But as time passed (and up to this day) my vision has started to deteriorate more and more.
Last July I also decided to get my left eye fixed. This was going to be less of a problem than my right eye, they told me. The surgery on my second eye also took a horrible 2.5 hours to complete. The cataract in this eye was less intense than my right eye but apparently there was a hole in the back of my capsule that was causing troubles. Eventually the doctor managed to place the new multifocal lens perfectly, though. Because of the hole in the capsule the doctor placed an extra stich in eye to keep everything secure. The next day I went back to the clinic for a checkup. Af first everything seemed fine, I had some vision back and the eye was looking healthy. That was, until the doctor removed the stitch that she placed. As she pulled it out I felt liquid running down my eye and cheeks and my vision went black. It turns out the liquid from within the eye was running out of the hole in the capsule.
At that point I got rushed to a hospital which was an hour away. After waiting there for another hour I got a pupil reconstruction and the eye itself was filled back up with new liquid :-) I should have warned only to read this if you've got a strong stomach, oh well.
After the second operation it took a few days for my sight to return but when it eventually did it was perfect. After just a week I scored a 90% on the vision tests. which, of course, was cool as my score before the surgery was 40% :-).
Then the problems started for my left eye, too (while my right eye was also still deteriorating). My vision was (and still is) rapidly deteriorating. All light-emitting objects have hure aura's surrounding them. Driving in the dark has become impossible because approaching cars (or even the lights on bicycles) completely blind my vision. After a checkup at the clinic there's apparently some "debris" in the eye that's causing cataract-like symptoms. I got some drops that where supposed to help and the doctor also said it wouldn't deteriorate any further, "it can only get better from this point on", she said. This, of course, was not true. Now, 6 weeks later, the left eye has deteriorated so badly that seeing in the dark (or in any other room with poor lighting) is almost impossible. The strange thing is that during the day my vision is still close to perfect. While driving I can read number plates on cars that are up to 60meters (approximately 20ft) away. Also reading this, while I'm typing, I have no problems, but If colors where inverted (white letters on black background) I'm certain I would not be able to read a letter, because of all the light would be 'leaking' out of the bright, white letters.
I'm going for another checkup next week and then for a second opinion, at a different hospital, the week after. I'm afraid, at this rate, I'm going to be blind before i hit thirty.
Anyway, I just wanted to share my story with you. I'm sorry if this is hard to read. My spoken English is slightly better than my written English (I'm from the Netherlands, btw). :-)
Kris
kriscoady@gmail.com
Small correction: 60meters is approximately 180ft, not 20 :-).
Sorry about that
Kris
Kris, I didn't realize you weren't a native speaker until you told me at the end! What a horror story. You don't say if there was any underlying reason for the cataracts - there usually is when they develop at such a young age, and there must have been something to make the operation so complex (a normal cataract op takes about 20 minutes). Did the doctor ever explain it all to you?
Hi Marisa,
The doctor isn't sure. As mentioned above you can be born with cataract or it can be caused/triggered by trauma of some sort. I've never been in a any kind of accident so I'm guessing I must have been born with it. Maybe I can get more information from the doctor when I go for my second opinion.
The main reason that the first operation took so long, btw. Apparently when they opened up my right eye there wasn't a lens inside the capsule, just a load of rubbish that they had to try and clean out. The doctor had never seen this before and has up to this day only ever met with one other expert who has experienced this kind of cataract.
I'll keep you updated after I go for my checkups, next week.
Thanks for reading!
I am 52 and have congential cataracts. I've known since I was in my 20s that I've had and our son was diagnosed at 12 as having them as well. Mine are finally getting close to need having them removed. My distant vision is still very good. Although I need reading glasses for up close. My question is once I have the cataract surgery, will my vision continue to worsen as I get older or does the lense they implant hold my vision there for the rest of my life? In other words, should I wait or go ahead with the surgery?
Sharon, once you have the surgery your vision is fixed and won't deteriorate as you get older.
I have told i have cataracts, macular degeneration and a leaking blood vessel behind my eye i have a hospital appointment next week and i am so worried that am going blind i am 63
I'm so sorry to hear that, Barbara. There is good news and bad news.
Cataracts and macular degeneration affect two completely different areas of the eye. Cataracts affect the lenses. When you have cataract surgery, the surgeon replaces your own lenses with plastic ones - so the good news is that once you have the surgery, you won't have to worry about the cataracts any more.
The bad news is that macular degeneration affects the retinas, and they can't be replaced. It's called "degeneration" because your vision will gradually get worse. Research is progressing and there are procedures which can slow down the damage, but right now there isn't a cure.
Both conditions are age-related so it's very common for patients to have both conditions at once - so your surgeon will be familiar with the available treatments. I do hope it goes well.
Thanks Marisa for your quick reply. I've got one more quick question. Again, I'm 52 and have always had perfect vision until needing the cheaters about 5 years ago. Are most people happy with the monovision or the multi vision implants. My insurance will cover the monovision and I've been told the multi vision works in 90% of patients. Is this your hearing too? I'm afraid of having one for distant and one for up close for fear of something happening to one of my eyes. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much!!
I wish I could give you a definite answer about multifocals vs monovision.
The risk with multivision is that the lenses must be implanted with absolute precision. Just a few millimetres out, and you'll have double vision or ghosting. The only solution is to have another operation. So it's vital you go to a top surgeon with lots of experience in multifocals!
Monovision lens don't have to be so precise so you're less likely to have any trouble regardless of how good the surgeon is. I never thought about the risk of losing an eye - the main downside of monovision is that your depth vision is affected (i.e. you can't judge distances as well as you used to).
I turned 40 last week and was told yesterday by my eye doctor that I have fast growing cataracts in both eyes due to using inhaled steriods for asthma. She said I will need surgery in the New Year. This was all a bit of a shock. I have a two year old son so am worried about not being able to carry him, plus I also jog for fitness. Is the not lifting heavy things only for a brief time or this a long term thing?? Thanks.
Don't worry Faith - my husband also had early cataracts so I do understand the feeling of shock, but there's nothing to worry about.
The limit on carrying heavy objects and jogging is just for the first TWO WEEKS - and you do need to be very strict about it, no exceptions. After that you can go back to normal, assuming your surgeon doesn't tell you otherwise.
Thanks for that Marisa. Two weeks I can do! My doctor is recommending multivision lenses for me. I of course want to make sure I have the top person doing the job. I like my doctor and feel comfortable with her, but how do I know she is the best person to perform the op? Any suggestions on who the best person in Sydney is who does multivision lenses? Thanks.
My neighbours are a couple who've both had a cataract op using multivision lenses and they're very happy with them. They went to the Vision Eye Institute (Southline) in Hurstville.
Of course two people isn't a very big sample so it's not guarantee!
I am 38 and just had my cataract done on my right eye for coming to a week. Doctor recommend Monovision len because my left (non-cataract) will be good enough for reading.
Kind of agreed with many that I can immediately see well on the very first day.. slight double images for the first 2 days. After which getting better now. But I now can't read my notebook nor newspaper. I used to wear glasses with about 200+deg.. but now right eye feel like a old man..the comforting side is that I can now see really far. Maybe should have opt for Mutifocu len.
By the way, I used Abbot Tenics ZB00 which kind of giving very clear and slightly blue images.
Very tempted to go for sports now (like jogging) and hope I can get over the 2 week itch soon..
The two week itch - LOL. Resist it, Jason - you want that eye to stay as good as it is today!
Give it some time. If your doctor reckons your left eye is good enough for reading, then perhaps you just needs time to adapt. Eventually your brain will get used to the idea of using just your left eye when you need to read, and filter out the blurriness of the right eye.
Hi Marisa. My cataract surgery was 17 years ago, when I was 25. It was the effect of Toxoplasmosis. I published a hub about mine today and I am tweaking it now. My eyesight in that eye (right) was 20/100 before surgery. I still had to wear glasses after the surgery because of what it did to my retina. Now, at age 43, I have astigmatism in both eyes and the best my right eye will ever be with glasses is 20/40.
@Marus, it's not unusual for your eye to be a bit red and light-sensitive after cataract surgery. Keep taking your eye drops according to the schedule and if things don't improve in the next few days, give your surgeon a call.
If the eye gets MORE red, contact them immediately - you could have an infection.
I am back after 2 month of cataract ops on my right eye. I had Monovision len implant and hence can see near prefect for long distance but not for near reading.
Question? Do I really need to put on reading glass else my the degree for my poor near sight reading will worsen? Or because it is a implant it actually doesn't matter because the degree will not increase and will stay the same throughout my life. Any one knows?
Jason, it doesn't matter because it's an implant,and the degree will stay the same throughout your life. Wear your reading glasses when you need to see to read - if you don't want to wear them, don't!
After doing a lot of research and praying I finally had my cataract removed in one eye. I'm having my other eye done in 2 days. I can't tell you how easy this has been and I'm absolutely delighted with the results so far!! My doctor has used a implant called Softec HD. He told me he has been using it for 4 months and have had fantastic results. He did my dominant eye first for distance and I've got perfect distance and intermediate vision too. He said that is what they are finding with this lense. So, I will have my other eyes done for intermediate in the hopes that I will get that and close up as well. I'll let you know. This lense is completely covered by insurance. During my initial consulation with him, I ask him about the multifocal lenses. He said he would be "happy" to do that if that is what I wanted. He could make more money with the multifocal lense but he thought I would be happier with the Softec HD in the long run. Wow, isn't that what you want in a doctor!?! So far, I'm estastic and can't wait to give you a report on the next surgery!!
@Sharon, I'm so glad you finally took the plunge. Your experience is like most people - they worry and worry about the operation, then they're so delighted they wish they'd had it done earlier!
I hadn't heard of the Softec, it sounds great. Multifocals are excellent but there is more risk you won't get a perfect result, so they sound like an excellent alternative.
I'm one week out from my last surgery. Still having some light fluttering in my left eye and even a little still in the right in bright light. My vision is absolutely amazing. I will only say, if you have cataracts ... there is no reason to delay. Do your research, find a qualified physician and do it!!! I'm thrilled with my results.
I have just found this hub after looking for info on cataract surgery, it is really good I wish I had found it when I had my first cataract removed.
I had the first of my cataracts removed on Dec 11th and was given no advice on what I could or couldn't do apart from using 2 lots of eye drops for the first three days. The nurse that was attending to me was on loan from a different dept and failed to tell me to continue with the Pred Forte do I stopped using them after the 3 days.
I went back to work aftyer a few days recovery. I have quite a physical job but was'nt aware that I shouldn't be lifting or bending. One day my eye was very bloodshot, I didn't know but one of the girls I work with noticed and said that I had a bleed in the eye. Anyway it just went away and that was that.
A couple of months down the line I was still having problems with the vision in that eye, blurriness and I could see the black outline of the lens or capsule. I was having problems focussing because the light was dazzling me and making the outer edge of me eye seem as if it was flickering. I phoned the clinic and they said it would gradually wear off.
I had my second eye done on February 11th and it was then that I realised my first eye was getting worse. Because I now had both eyes with a wound I could tell how much worse the first one was getting. I have been off work since having the 2nd eye done because I have fogginess and get so dazzled by light and it makes me feel so dizzy, I feel as though my pupils are moving all over the place. I know that it is the way the light is hitting the lens that is causing this but it makes me feel really strange. I went for my check up last week and when they looked at the first eye they said that the capsule that holds the lens has been tightening up and puckering. So I am having laser treatment on 31st March. Hopefully it will be sorted out then.
I thought I would tell you about my experience in order to reiterate how important it is to take the precautions after your surgery, I have done with my other eye and it seems to be healing well.
I am still off work sick and my doctor agrees that I should be off untill I have had the laser treatment. Especially as I have already fallen down the stairs at home by putting my foot down where there was no stair.
Now I have my manager phoning me all the time asking if I can manage to come back earlier, I have told her that I am not taking any risks with my eyesight but I do feel pressured.
Oh Jen, I am so sorry to hear of your experience. I hope the laser surgery goes well - and don't let your manager bully you! You only have one pair of eyes.
Thank you for sharing your story, it is an excellent example of how important it is to take it easy. I suggest you make a written complaint to the surgeon, too - it's dreadful that he's not providing proper advice on after-care. It might just be that he expects the nurse to tell patients, and the nurse thinks the doctor is doing it - whatever, it needs to be put right to protect future patients.
Sharon,
What was the prescription that they set your eyes to? I am guessing something like one eye plano and the other -1.25 is that right? How close can you read? Do you have clear near vision?
Marissa: my 75 years oncle had a right eye cataract operation. the operation was good, and used the drops as requested. but now after almost one month he's not seeing in his eye except 40%. his dr said that there's a black dot on the back of his eye on the nerve and they will see what's the story. Can you or someone help on this issue
That's a strange one, Joe. It needs further investigation to know what it is, but it sounds like your uncle had another eye problem affecting his vision, but no one noticed because of the cataract.
A dark area on the back of the eye could indicate macular degeneration which is common in old people. If he's seeing a blank area in the middle of his vision, that's likely what it is.
Ksl
My doctor didn't tell me what prescription lense he placed in my eyes. I told him I wanted perfect distant vision and wanted to be able to see who I was talking to clearly and that I didn't mind wearing glasses for up close. And that is exactly what I got. I have perfect distant and intermediate vision. I also see pretty well up close. If I forget my glasses I can squint and see up close but to see comfortably I need +1.25. I cannot begin to tell you how pleased I am with my outcome. I opted not to go with the multi focus lense on the advise of my physician. He thought I would be much happier with this. I thought about it for a long time but in the end opted not to do the multi focal and I'm pleased with my outcome.
I am very nearsighted with significant astigmatism in both eyes. I had cataract surgery in my left eye last week, and in two weeks I will have the surgery in my right. The vision in my left eye with a standard IOL is now about 80% of the vision in my right. My doctor expects this to improve over the next month. But what about a toric IOL for my right eye? I am weighing that against possible astigmatism surgery on my cornea. This surgery would be performed on both eyes approx. 3 mos. after the cataract surgery, when my vision has more or less stabalized. I've heard that the mono toric IOL has about the same out-of-pocket cost as the cornea surgery -- around $1500. My surgeon says that he cannot guarantee 100% effectiveness with the mono toric IOL, and that eyeglasses may be needed later for 100% far vision. (My mono toric contact lens that I had before the cataract surgery corrected my eyesight 100%, ie, 20-20 vision.) I have learned much from your Hub, and your ideas about this decision I'm facing is much desired. Thank you! - Mike M.
That is a tough decision, Mike. My husband is disappointed with the outcome for his left eye - apparently he does have astigmatism but the surgeon didn't explain that before the op.
Every operation has its risks, so if you can choose a lens which will avoid a second op, I would go for it. However that's only my personal opinion and you need to cross-examine the surgeon on how successful the toric lens would really be. Good luck!
i am afraid to have Cataract Surgery ,do you think eye exercise may work? i am mother of 2 under six and i am breastfeeding, do you think i can do it ?some doctors say yes others not,so confused
@Nor, I'm afraid eye exercises can't possibly work if you have cataracts. No amount of exercises can make the cloudiness go away.
If you're worried about the surgery, you don't have to rush into it. You'll get to a point where it's so bad, it will start seriously interfering with your life - then you'll have no choice!
If you have a baby or a toddler to care for, the problem is that you won't be able to pick up or carry your child for two whole weeks after the surgery. A baby counts as a "heavy weight"! There is a comment here by a lady called Iounn who ruined her second surgery by lifting her second grandson too early - so it's something you have to work out before you decide to go ahead. I suspect that's why some doctors are telling you to wait.
Marisa, thank you for the great advice. I had my second cataract surgery two days ago. Vision is still bit blury in that eye but now know how long it takes for total healing. You answered some questions that were on my mind. Oh, sex was NOT one of them, LOL. I am 71 and hubby is 74 but we do have lovely memories. It was interesting reading the comments of others and comparing my experience with theirs. Thanks you again Marisa.
I am 38 and went to see a surgeon today my left eye comes in at 20/200 not good and the right is 20/160 first surgery is scheduled for May 24 I am excited as I dont see well cant drive read a book or do my just as a customer service associate with a local walmart. To be able to look at the face of the man I have choosen to spend the rest of my life with is what I look forward to the most
Good luck, Angel. To be honest, that's one of the things my husband regrets about his surgery. Before his cataracts were removed, he had to wear glasses to get out of bed - but he could see things very close-up, including me.
He wasn't suitable for multifocal lenses so he has adistance-only lens in both eyes. That means everything within a yard or so is a blur - so he can't see me without glasses!
Hi, Marisa
I would like to say wonderful post. I wish I'd seen this a couple of months ago, but its ok. I am a 37 year old woman who had genetic cataracts and just had them removed back in February. The first surgery itself went well, but I had a bad episode right after where the pressure in my eye increased up into the 40's (it supposed to be in the teens, if I remember correctly). That had to be one of the scariest moments in my life. But, they learned from that and the 2nd surgery was perfect.
I can say to those of you that are considering doing this that it is SO WORTH IT. I was 20/800 without glasses before my surgery, and now I am 20/25 in my right and 20/30 in my left...and I don't have to wear glasses any more. For the first time in my life I am in readers. It is AMAZING. I never knew the world was so bright and beautiful!
All the things you say on here as precautions are correct, and I would listen to them and take them to heart. And, if your work says that you are on "limited duty" because of the bending / lifting restrictions, go on FMLA for a couple of weeks. It is worth it.
Good luck to all of you!
Marlene
I had cataract surgery on my left eye four days ago.The day following the surgery I could read the newspaper without glasses,which pleased me very much.The following day I experienced some blurriness in distance but could still see things close up.Sometimes I think I can see A cresent halo on the outside of my eye and flickering at times.I am wondering if anyone else has had this experience? My doctor was very pleased with my check=up the day after my surgery and said I have 20/25 vision in it.The blurriness seems to be just for distance should I be concerned? I go back to see my doctor in three days should I contact him before then to tell him of my experiences?
Carol, it's not unusual to see some variations in the first few days, but if you're concerned you could give him a call.
A flickering halo on the outside of your eye sounds more like a visual migraine than an eye problem, but it could be related to your retina so probably worth checking out.
I had cararact surgery on my left eye a week ago. But my right eye has very poor eyesight and it is very frustrating to see clear and blurry at the same time. I will have the right eye done in a month but until then--any ideas???????
Lynda, you're in exactly the same situation that my husband was in. It is very disorienting, isn't it?
Try wearing your old glasses, but take the lens out of the frame on your good side. You should just be able to snap it out, but if not, an optician will remove it for you.
The other option is to buy an eye patch and wear it over the bad eye. Don't worry about straining the good eye, it can handle it. Just pretend you're Captain Sparrow!
Thanks Marisa for having this page. My boyfriend is having the surgery tomorrow morning and I am searching to find out things that I should know . He is 67 and still working as a janitor at the airport. I hope all goes well. I will post again on how he is doing. It means a lot to be able to read about how other people are doing and feeling before , after, and even during the surgery . They wrote him a letter for a week off from work . He don't wear glasses except for reading and I'm worried about him cleaning and working with chemicals after the surgery. I think he should ask his doctor for an extra week . What do you think ? Oh, that comment you posted a few years ago about you not being Suzy homemaker and how old eagle eyes can do his own dusting made me laugh so hard. I am not a great one either . I'm sure he'll see all kinds of new dirt after the surgery .
Hi Maria, I hope all goes well. Working with chemicals shouldn't be a problem for your man, but if he has to carry heavy equipment when cleaning, I would be a bit worried about that. An extra week off would be great if he can get it.
i had my left eye done last month and had no problems. now i had the right one done 3 weeks ago and while making the bed a few days ago, my cat came up the opposite side of the bed and ran right into my eye that I just had done. It feels swollen and I go see the eye surgeon tomorrow and I'm so afraid something is wrong, altho I can see perfetly and have no pain.
Ooh Bev,what a thing to happen! If you can still see perfectly and there's no pain I'm sure it will turn out alright. Good luck.
Thank you for all the information.
I will be getting my left eye done on 8/31/11. I actually had a maculor hole in my eye repaired in Feb. 2011 and they told me within a year I would have a cataract. I couldn't even wait for the year, in June I noticed the eye wasn't quite right and when I went back to the surgeon for a follow up on the surgery on the maculor hole he let me know that I did indeed have a catatact.
So left eye first and then a week later the right eye will be done too. I have a cataract in the right eye (though not as bad as the left) also, so we are going to get that one fixed too. I am going to get the multifocal lenses and am not sure I will now how to act without glasses. I have been wearing them some 50 odd years.
Thanks again for all the information from everyone.
hello I had my second cataract operation in march in my right eye and all was well and my follow up appointment was fine and i was told i no longer need glasses for distance, I was so happy becuase ive worn them for years, Im 52, anyway a few weeks after my optician appointment my eye started going blurry so i went back and I have been reffered back to the hospital, the thing is my eye now seems to be ok again so do you think i should cancel my appointment or should i still go anyway just to get checked, I dont want to be wasting doctors time, I thought that maybe i had needed to have the yag laser like i did on my left eye after i had my cataract done on that eye 4 years ago, thanks.
You're not wasting the doctor's time, Julie - it's your health and it's important. Blurring could have been something innocent or a sign of something that needs attention, so get it checked out.
I had cataract surgery in the spring of 2011. Even my family doctor said it was a "routine surgery"...nothing to worry about. He referred me to the specialist who would do the procedure. I also got the "routine" bit again...as I was signing a release from any lawsuit that might be the result of a surgery gone bad.
Well...there can be no surgery that is routine...and I found out the hard way. My doctor has some problem with the first eye which partially recovered in the month before the second surgery. It is now five months since that second eye surgery and I have not recovered. As the procedure was coming to a close he "spun the lens" and it got away cutting through a membrane and was about to be lost in the vitreous area in the back of the eye. He recovered it before it could be lost which would have blinded me. But he had to replace that lens and place it in a different spot from the first...and it didn't work. After months of eye drops, mostly steroids, I am now scheduled for a second surgery to replace that lens which may be rubbing on the cornea.
Prospects for success of this second surgery are iffy. It can be give me clear vision again without pain, it can do nothing to improve my current situation or it can leave me blind. But my options are limited. I cannot continue much longer with the steroids as they increase pressure in the leading to loss of sight from glaucoma.
Needless to say I have chosen a different surgeon for this procedure and have more confidence in her ability but that does not make the procedure any less risky, or lengthy or the recovery quicker. I will be recovering for at least three months following the surgery.
So when a doctor says "it is a routine surgery" you might give it more thought...and select your doctor more carefully than I selected mine.
@Jack, what a horror story. I am so sorry you had such a terrible experience and hope you manage to reach a solution.
As you say, it does pay to research your surgeon. My husband almost made the same mistake - he was about to book the op with one surgeon, but got talking to our new neighbour and discovered she'd had one eye operated on by the same doctor - and he'd left her with a "lazy eye", (where the outer edge of the eye droops).
Needless to say she chose a different surgeon for her other eye and was so happy with the result, her husband went to the same surgeon for his cataracts. So my husband immediately cancelled his appointment and switched doctors!
I had an eye op. for cataracts almost two years ago. At the pre-med preparation I had to give a list of any medication that I was taking. At the top of the list I put Finasteride (a prostate shrinking drug).
Half way through the op. the surgeon said almost alarmingly "Are you taking prostate drugs!?". No more was said at the time, but after a few days that eye appeared to be looking through a fog. It seems that prostate drugs weaken the eyes iris and it can puncture and tear during the op. I am presuming from this that the surgeon was one of those that are too clever to read the notes they are given. The British health service is a bit like a sausage machine...in one door and out of the other as fast as possible,next please!!
I have seen two G.P.s and one opthamologist since one G.P. said it would regrow the other two said it would not.
When you think a large percentage of middle aged and elderly men are taking this drug, I am surprised surgeons are not more aware of the problem.
@Julius, thanks for that important information. As you say, considering how common the problem is, I'm amazed the surgeon didn't think to check. I am so sorry you had such an awful experience.
Hi, I had cataract surgery 3 weeks ago on my right eye and 2 weeks ago on my left eye. I have not found this to be an easy operation. I still take panadol most days as I have some pain in my eyes. At the end of the first two weeks I went back as I just wanted to rip my eyes out of my head as they felt like they were on fire. The eye specialist said that it could have been pressure in the eyes but by the time I got to see him my eyes were just starting to feel better and he said that the pressure was normal. He also said I have 20/20 vision and that I was lucky. My eye specialist gave very strict instructions about lifting and said nothing heavier than a kilo for 3 weeks. I was also told absolutely no gardening for 6 weeks and my partner and I have a nursery so we have had to hire another person in the meantime to take over my workload which I didn't count on. As I said this operation has not been all hunky dory and I just expected to go back to work pretty soon after it. I have a sharp pain every now and then in my right eye that feels like a knife sticking in it, it almost feels like I can feel the lens. I still don't feel 100% but I guess it takes time to heal. Every day it gets a little better though. On the bright side, I can't believe the colours red is sooo red and yellow is so so yellow. I didn't even realise I couldn't see colour that well. I don't know if I would do this operation again if I had the choice. Everyone says it's a breeze but I haven't found this to be the case.
@Chezvous, it's not normal to have pain so long after surgery and certainly not "sharp pain...like a knife sticking in it".
Go back to your specialist. and insist he investigates. Make sure he understands how bad it is - tell him you need constant painkillers and mention the "knife" comparison.
Hi Marisa I have an appointment tomorrow as there is no specialist in today. I lent over last night and some fluid spilled out of my eye and it feels like the lens is moving all the time. Just after it happened I felt like I could see a lot better. The left eye feels fine but the right eye is definately not right. Today is the first day though that I haven't taken any pain killers but the eye still feels gritty very much like when you put a contact lens in the wrong way. I'm writing this in this forum because when I was researching cataract surgery I found peoples comments really helpful. I was really hoping I wouldn't be one of the ones who had a bad experience but there have been a few days when I wished I had never had it done. I also went out one night last week and my night vision didn't seem that good. I just thought that maybe my eyes were still swollen or something. However, when I went for a walk on dusk last night I could barely see. The main reason I had this surgery was so I could see better at night time as I found it very hard to drive especially on a rainy night. I will post again after I have been to the specialist.
Hi, saw the specialist today and he said there is no infection and no displacement of the lens. The right eye is still healing and still may take more time. He said that the eyes can get very dry with all the use of the prescription drops and this can cause the type of pain I am experiencing. He recommended to get over the counter GenTeal Gel or GenTeal Drops from the chemist. I got both and tonight I used the gel and it seems to have done the trick. I guess I will just have to be a little more patient. My left eye is like I have not had anything done to it at all and I could see an extra line on the eye chart today.
@Chezvous, I'm so glad it's nothing serious. My husband also had dry eye, though not as severe as yours. It can be very painful AND it affects your vision, so you should find you see better with the gel or drops.
The dry eye can continue for a long time after you stop taking the prescription drops, so it will take patience, hang in there!
Thanks for this Hub! ..... I have early stage cataracts which greatly affect my night vision due to glare. Because I work for Coast Guard in Search & Rescue, part of my job is working outside in the weather at night, so spectacles are a big hassle (rain etc on the lenses limits my value as a searcher)...My opthamologist says I'm an excellent candidate for Light Adjustable Lenses, he would install them to provide monovision, and adjust them post-op to eliminate my minor astigmatism (yes, adjust the lenses in situ, not affecting the corneas) so I'd probably only need specs for fine print....I'm scheduled for the procedure end of November.... Anyone have experience with these (Calhoun)lenses and recovery/adjustment period?
Hi Saltyal, My poor night vision was the reason I had my eyes done. I have monovision lenses both of them Toric Lenses and I need glasses for fine print. I don't know anything about the ones you have mentioned. My experience has been that in actual fact I think I will probably still have to wear glasses full time because I am constantly on the comuputer, my job entails close study of plants and even when I shop I have to put my reading glasses on to read the labels, so I always have to make sure I have my reading glasses with me. I also feel that I can't quite see far distance but my middle vision is really good. I can drive the car perfectly well in the day time but I am finding once night falls if I am outside or driving my vision is very, very poor, much worse than before I had the new lenses put in. I am really disappointed with this outcome and I go back to the specialist next Wednesday for another checkup. My specialist has been away since I had the op and I have been seeing another specialist in the practice for any problems I have had. When you have this operation there are no guarantees that you will not have to wear glasses again so you need to keep that in mind. I wish now that I had taken the risk and got multifocal lenses. Overall, I am quite happy because it is amazing what you can see, everything is so clear. It's comparable to looking through really dirty windows and then someone cleaning them, everything is so sparkly. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the feedback.... sorry to hear your night vision is worse; do you know what's the cause? ...... Could it be that the torics didn't get perfectly placed? ( My reading seems to indicate getting the alignment right is pretty tricky)... Dr's advised me away from multifocals due to higher reported incidence of stars & haloes at night, which would defeat part of the purpose of the op..
@Chezvous, if you go for fixed distance lenses, the specialist has to make a call what to fix it at. For my husband, the specialist decided to give him perfect distance vision so he can see scenery beautifully - but the trade-off is that he needs glasses not just for reading, but for anything within three or four feet. So he has to wear glasses to eat, and even to see someone's face when he's having a conversation!
It sounds like your specialist may have gone for a compromise so you've got perfect middle distance vision, which means your far vision isn't as good - but your near vision isn't as bad.
Hi Saltyal, I heard the multifocals cause halos at night time as well and that they are difficult to get used too. I decided not to go with them for that reason However, a lot of people say they are great. I haven't heard about them being adjusted post op either so it will be interesting to hear how that goes. Also how soon post op? I found my eyesight was not quite right for about 2 weeks anyway because of the swelling etc.
Marisa I think you are correct about the compromise and I am going to ask him about that when I see him next. It seems you take a gamble no matter what you choose and you can only hope for a 100% result. I guess even though I knew I would need reading glasses I didn't take into account that would need them to read most things up close. I trust my specialist as he has been in this area for 30 years and has a fantastic reputation.
@Chezvous, I know two people who have multifocals and love them.
The thing with multifocals is that when they work, they're fantastic - but when they go wrong, they're horrible. So unless your surgeon has really extensive experience in implanting them, it's a big risk to go with multis.
Having a surgeon who's been in the business 30 years can be a disadvantage, because older surgeons are often reluctant to use the latest lenses. My husband's first specialist (who's also been in the business 20 years) didn't even handle multifocals. His second specialist did, but because of his degree of astigmatism, he wasn't suitable for them.
I haven't heard of them being adjusted post op either. I can't imagine designing a procedure so that you've got to go back into such a delicate area with a second incision and a second lot of stitches - sounds risky to me.
@Chezvous, I know two people who have multifocals and love them.
The thing with multifocals is that when they work, they're fantastic - but when they go wrong, they're horrible. So unless your surgeon has really extensive experience in implanting them, it's a big risk to go with multis.
Having a surgeon who's been in the business 30 years can be a disadvantage, because older surgeons are often reluctant to use the latest lenses. My husband's first specialist (who's also been in the business 20 years) didn't even handle multifocals. His second specialist did, but because of his degree of astigmatism, he wasn't suitable for them.
I haven't heard of them being adjusted post op either. I can't imagine designing a procedure so that you've got to go back into such a delicate area with a second incision and a second lot of stitches - sounds risky to me.
Marisa, they "adjust" the lenses post-op by microscopic application of a computer controlled UV light source through the dilated pupils: that subtly changes the shape of the polymerized lens structure without any physical contact.... when Dr & patient are satisfied after a series of these adjustments, the lenses are " locked in" and subsequent UV exposure makes no more changes to the lens structure.... Like you, I'm hoping someone here has some experience with this procedure.
hi has anyone had the m plus lens fitted just had my left eye done 10 days ago and the flickering /fluttering from the left hand side is driving me mad ,will it go away or do i have to think about explanting it ??
Hi C Barnes, When my eyes were first done the movement was really awful but it does get better. I found it was really bad when I tried to read lying down as I could barely see to read with all the movement. I had my surgery done on the first eye a month ago on Tuesday and although it is still there a little sometimes, it has improved a lot. I have read a lot of posts where people have said that this happens and all seemed to say it gets better. Hope this helps.
My husband had cataract surgery last friday and has only blurred vision now. Is this OK or should he have perfect vision? From reading this it seems everyone has wonderful vision within 24 - 48 hours.
I am 29 with posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs) diagnosed when I was 27. They are likely the result of antipsychotic medication, probably quetiapine, which has been proven to cause cataracts in beagles. I've done a bit of my own research would caution anyone who is not a licensed eye doc from offering unqualified encouragement to get the surgery, especially to people my age, as we frequently have this different kind of cataract (PSC) that is easier to remove but can also be somewhat mitigated without surgery. I have dilating drops that enable more light to enter my eye, for example. The fact is, however, that young people have a longer time to live ahead of us, and we don't need to spend the latter of it blind because of an early surgery that caused a retinal detachment. The risks for us are not well-documented as they are for older people who only have to live twenty years post surgery. What happens after thirty years?! No one can say. I'm -8 micrometers in each eye and auras and light sensitivity are one thing, but blindness and shrunken eyes are entirely less enticing.
I agree- I am in my 40's and developed cataracts in both eyes within 4 months- no reason. I feel the surgeons all respond as if we are like the majority of surgeries-older people who are already retired and most interested in returning to golf games so they fail to ask what the needs of younger patients are. I had right eye done 7 weeks ago and now have terrible near and middle vision, poor distance vision, no depth perception, been thru 6 pairs of eyeglasses and am told I already need YAK 6 weeks after surgery which has to wait until 3 months post surgery to do.and feel my concerns about poor vision overall as well as eye pain, looking thru a 'veil', headaches and droopy eyelid are all ignored- it will go away Eventually maybe. I am having other eye done this week-have no choice but this time insisted on an accomodating lens in the hope this will give me back better vision (I had 20/20 after Lasik 15 years ago and I will not settle for "just get used to bifocals" after what all the surgeries have cost. Oh well- hope the second surgery is better than the first but am not happy right now and would happily take back the cataract vision.
Glad I came across this thread! I am a 52 male diagnosed with cataracts in June of 2010. Last week (Oct 12-2011),I had cataract surgery on my R-eye. The implant is an Alcon AcrySof IQ model SN60WF with a power of 19.5D. I am one that hates having someone playing around in my eyes, but I was very pleasantly surprised and amazed how well it all went. 10 minutes max in the OR! No pain before,during and after the surgery. The pre-op "freezing" drops did cause some short duration burning and that's it. The next day, it felt like I had an eyelash in my eye, but that seems to be a normal occurence and according to my Doc, this should quickly disappear and it did the very same afternoon. My 1st post-op eye test went very well. I could identify most of the very smallest letters even though I had some haziness in my operated eye. The doc told me that could take up to 2 wks to get better and was caused primarily by some remaining medicine injected into the eye during during surgery. In 3 days, I could see clearly again as in most patients. I can't believe how white the whites are and how bright colors are. I now see some details I never saw before. Even my cat's fur looks way different than it did a week ago. One problem I'm having now is the "unbalanced" vision due to my bad left eye. I popped the R-lens out of my frame but still need my glasses.Even with my glasses on, I have double/tripple vision,see starbursts and halos around lights and very blurry vision overall out of my L-eye. My L-eye surgery is only scheduled for Jan 11-2012, so I have to learn to function with this "handicap". My R-eye far vision is un-real - almost "bionic" ! I feel like I can see like a hawk now. Problem is, anything under 65" such as a wall calendar (yes I did measure!) gets increasingly blurry as I get closer. Over 65", my R-eye performs very well and all is clear beyond that. Just under 65", I see pretty good with 1.25 reading glasses but probably would do better with 1.0 but I cannot find any in town. When I'm within a normal reading distance (approx 16") I need 2.25 or 2.5 reading glasses. In between those distances I would need between 1.25 & 2.5 reading glasses. Graduals will most likely be the answer. When sitting at the table, my wife looks blurry (she's about 40" away). I read that it could take awhile for your eye & brain to learn to use your "new" lens. Alternating viewing between close, intermediate & far objects will actually teach your eye to work with its new "friend". I've been at my computer for a couple hours now. When I sit back 36" from my screen and close my left eye , I can see my screen almost perfectly !!! AS a matter of fact, I typed this comment without any glasses! When I switch to an object 6 feet away, I can see that my eye takes a little more time to "lock in" but it DOES! Last Saturday, I couldn't have done this ! I know that I'll have to wear glasses for near distances once all is said and done in Jan 2012 and will just have to learn to adjust to the situation. I will continue doing my eye "exercises" as I explained and hopefully this will minimize my reading lens prescription. At least my life will be clear & colorful so that I can enjoy nature & life around me like it was meant to be. Good luck everyone and please do not hesitate to opt for cataract surgery if it is suggested! You won't regret it ! Marc :-)
Marc, your post could've been written by my husband! He has the same problem. After years of needing strong glasses for distance vision, but being able to take them off and read close up, he finds it very frustrating that he can't see me across the dinner table! The fabulous colours and his ability to enjoy scenery do compensate, but he does get annoyed with it still.
You will feel unbalanced until you get the second eye done, you could just consider wearing an eye patch?
Reeree, I'm so sorry you've had such a bad experience. A drooping eyelid is not normal as far as I know. You might want to consider getting a second opinion - one of my neighbours had this symptom and it was damage caused by the negligence of the surgeon.
Do you know what type of lens the surgeon used?
I had cataract surgery on my left eye 5 days ago. Every thing seemed to go fine and I do have really clear vision in that eye. However, my right eye is not going to be done for another four weeks and meanwhile I am somewhat dizzy and have that flickering on the left side of my eye that has been described as migraine. I have had migraines all my life so that makes sense. I feel quite disoriented with the right eye being so out of focus and the left being so clear. I have a follow-up visit on Friday and hope the doc can reassure me that the flickering and dizziness will disappear eventually.
@Hi-I also have cataracts due to Seroquel (quetipine). At 44 I'm considered young, too. My first surgery is two days from now. My doctor didn't say that this will be a more difficult procedure.
Many younger people do deal with cataracts due to lots of reasons so you're not so alone.
Cataracts caused by Seroquel are now considered a real complication in humans, not just beagels.
I have 40 years left in my life, hopefully. I expect that advances will be made so that people will have a good chance of retaining their vision if problems do arise.
I don't know anyone else on Seroquel with cataracts, so I'll post after my surgery.
Cherie Ann, the time between surgeries is difficult as there's such a difference between the two eyes. The only silver lining is you won't have to put up with it for long, just hang in there!
my mother just had cataract surgery. Prior to surgery, she was far-sighted. Her vision has improved overall but she now has one eye far-sighted and one near-sighted. Have you ever heard of this? could it be caused by some mix up with the replacement lense?
Yes, Colleen,that's a very common method, it's called monovision. If the surgeon gave your mother lenses that were good for distance vision, she wouldn't be able to read without glasses. With monovision, she'll be able to read with one eye and see distance with the other. It sounds weird, but the brain gets used to it very quickly and it works well.
Hi All! I know a few people that have been "set-up" with monovision and have gotten used to it very well. The human brain does adjust to all sorts of strange situations :-)
-It's now 3 wks since cataract surgery on my R-eye & my L-eye won't be done until mid-Jan 2012. My brain is slowly managing to adjust with a better-than-perfect 20/15 R-eye and a very poor & blurry L-eye. I was a little discouraged at 1st, but feeling better now that my brain is compensating for this irregularity in my sight.
Like I mentioned in my earlier (long) post, my near vision has suffered though. I purchased 2 different pairs of reading glasses to use for different distances and I'm coping quite well. After my L-eye is done, I'll finally be able to get some graduals made. Best of luck to all who will be getting cataract surgery & to those who are re-couping from recent surgery! Marc
I had surgery on the right eye in July and the left eye in Sept. Although both surgeries were a success, I had a difficult time in between both surgeries with dizziness and imbalance. The brain just could not adjust to the discrepancy of one good eye and one bad eye. Once the second surgery was done, I was A-OK!
hi as mentioned previously I had the m plus lens fitted 8n weeks ago and its been driving me mad ever since with constant fluttering /shimmering/twitching at the left side of my eye only dissapearing in a dimley lit room ,I had an examination and whilst waiting for my eye to dilate the problem went away ,does anyone know how i can dilate my eye so i can observe if this makes the problem any better ,my surgeon has given me the option to remove the lens and replace with monofocul but says i may have the same problem ,I wouldnt advise anyone to take a risk on these lenses
Hi, i just need to know whether the catract surgery also corrects nearsighted vision?
hi marisa ,had a second opinion but they only said that the eye was ok and the lens was ok ,my surgeon said its just one of those things and there is no explanation for the problem as everyones eyes are different ,I have to make the decision to have it removed within the next week he says i may have the same problem with a monofocul ,so it seems a toss the coin for the decision as i dont have any facts to consider .
C Barnes, I've been doing some more research on this.
The first thing to know is that you're not alone. The shimmering effect, called Positive Dysphotosia, is becoming more common after cataract surgery and surgeons aren't sure why.
One thing they do know is that "the incidence appears to be worse in the most recent intraocular lenses, which are engineered with square posterior edges". I suggest you ask your surgeon whether the MPlus is one of those lenses - it is very new so it's quite likely. So if you could get a replacement lens with rounded edges instead, you'd have more chance of getting rid of the problem.
Many people find the problem decreases over time as the lens "beds in". For that reason, some surgeons suggest waiting 6 months before having a lens exchange.
Hi marisa thanks for the feed back,will ask my surgeon ,I would be ok to wait for 6 months to see if it gets better but my surgeon says if I want it out he needs to do it within 3 months of the op ,as after that time its difficult to remove due to the lens attatching itself to the capsular bag ,do you know if most surgeons are happy to leave it for 6 months ,thanks for your help
Sorry, I don't know whether "most" surgeons would be happy to leave it that long. It's possible it varies with the individual, so I would say you have to go with his advice. You could try printing out the article I linked to and taking it to him - maybe it will prompt him to give you some more information.
Hi Marisa. My mother has just had cataract surgery 36 hours ago in the left eye only - the right eye is fine and doesn't need it. As only the left eye has been done, there is a colour difference between what both eyes can see now. I'm assuming that this will settle in the next day or so. She is saying that grey is blue, red is pink and white is luminous! Her surgeon hasn't really given her any info on what to expect regarding colours so I wondered if you could confirm this will settle once the brain re-adjusts. Thanks!
Lisa, I'm a bit confused by this one! Yes, a cataract makes the lens cloudy so colours look muddy and dull. You get used to that, so when you have the op done, suddenly the whole world looks like technicolour!
It's only the big change that makes it look so bright - actually you're just seeing the same colours you used to see before the cataract.
So you see, there shouldn't be any difference between the colours she sees with her left eye and the colours she sees with her right eye, if her right eye is normal. It sounds like there may be an early cataract in the right eye, too, and the surgeon thinks it's not worth fixing yet.
I suggest you ask the surgeon when she goes for her check-up. But it is amazing what the brain can adjust to, so I'm sure it will settle with time.
Marisa- had other eye done and surgeon unilaterally decided to put in same lens in left eye as right eye Both are distance only, single focus lens and I hate them. I cannot get used to them- I feel as if I cannot function just walking around the environment as my mid vision is so poor. I am thinking of having the lens exchanged for multi-focus lens. My surgeon said last week he should have done these lens to begin with given my "unique need to read so much", even considering having them removed all together.
@Reeree, I'm so sorry. And I'm sorry you ended up with an old-fashioned surgeon who thinks patients should do what they're told and don't need to be informed!
Reading is obviously not your problem, because that's easily solved by a cheap pair of reading glasses at the right strength. Most people over 60 need glasses to read anyway, so that's not a big deal. The problem is your middle and distance vision.
With distance lenses, your distance vision should be stunningly clear - so there is something more wrong here than just the wrong choice of lens. Can you get a second opinion?
My husband also ended up with single focus lens distance lenses, but they don't sound as bad as yours. His middle distance vision is OK, but he needs reading glasses to see anything within a metre (just over a yard). He found that very hard to get used to at first. He now has an assortment of cheap reading glasses at different strengths for different purposes. What makes up for it is his wonderful distance vision - after years of being very near-sighted, he can finally enjoy the scenery.
Marissa-Thanks for your response. As of last night, my reading vision is +3 and my mid vision is +2.75. My distance vision is now 20/70 with no depth perception. I have significant 'secondary cataracts' which will need to be removed. The surgeon wants to discuss PRK to improve distance vision and then LASIK to improve overall sight. I'm really not sure this is possible with corneas that are thin from previous LASIK. I just casn't understand why I feel so disoriented just moving around my world and I have a greatd deal of difficulty in stores, possibly due to the flourescent lights? My surgeons comment was "it's a sensory thing" and I guess that should appease me but I'm not settling until I am comfortable. I am looking for other opinions as well but 1 surgeon already said since it was started by someone else, he was reluctant to do anything. Does anyone know good cornea surgeons?
@reeree, if you have secondary cataracts, that changes the whole game. But I'm concerned about the comment by the second surgeon - it's often something they say when they don't want to criticize a colleague.
I would try to get another opinion. I think you also need to be more assertive with your surgeon. When he says something you don't understand, ask him to explain!
Write down a list of your questions and take them with you next time. I can think of several already:
Why did you decide on single vision lenses?
When I talked about disorientation you said it was "a sensory thing" - what does that mean?
What effect are the secondary cataracts having? Can I have them removed before you do any other work?
Why is my distance vision so poor if my implants are for distance? Other people with distance lenses can see distance perfectly?
And so on. Think about each one of his answers and steel yourself to keep on asking until you're satisfied. Take someone with you if you need moral support.
I am 42 years old and I had a cataract surgery in march 2010 but my eye still burns and itching the doctor said it was because of dryness so the doctor recommended that I took refresh lubricated eye drops but it doesn't not help so do you have anything that can help me please email me on
fahd-tiger@hotmail.com or comment here
Fuzia, unfortunately dry eyes can be a side effect and it can be long-lasting. I don't know why your doctor recommended Refresh drops - they're for mild symptoms only and pretty useless for your problem.
There are several eye drops for moderate to severe dryness. Some brand names are Systane, Celluvisc, TheraTears. They really do help.
You may have to use them several times a day at first, but with time you should be able to cut back.
Had left eye YAK yesterday. Had to have right YAK again -surgeon said the membranes I developed were "extremely dense". The cloudiness in left eye is better but right eye is even worse so far and the visual acuidy is worse- Surgeon said he has no ide why my vision is not 20/20 6 months after surgery-he did more tests with no answers.I will hopefully get contacts soon although am told these may not work as they could not correct vision even with eyeglasses. So I am still playing a wait and see game.
Update after back to back cataract surgery on November 28 & 29.... I had Calhoun light adjustable IOL's put in, then adjustments to both lenses on Dec 12, followed by "lock-in" treatment on Dec 14 & 16.. Prior to adjustment on the 12th my visual acuity with the new lenses was 20-40 right, and 20-25 left, which is 1 line better than where I was before cataracts developed. After adjustments I'm now at 20-30 right eye (not perfect due to corneal scarring from old trauma) and 20-15 left, nearly as good as my youth, when I was 20-10 both eyes! I opted for monovision and I'm real happy I followed the surgeon's recommendation to do that with my right eye as the "reading" side. It works fine for reading the print on food cans, brief computer work etc, but too much eyestrain for extended reading, so I use reading specs for longer sessions. Here's a link explaining some of the light adjustment process; most of it's like my experience but I didn't use the dark glasses as the clear ones block the same amount of UV...... http://video.osnsupersite.com/video/Evaluation-of- or if your browser has trouble with that, try http://www.premiersurgeon.com/index.php/light-adju ...... needless to say, it's been a very positive experience, but expensive @ $2800 per eye.
Cheers,
Al
ny Marisa, I've just joined your very helpful hub after having had cataract surgery on my right eye last Friday 3 days ago. I'm now very frustrated with my vision as the operation for my left eye is not for another month and I don't know how to handle my sight. I wear verifocal glasses and now have the problem of not being able to see with my glasses on, nor with them off and the effect is making me feel dizzy and very tired. Would you recommend putting a patch over the operated eye (i.e.over the lens of my glasses on the right side) or should I put a patch over my un-operated eye (i.e.the glasses lens of my left)? Should I be making the newly operated eye work so that it can adjust?
Welcome Nikita-2. It is difficult coping in that in-between month!
Throw away the glasses (or better, donate them to charity). They're no use to you now. Put a patch over the unoperated eye, and buy yourself some cheap reading glasses (even the cheap ones won't harm your sight in any way).
Marisa - When I had my cataract done the surgeon offered me an 'add=on' of a treatment called Phakoemulsificaation - he described this to me as something to fix the astigmatism. At the time I didn't know the clinical name and I asked my optician whether he'd recommend the correction for the astigmatism - he wasn't keen as he felt there hadn't been sufficient research on it, so I didn't have it done. I now find that there was a mis-communication between us and he said he hadn't said that at all. Do you know what phako........... does and what I've missed out on.? My surgeon was surprised by what my optician said. I am now very confused and worried that I wasn't given the whole story and good advice.
Saw neuro-opto today. Nothing wrong so hats good, Bad news- the iols are badly tilted.. so on to another 'expert' to see what needs to be done to take out or change lens. Any info regarding tilted IOL's?
Nikita-2:
Phacoemulsification is just the procedure for removing the cataract..... a tiny ultrasonic probe is inserted into the lens capsule to break up the lens into microscopic particles which are then suctioned out by the same probe, then the new lens is installed through the inciscion. Astigmatism is corrected later by reshaping the cornea with laser or micro-scalpel, or in my case, by microscopically adjusting the shape of the IOL by means of focused ultraviolet light.
Saltyal. Thank you for your comment - when you say 'later' do you mean later in the same operation or at another time? Good luck with getting your IOLs sorted out. It must be very worrying but maybe it was that procedure that my optician wasn't too happy about as it can be a bit tricky?
I had the cataract surgery done with phacoemulsification, same as most people nowadays, and Calhoun light-adjustable IOL's installed on November 28 & 29 for left & right eyes respectively. Then 2 weeks later (allows time for the eye to heal from surgery)I had a refraction done & underwent the adjustments (see my previous posts for explanation) to provide blended monovision. The adjustments took less than 2 minutes per eye! .... 2 days after that I had another refraction done, which showed my visual acuity was as good as it gets considering my right corneal damage. (20/30 right, and spectacular 20/15 left) So the opthamologist did a "lock-in" procedure that day (again with the focused ultraviolet light @ less than 2 minutes/eye)...... 2 days after that I had the final lock in and its been hunky-dory ever since..... There never was an issue with getting my IOL's sorted out, it was just a matter of going through a little different process than those with the more conventional lenses. It hasn't been a worrying experience for me, but rather a positive one.
It may be that your optician isn't up to date on the latest procedures used in cataract surgery, so expressed unwarranted concern over the phacoemulsification, by wrongly thinking it had something to do with a new way of correcting astigmatism.... its now the most common method of removing the cataract...
Keep in mind that the much respected optician's profession focuses (little pun!) on dispensing corrective lenses, so they won't usually have the training or expertise required of an optometrist or opthamologist, and their opinion shouldn't weigh too heavily against the doctors .... that would be like taking the plumbers advice vs the urologists!
Cheers,
Al
I had crystal lens put in two years ago. I just had a secondary cataract removed in my left eye and am having the same proceedure done on my right eye next week. My left eye is very clear but feels achey and I see floating shadows. My doctor says this is normal. Has anyone had a seconday cataract removed? What was recover like?
I've now had my cataract corrected eye checked by my optician and he says that I will still need to wear verifocals for some things such as reading and night driving and that this is the only way I will get excellent vision. I'm a little disappointed although my sight in that eye has improved from 5.50 to +2 - maybe this is normal. However, my eye is watering a lot and I also have a dark outer rim to my vision on the outside edge of my eye. Can anyone explain that?
Nicky, the Crystal lens is fairly new - I understand it's a fixed lens, not multifocal, but your own eye muscles can bend the lens, which adjusts the focus so you can read.
Your surgeon should have told you not to read without reading glasses for the first few weeks, as it's best not to bend the lens too much while your eye is healing.
Your eye is healing so watering isn't surprising. The dark outer rim doesn't sound normal though - you should go back and ask your surgeon about it.
Hi Marisa. I unfortunately had very little guidance - I had to work out how to deal with the imbalance in vision in my eyes - using a patch over the glasses of the new eye and then finally realising that I could wear a contact lens in my old eye and reading glasses over the top of it. No one seems to know why I've got the dark rim. Interestingly I went private and a friend went with the NHS, same day, same time and had far better treatment!! Is the change in my vision what can be expected - I'm afraid I had expected better vision after the op??
Nicky, sounds like you did the right thing without knowing it, so
So your surgeon just shrugs his shoulders and says "I don't know?" You paid him a lot of money - don't settle for the brush-off! Ask him if it could be the edge of the lens you're seeing? Ask him is he sure there's no retinal detachment? Ask him what other tests he could do,to find the cause of the problem?
A lot of people imagine they'll be able to see perfectly after a cataract op, but it's not the case - unless you have a perfectly placed multifocal lens, it's likely you'll need glasses for some things. You may not need varifocals, though - try buying some cheap reading glasses (they're perfectly safe for your eyes). And ask him to explain why you would need glasses for night driving and not day driving!
I've read where several of the folks have posted have mentioned dry eyes after having cataract surgery. So, I thought I would share something that has really helped me. My eyes were so dry after having the surgery, that by each evening, I was pretty much shot. I've started taking 2T of flaxseed oil every day. One T. in the morning and one in the evening. It has relieved my sysmptoms by at least 70%. I also make sure I've always got sunglasses on when I'm outside and airvents in the car are turned out of my face. The flaxseed oil has been amazingly helpful.
Great tip, Sharon, thanks!
Seen atJohn Hopkins Hospital. Not only are my IOLs 2 mm off center but the edges have become completely opaque. I not only see the edges of the lens but am looking through a cloudy lens all the time. Been put on Glacoma eye drops permanently to keep pupils constricted- I am concerned about thsi as I do not have high eye pressure and the drops make me dizzy and cause additional clouding of vision. Still no response to what to do -no one wants to risk exchange of lens and no one can give me eyeglassses that help. So I will continue to search for answers.
@reeree, at least you have an explanation now. What's the point of taking the glaucoma drops if they're making your vision worse? Is there some other benefit to them?
the drops are supposed to intensify the light and keep me from seeing edges but I don't see any this helping. I think I am stopping them tonight. Just got my progressive eyeglasses -(9th pair in 4 months). Mid-vision is still horrible- maybe I just need time to adjust but vision is so foggy I keep cleaning them. I don't know where to go or what to do. Think I'll just sit here and cry.
If the drops are not helping, go back and tell them they're not helping. don't give up.
Hi
I had catarct surgery on both eyes about 12 mths ago. All went well, except now I need really strong glasses for reading. My prescription is +2.5, but I still can't read anything smaller than the newspaper (eg instructions on medicine bottles, ingredient lists on jars, the map of the New York subway). My optometrist said that a stronger prescription will 'burn my retina' and refused to increase the strength. Can this really happen? What are the pros/cons of stronger glasses? FYI- i am 36 yrs old. Thanks
I've never heard of reading glasses "burning your retina". Unless you have some other eye condition, it sounds unlikely - but you could try consulting another optometrist, just to be sure.
You don't have to buy reading glasses from an optometrist anyway. The ones sold in drug stores are just as effective. Because they're so much cheaper, you can buy a few at different strengths, so you have one at +2.5 for everyday and a stronger pair for the occasional tiny print.
Finally found surgeon who knows whats wrong. IOL is off center, tilted 20 degress and out of sac on bottom. He replaced Right silicon IOL with acrylic monofocal IOL. Seems acrylic is better and thinner for pateints with higher order cornea aberrations. Unfortunately, damage done made multi-focal impossible but He thinks he may still be able to improve vision- My left eye has simikiar problem but also poor distance vision due to IOL wrong choice of power and my previous LASIK flap was damaged during first cataract surgery so it needs to be repaired. So more surgeries in future thanks to first surgeon poor decisions. I guess this is what happens when surgeons do assembly-like surgeries and make the same decisions for all
It sounds more like first surgeon's incompetence than poor decisions - if he's caused actual damage, you should have a case to sue!
Im 26 and I was just told I need to get the surgery. Im having a very hard time driving anymore. Actually I dont know how I havent been in an accident yet. Icant see during the day with the sun and at night headlights bother me.....Im very nervous about it and Im a hair dresser. I stand all day bend lift heavy things and hair flies at me eyes.....how long will Ihave to be off of work??
You can't bend and lift heavy things for two weeks after the op.
If you can change your duties so you don't have to lift anything, you could go back to work within a day or two, provided you get yourself some safety glasses. Just don't allow yourself to be pressured into doing any heavy work, or thinking, "I'll just lift this one thing, it won't hurt". It could - I've had one comment from a grandmother who ruined the results of her operation, just by lifting up her grandson.
JUST HAPPENED UPON THIS SITE. I AM HAVING SURGERY THIS COMING WED. AND READING THIS HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS HELP. THE THING I FIND SO HARD TO BELIEVE IS THE PRICE OF THE THREE BOTTLES OF EYE DROPS THAT I HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED. SUPER TINY BOTTLE. SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR THREE WEEKS. WENT TO COSTCO'S TO GET THE RX FILLED. OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS TOTAL..........WHAT IS IT. LICK GOLD.
AGAIN. YOU HAVE PUT MY MIND TO REST OVER ALL THE QUESTIONS THE DOCTOR DID NOT ANSWER OR I DID NOT REMEMBER TO ASK.
AGAIN. no sex for 10 to 14 days. i am in my 70's, but active daily...oh, well, sight before pleasure.
thanks
- Cataract - A Complete Guide to Eye Cataracts
Complete cataract information: causes, symptoms, treatment and new artificial lens options including multifocals, UV blockers.
SamAntone 2 years ago
I've had cataract surgery, and I know of the importance of not rubbing the eyes. I even had an eye patch for while, especially at night, because you can rub your eyes while unconscious. After all the precautions, though, I was amazed at what I could see! Maybe I'll publish a hub describing the differences, before and after.