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Acceptable Symfony result?

Posted , 9 users are following.

logan72565
logan72565

I had Symfony IOL's implanted 4 months ago. 

In the marketing literature, they show people using their smartphones and lead a person to expect near vision results to match that. Numbers-wise they advertise 20/25 or better through 26 inches.

In my one eye which was -6.0 with .-0.75 astigmatism preop, I now have 20/20 at distance (but barely as it's fuzzy) and the doctor says I am plano, but I CANNOT see a Smartphone well enough to use even held at arm's length.

The doctor says I have an excellent outcome and suggests a YAG to 'crisp' things up (I'm not convinced it would help as I have no cloudiness at all)

So, my question is, should I accept this result? I'm thinking that for the high cost I should get a better result than this considering the advertising shows people using Smartphones?

PS> my other eye is is a bit better as I can see as close as about 20 inches to use the Smartphone before it gets too fuzzy, although I must admit I was expecting better.

Thanks for any thoughts

0 likes, 56 replies

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  • Sue.An
    Sue.An logan72565

    Posted

    I am surprised by those results too Logan.  I had 2 Symfony lenses last summer and read my iPhone with ease - elbow bent and iPhone about 12 inches away.   I too have plano in both eyes- although I do wonder about that.  All it means is I can read that specific line at the optometrist office in ideal conditions.  I do know my husband who doesn’t have cataracts often is able to read signs that are further away than I can.

    However I haven’t worn any glasses since 2nd surgery.  Reading though did get easier after 2nd surgery.

    Is it possible you are a bit far sighted and not plano?   A YAG will not give you crisper vision - unless you have a clouding of the back of the capsular bag / PCO.  

    Did you get regular Symfony lenses or toric to correct astigmatism?

    • logan72565
      logan72565 Sue.An

      Posted

      From your knowledge, do you get the idea that you have the expected outcome - or that your results are exceptional?

      From the manufacturer, all I can see is that they expect 20/25 through to as close as 26 inches... but I'm not sure how to even measure this... the big wall chart is meant to be read from 10 feet and I have near chart but it's says to read it from 14 inches... so how do you get a result from 26 inches?

    • jantje32476
      jantje32476 Sue.An

      Posted

      Sue.An asks a good question. I too would be interested if yours are regular Symfony lenses or Toric (to correct astigmatism)?

      WebDev had near vision problem after his both eyes were implanted with Symfony Toric lenses. In his case, YAG was suggested too. His last post was a year ago, when he mentioned that his surgeon recommended going with laser (PRK) correction.

       

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An logan72565

      Posted

      I was told to expect reading distance at 18 inches (from my surgeon) when both eyes were implanted with Symfony.  Although I have my new prescription after surgeries that day plano for LE and RE I know I see distance slightly better through right eye.  I also have slightly more astigmatism in left eye .50 in left .25 in right so perhaps that accounts for it.

      But I was really surprised by how much near vision I got.  Have no problem even with small print like stock quotes soup cans and even had to repair my sunglasses (small screw fell out) and I had no problem doing that.

      Everyone’s cornea is different too - even those with monofocal lenses can get varying results for seeing more range than others.   

    • jantje32476
      jantje32476

      Posted

      My husband's bionic eyes (Symfony lenses) were implanted 2 years and 22 months ago. To humour me, he read with ease his iPad, books magazines under his nose, at armslength and anywhere in between. I (rather we) never knew that the implanted lenses could move inside the eye capsules during the first 4 weeks or so, untill I learned this from this site. We followed our Eye-Surgeon's post-Op instructions to a tee. Including those what-not-to-do during the first week are: No bending over, No touching No rubbing No pressing on the operated eye, and No heavy lifting. In fact he extended some instructions to over several weeks and months, and I ended up being the only heavy lifter around the house. ^0^

      Would be nice if WebDev can give us a feedback.  @WebDev, Did you proceed with a laser (PRK) correction? And how is your near vision now?

  • Night-Hawk
    Night-Hawk logan72565

    Posted

    I would suggest you go get a refraction at an optometrist to find out your current eyeglasses Rx to see if you ended up a little farsighted or some residual astigmatism that could limit your near reading focus.
    • logan72565
      logan72565 Night-Hawk

      Posted

      But I have... both are plano requiring no corrections but with a small 0.5 astigmatism in both, so they measure the same... but the near vision is vastly different somehow.
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An logan72565

      Posted

      Logan was this just the reading test from chart on wall?  Or do you have a written prescription where eyesight was also measured by machine?   I had to pay the $90 fee at optomestrist as one done by surgeon was general - at plano but I needed to pay for a full eyesight exam to get the RX.
    • logan72565
      logan72565 Sue.An

      Posted

      I've only been tested for by the doctor for DISTANCE - test was performed by two machines the way they've always done it (one you must choose between two choices repetitively; the second is completely automated by staring at an image.

      But we might be getting off track here... distance is fine.... but for near vision, I'm just trying to figure out if I'm measuring up to what the Symfony manufacturer suggests is satisfactory - 20/25 as close as 26 inches. I don't get how you can test this as the only charts I've seen are meant to be used from 10 feet or 14 inches... not 26. 

       

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An logan72565

      Posted

      Yes near vision is usually tested at 14 inches using Snellen chart.

      What I am saying is even if your distance is fine you may be over corrected and a bit far sighted which would still give you good distance vision but compromise your near.

      Although the target was set for plano the iol can settle .25 either way.  If you ended up slightly far sighted the power could be adjusted by lasik.

      You should have better near than 26 inches with Symfony IOLs.  Has your doctor offered any explanations or solutions?

    • logan72565
      logan72565 Sue.An

      Posted

      Ah, I understand what you're saying.

      Since I read 20/25 distance, doesn't this mean that my lens is underpowered if anything and certainly not farsighted?

      The doctor has never even tested my reading vision - I sense he's tired of people complaining about near vision. The only explanation the doctor offered was to give it time and do a YAG. But honestly my eye has not changed since day 8 postop and it's now been 4 months. I have no cloudiness, so I from what I understand of PCO, I don't see that a YAG would help.

      Again, I'm not saying my near vision is 26 inches... I wouldn't know what size font to use to test it. Using the Snellen at 14 inches I'm a J7 - J9 and I can't read a Smartphone.

      Anyhow, I'm not looking to diagnose exactly what's wrong - that's the doctors job. What I'm looking to determine here and now is if I should be satisfied with my results.

      And from what I'm hearing, it sounds like I shouldn't be?

      The problem I face is that he's telling my results are excellent and I think trying to make me (a problem) fade away... I need to determine if I should stand my ground and demand better for my $5000 investment in that eye.

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An logan72565

      Posted

      Night Hawk’s suggestion of trying over the counter readers is a good one to at least know what power you need to read comfortably at 14 inches.

      I am surprised your doctor did not do a reading test.  Is he the one did the distance test?   If so it would be worth your while to see an independent optometrist for a refraction test to see if results match up.

      I would say if distance is underpowered and you see at 20/25 and not see better than 26 inches something is off snd not the norm/ususal results people get with Symfony lenses.

      A YAG would help clear PCO - not sure it would help you read better.  Also if you have any thoughts if lens exchange I don’t recommend you go ahead with a YAG.

  • Night-Hawk
    Night-Hawk logan72565

    Posted

    Have you tried different weak over the counter reading glasses to determine how much +power you need to read at the near focus you expect?  That would be interesting since it would show how many diopters your eye needs for good reading close up in addition to the about +1.5D that the Symfony should provide.
  • Night-Hawk
    Night-Hawk logan72565

    Posted

    Also I suggest testing your reading under brighter lighting conditions such as in sunlight and indoors with a good bright reading lamp for example. Symfony patients have posted that they do need good lighting for close up reading of finer print.
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An Night-Hawk

      Posted

      That is true (and I think for all IOLs) that good lighting is needed for reading. However a back lit iPhone should be easy to read no matter what lighting there is.
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