AcrySof (Alcon) Vivity UV IOL Lens ... My experience with this lens
Posted , 7 users are following.
I am a 64 year-old male in good health. I have needed glasses to read and see mid-range since 2005, choosing progressive lenses (I don't know my prescription #'s). Over the past few years my long-distance vision was getting worse, to the point, that I couldn't read road signs from far away, nor, follow my golf ball when I teed off. My looked into Lasiks surgery, but was told that I wasn't a candidate as the doctor noticed I had cataract in both eyes (which my optometrist of 6+ years never told me). He referred me to an eye surgeon who confirmed my cataract and a very slight glaucoma in my left eye. He told me I was an excellent candidate for the lens implants and gave me the options available .... mono-focal or Multifocal, including the good and bad of each. Based upon considerable research I opted for the multifocal, which he was using Vivity. The plan was to have my right eye (dominant) operated on 2/22/21 with Vivity (18.5D) lens, and my left eye (19.5D) operated on 3/8/21.
Initially, I was very impressed with the brightness of my vision after the first implant (right eye). My vision was blurry at all ranges (near, mid, and far) from the onset. I was told this was normal and would improve over time as my eye healed. On 3/8/21 I had my left eye done and the results were incredible, to say the least. I had (and still have) "Perfect" vision for all distances. I can read without glasses, and see my golf ball traveling through the air for the first time in years. I have to say the procedure for my left eye is a tremendous success. HOWEVER, my vision remains blurry in my right eye .. so I would say this eye surgery was a failure ( I could at least see clearly (even with the cataract) for mid-to-far distances in my right eye before the surgery). To make matters even worse ... 6 weeks after my right eye implant I develop a brown spot (floater I guess) the the 3 o'clock position, and cloudy floaters that move around the eye, making it seem like I am looking through a lacy curtain. Once again ... the left eye ... perfect vision with no floaters.
I went to my optometrist at the 2-month mark and she said she couldn't see anything with her equipment, but in time ... my brain will get used to them and I won't notice them anymore. Not the explanation I wanted after spending over $8,000 for the procedure. Having very little confidence in her professional opinion, I made an appointment (6/8/21) with the surgeon who performed the procedure to see what he has to say. I even emailed Alcon to see if it was possible for the surgeon to implant the lens "backwards", and what the effects of doing so would be if this were to happen. After two weeks ... no response from them.
I don't know if this post is helpful or not.
2 likes, 7 replies
Guest Richyt72
Edited
the spot, floaters, blurriness and especially the "lace curtain" you describe sounds like it could be something with the eye itself. I'd try to get in to see the doctor sooner than that June date they gave you if possible. That said if there was some ocular pathology with the eye you'd think they would have caught it in the pre-op exams.
RonAKA Richyt72
Edited
It sure sounds like something is not right with the right eye. They can miss with the selection of the lens power, but I suspect that would not cause equal blurriness at all distances. The lens can be off center, or tilted as well, and that may be a better explanation of an issue at all distances. Is this lens a toric version to correct astigmatism? If so, there is a chance it could be implanted or has rotated out of the correct angular position. It does not have to move far to make the vision worse instead of better.
Richyt72 RonAKA
Edited
RonAKA:
I am hopeful the ophthalmologist who removed my cataract and implanted the Vivity lens will have the ability to provide an accurate diagnosis of my issue. If it's a lens issue I am sure it would be an easy fix. If I can get most of the floaters removed and 50% of the clarity of the left eye (using the same Vivity lens) ... I would be satisfied.
I will post the results of my 6/8 appointment.
Guest Richyt72
Edited
have you called and described your symptoms just over the phone to rule out anything more serious or urgent before waiting for a follow-up? If it were me I'd just want to make sure it's not something urgent first before waiting until June.
TomMA Richyt72
Posted
I am experiencing exactly what you have stated above. Second eye done, is great. With the first eye done (going on 3rd month), I occasionally see clearly but only for a short period of time before it goes blurry/hazy. I was also told my brain needed to adjust to this vision. This situation is pretty frustrating after spending extra for these specialty lenses.
johnnyEagleEyes Richyt72
Edited
Thanks for your post. It is helpful. I am sorry to hear about your right eye. I would get a second opinion from a different ophthalmologist in a different clinic as soon as possible.
May I ask, do you have any night vision issues with the "good" left eye implant? I understand Alcon Vivity should eliminate halos, starbursts and glare but I have read conflicting reviews on that point.
Also poor contrast sensitivity (CS) has been reported. Is that your experience?
I have a Bausch + Lomb Crystalens (Trulign Toric) in my left eye. It works well in daylight for far, intermediate and some near but night vision in traffic is poor due to heavy glare from oncoming traffic. I need an IOL in my right eye now but want to avoid that issue.
RonAKA johnnyEagleEyes
Edited
My thoughts would be to go to a more conservative monfocal for your second eye. You will give up some depth of focus for better contrast sensitivity and image quality without side effects. Some options would be the Tecnis 1, AcrySof IQ (or Clareon), and the B+L enVista. If you check out the B+L site for the Bausch Surgical enVista information you should find a graph that illustrates the impact of increasing amounts of spherical aberration. The Tecnis provides the least and the enVista the most. It is described as neutral and does not attempt to correct SA like the Tecnis 1 to reduce SA to zero. Another candidate may be the J&J Eyhance. It in fact may produce increased depth of focus similar to the enVista.
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The hope would be that if you get a monofocal set for distance in your second eye, this will allow you to ignore the flare from your Crystalens. And again hopefully your Crystalens will give you sufficient closer vision to avoid glasses.