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After cataract surgery

Posted , 6 users are following.

valerie_47857
valerie_47857

I had cataract surgery on my right eye 10 weeks ago. I now suffer ghosting and some blurring with distance vision. I also suffer from a constant headache. I have spoken to a consultant and he says the surgery was healing fine and my eye is very healthy. He has said I have some viscoelastic material behind the implant which is normally absorbed by the body and this may be the cause of my problems. He has suggested a YAG capsulotomy to possibly get rid of it. He has warned me of the risks and said my vision could even worsen.

Has anyone had this laser for this reason? I can only find examples of it being used for clouding of the lens. I would really appreciate comments - thank you.

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

  • soks
    soks valerie_47857

    Posted

    Can the ghosting and blurring be corrected by prescription?
    • valerie_47857
      valerie_47857 soks

      Posted

      Thank you for responding. Yes, I have bought glasses (didn't wear glasses before) and they are reasonably successful but I still have this constant headache. The laser I was hoping might cure this but I am very reluctant to ahead without knowledge from someone who may have had it for the same reason.

    • soks
      soks valerie_47857

      Posted

      It is good that glasses are reducing the blurring and ghosting but if the headache is persisting then your eye must be getting strained. 

      I don't know much about PCO but hope everything works out good for you. 

  • at201
    at201 valerie_47857

    Posted

    YAG capsulotomy is for the specific purpose of removing the posterior capsule if the problem is Posterior Capsule Opaqueness, PCO. If you don't have PCO, I am not sure if YAG capsulotomy will help.

    There is normally no reason for a viscoelastic material to end up being between the lens and the Posterior Capsule. How did it get there?

    • valerie_47857
      valerie_47857 at201

      Posted

      How did it get there? Your guess is as good as mine but I believe this material is always used and normally absorbed by the body. Unfortunately in my case this hasn't happened. Thank you

    • at201
      at201 valerie_47857

      Posted

      I am just conjecturing at this stage.

      I don't believe that after they remove the old lens nucleus after breaking it with the Phacoemulsify process and then removing it in small pieces, they put any material in the eye before putting in the new lens in place. Of course, they do have to clean the area (including the cortex between the cornea and the natural lens). If too much of the cortex material is left behind before the new lens is inserted, that may cause symptoms similar to PCO.

    • valerie_47857
      valerie_47857 at201

      Posted

      Unfortunately I am not sufficiently knowledgeable of the actual procedure , I am just repeating what the consultant told me. As I've previously stated I really would like to hear from someone who has had this laser treatment for my condition rather than for the usual. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me.

  • Susie91820
    Susie91820 valerie_47857

    Posted

    I had the same issue and as suggested by my doctor I had the YAG laser.  What she did not tell me is that once it is lasered it is very risky to remove the lens if the laser doesn't work. The surgery was on my left (dominant) eye.   I had a multifocal lens implanted and cannot see at a distance out of that eye.  My only distance thats good in that eye is midrange.  I still need reading glasses.  

    I went to a big medical center to have my other eye done and they had to put in a lens that would work with the existing lens.  This has turned out to be a nightmare for me...my depth perception is off and the halos around lights is really distracting making driving at night a chore.  I am an avid tennis player and this change in my vision has had a profound affect because of the depth perception and not being able to see the ball from the opposing baseline. 

    • soks
      soks Susie91820

      Posted

      Sorry to hear what you are going through Susie. Was your multifocal lens Symfony?

      Also what was the medical center you went to?  I was thinking of going to Wills eye hospital but was told not to go big academic places and go to private practice  as resident may do the surgery. 

    • valerie_47857
      valerie_47857 Susie91820

      Posted

      Susie, I am so sorry to hear of your sight problems, how awful for you.

      Can I just ask please, the same issues you say you have as I have - is this with the retained viscoelastic material or the constant headache or both?

  • Sue.An
    Sue.An valerie_47857

    Posted

    Valerie - what Susie stated is true.  Once you’ve had a YAG procedure it makes a lens exchange nearly impossible.  You may want to get a 2nd consult as perhaps the reason for your blurred vision and headaches Marybeth due to entirely different reason.

    You also mentioned not wearing glasses prior to cataract surgery.  Did your cataracts happen at a young age?

    • valerie_47857
      valerie_47857 Sue.An

      Posted

      Sue.An, no I am not young but I have only ever had reading glasses prior to this cataract removal. How do I go about getting a second opinion? Thank you.
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An valerie_47857

      Posted

      If you have a regular optometrist I would start there and ask for recommendation/referral to see another opthamologist for 2nd opinion.  If not ask around family friends about any opthamologist they would recommend.   

      Your constant headaches could be due to blurred vision or each eye seeing differently.  Blurred vision can be caused a number of things including g the material or PCO or even the lens power being off (do glasses help)?

      But it is certainly worth hearing what another expert has to say - and if it were me that’s what I would do before going ahead with a YAG.  Especially if you end up wanting to exchange the lenses.  Do you know if you have multifocal or monofocal lenses?

    • valerie_47857
      valerie_47857 Sue.An

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your advice, I am working on getting a second opinion. Also Susie's information regarding replacement lens after having YAG laser is something I didn't know about. So that is very important to know. Thank you both so much.

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An valerie_47857

      Posted

      Wish you all the best he best. I suffer from migraines (totally weather related) but no matter how you get migraines or headaches they can be debilitating.   Hope you find out the source and an opthamologist that will work on a solution.  You’d be wise to hold off on the YAG if the source of your headaches was the lens and you decide to do an exchange.

      Again hoping the best for you.

    • valerie_47857
      valerie_47857 Sue.An

      Posted

      Thank you Sue.An, just to answer your previous question - I have no idea what lens I have I just left it to the consultant and assumed he would insert whatever was needed.  It was done NHS not private and the type of lens was never discussed with me.  I feel so ignorant as everyone replying seems to be so knowledgeable.
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An valerie_47857

      Posted

      Hi Valerie - if your surgery was done by NHS they did inserted monofocal lenses.  In UK where cataract surgery costs are covered they only do monofocal lenses.  If you wanted something else you had to go private.  Nothing wrong with monofocals focal lenses. For many they are first choice as multifocal lenses do come with nighttime halos.

      But what surprises me is they do not discuss what focal point you want to see well (distance or intermediate).   Do you see well at one distance or do you see better at one distance with one eye vsvthe other?

      I live in Canada and if I hadn’t inquired about options I wouldn’t have been told anything either.  Only difference in Canada vs UK is that the surgery is covered even if you choose another lens.  You pay just for premium lens - surgery is covered.  In UK surgery is not covered with premiums lens you pay for that once you go private.

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