Alcon IOL peripheral flickering
Posted , 5 users are following.
So being the obsessive person I am over anything health or in this case eye related, I took a few videos of my left (Alcon IOL implanted) eye, with a light source to the left, to figure out if the jiggling movement of the lens as presented in the video, with slight eye movements, is actually the same thing as the flickering sensation I am experiencing visually & I believe they are the same.
Does anyone else have this and if so when after surgery did it dissipate? Will my brain eventually filter out these distracting side effects?
I'm not bothered so much about the cosmetic "diamond eye" aspect as the visual disturbances. That, together with the fact I can see worst starbursts around lights now than when I had the cataract! Long beams of light shooting out horizontally which, if still prevalent after second eye surgery, is going to preclude me from night driving altogether. Will that eventually subside?
I know I need to give it time but I have my second eye operation on 13th July and I've been a bit disenchanted with the whole experience. I don't believe I will have a chance to discuss anything with the consultant surgeon before the next operation if the first one was anything to go by; I felt as if I was on a fast paced conveyor-belt with very little info provided before surgery and even less afterwards; in fact the nurse walked off after handing me the eye drops leaving me to watch an 'aftercare' video. The follow up was simply a short box ticking exercise phone call. It's like 'seeds to the wind' after surgery or maybe that should be "every man for himself".... 😉
0 likes, 8 replies
Guest elizabeth03298
Edited
The peripheral shimmering happens to everyone I think. Extremely common and temporary. For me it was a couple weeks after surgery before I noticed it was gone.
elizabeth03298 Guest
Posted
Thanks that's reassuring. 😃
RonAKA elizabeth03298
Posted
I have not seen anything like the peripheral flickering you describe with either my AcrySof IQ or Clareon lens. I do see some starburst like effect with both lenses at night, but they do not impact my ability to drive. If you google this there are some images for three types of lenses. What I see is similar to the third one shown for the Clareon.
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PLOS One Quantitative assessment of photic phenomena in the presbyopia-correcting intraocular lens Fig 5
elizabeth03298 RonAKA
Posted
It's funny because I don't think I've noticed it quite so much today! But it's definitely been a very prominent visual disturbance since day 1.
I definitely see a long horizontal light ray from light sources but this might be my left eye astigmatism which is admittedly very slight. I didn't think this was a 'thing' with monofocal lenses but I guess it's early days.
karin08666 elizabeth03298
Edited
I had cataract surgery on both eyes 1 week apart 4 months ago. I have the Johnson & Johnson monofocal in both eyes. I have had flickering/flashing in both eyes since day after surgery. For some people it goes away once their IOL has settled in place and the posterior capsule has shrunk around the IOL. For other people it can take up to a year to go away and for some it never goes away. I have read it is more common for people with light colored eyes to get this, but people with dark colored eyes get it as well. It is called positive dysphotopsia. There are a few threads on this forum from people who have this.
I agree about being on a fast pace conveyor belt. I thought if I had a monofocal IOL I wouldn't get this positive dysphotopsia, I was wrong. The doctor never mentioned anything about it. Anything I have learned about cataracts and IOLs was from my own research and on this forum.
I hope the flickering stops for you soon.
Dapperdan7 karin08666
Posted
hi there. do you know your pupil size? also what j&J monofocal was it?
karin08666 Dapperdan7
Edited
When they did all the measurements before my cataract surgery my pupil diameter was RE 4.49 and LE 4.68. I am 67 years old. I have the Tecnis 1 monofocal in both eyes.
elizabeth03298 karin08666
Posted
Yes I've read quite a bit on this forum about the subject - that and the light ray starburst effect are the only two things right now I'm worried are permanent fixtures. I have hazel eyes; a very light olive green graduating to brown nearest to my pupil so not sure if that impacts on anything or not.
I wasn't massively enamoured at the level of service provided by what is in fact a highly recommended UK private hospital. I'm not saying this hospital doesn't meet the standards as the staff, especially the nurses were very engaging and caring, all up until the last minute when I was ushered out into the waiting area with a cup of tea and biscuit, still in a dazed state.
I don't just want to receive a booklet outlining the treatment and options - I want time to be able to be able to formulate the right questions without feeling rushed. And I do wonder would I have been treated differently had I paid privately rather than via the NHS. Would I get a face to face follow up appointment for example rather than a five minute call.
My consultant is a man of few words but the first thing he uttered at my pre-op evaluation was a melodramatic "you shouldn't be driving with a cataract this bad" - bear in mind I met the standard required with my eyeglass prescription, although admittedly night driving was becoming a problem. I was his last patient that day and so didn't quite understand what was so bad about my vision which warranted putting the fear of God into me.
It's my feeling the consultant surgeons who carry out these operations do so many of them they lose touch with treating people like individuals.