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Blurry vision after Yag laser 2 1/2 weeks ago

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Shae280
Shae280

My Mom had cataract surgery October 2017. The right eye was perfect for about 3 weeks and then became blurry. The Dr. Said it was PCO and that the Yag procedure would fix it and she would see clearly in a few hours. Her vision has not gotten better. It is as if nothing was done. I took her to the Dr. today and she is seeing 20/70 which is worse than before the Yag(It was 20/60). Right after the surgery she was seeing around 20/40. The Dr. said the lens has moved back which is normal and can happen which is why she is not seeing clearly. He said the Yag worked and removed the cloudiness which makes no sense considering she still cannot see clearly. His only solution was to get glasses. She did not need them after surgery so should she need them now? I am just really upset to go through the Yag with no result at all. 

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

  • hope4cure
    hope4cure Shae280

    Posted

    Sorry to hear about the disappointment from cataract surgery. I had similar results . After lense was in place then yag. It took almost a year before my sight got better. Getting new glasses helped for reading. If need another opinion that may be a good way to go . Good luck.
  • Salty0
    Salty0 Shae280

    Posted

    I empathize with you and your mom. It's hard to disagree with a doctor when they're supposed to have all the answers. Here's what I have experienced; my left eye the first one done on 3/7/18 with a toric lens seemed to heal perfectly and my vision improved 100% without glasses. My right eye done exactly 31 days later with a standard lens didn't do so well and after within a month or less from my last surgery both eyes were burning as if I had dumped a box of salt and pepper into them. I kept going back and complaining but I'm thankful for their wait and see policy. 7 months out now I'm still not where I thought I would be but there's improvement. Eyes no longer burn as much, burning reduced by 90-95% , (only after using them for hours). My double vision has also gone away basically. My surgeon went on maternity leave and her stand in saw me again recently and gave me a reading only prescription which seems to help ( only got glasses last week). I can read without glasses but it taxes my eyes since with today's tech my eyes are on my phone , my tv or my Kindle Paperwhite which maybe part of the issues facing all of us post cataract surgery.

    I'm of the opinion that I had a reaction to those drops (steroids) much more so because I didn't always remember to shake that bottle sso I got a concentrated dose when I used the same bottle for the second eye. I now have dry eyes syndrome something these doctors seem to fail to mention. I'm taking XIIDRE similar to Restasa very expensive even with insurance but hopefully will speed my recovery because it's moving as slowly as glacier. I would recommend a second opinion before your mom does anything else

  • Sue.An
    Sue.An Shae280

    Posted

    Hi Jullie - yes during healing process (6 weeks) the lens can move back and forth before settling so results one gets right after surgery can change a bit.   Sounds like even initially the power may have been slightly off and then as Lens shifted during healing made the vision worse.  To know if the power is off would you know her exact prescription?  With glasses it should make the vision sharp.   If they don’t there is another issue at play.   Unfortunately glasses free is never guaranteed with cataract surgery.   Hopefully with glasses your mom is able to see fine.   

    If nothing is working I do suggest seeing a different doctor for another opinion.

    • Shae280
      Shae280 Sue.An

      Posted

      My Moms surgery was 10/17. Her vision has been blurry since 3 weeks after surgery. It was perfectly clear for 3 weeks. The Dr. always said that the YAG was no big deal and that it was a PCO that would be corrected and that her vision would be as it was right after surgery. 

      So she had waited almost a year before doing the YAG. The Dr. never mentioned any movement of the lens until today when she went back to him 2 1/2 weeks after the Yag with no improvement. In fact her vision was worse today than before. I do not understand how he says the cloudiness is gone when she still has blurry vision. What was the purpose of doing this Yag procedure if it did nothing? She can be corrected to 20/25 with glasses but that is not really the issue. He assured her that doing the Yag would restore her vision to what it was. 

    • jantje32476
      jantje32476 Shae280

      Posted

      So sorry to hear that she only had 3 weeks clear vision after the cataract surgery, and that her lens had moved. Did you bring your mum for more testing including macular OCT ?  If her eyes are healthy, lasik or PRK enhancements may be a solution.
    • jantje32476
      jantje32476 Sue.An

      Posted

      Sue.An, there is a new lens, Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) but not yet available in the US.  At 2–3 weeks postoperatively, if the patient’s refraction is not ideal the doctor can place the lenses behind the light delivery system of the RxSight device and expose them to around 90 seconds of light to “adjust” the refractive state to the desired target.
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An jantje32476

      Posted

      Thanks janteje - I had read about this lens last year.  Was following someone’s story on it.  Apparently adjustments can be made after implantation to the power and then it can be ‘locked in.’  Will try and find it and send you the link by message.   It was interesting.  Downside is how lengthy process was and I can’t see how it would be used for the masses needing cataract surgery.
    • jantje32476
      jantje32476 Sue.An

      Posted

      I wonder if it works for patients whose lenses moved during the first few weeks after surgery, because I cannot find that information online. Anyone else know the answer?
  • freeman62151
    freeman62151 Shae280

    Posted

    Sorry to hear about your mother's issues,I had carats removed approx. 4 months. ago,the first day after surgery I went for my follow up ,at which that time the surgeon told me I was one line on the chart away from 20/20 vision ,which I was very please with.

    The following day I got this Blurriness/cloudiness in my right eye and I was seeing double vision etc.I returned to the Surgeon within two days to find out what happen,that's when he told me I would have to have YAG performed within three weeks,which I did but was surprised to find out their was no improvement ,only worst.

    I was scheduled to have my left eye done ,4 weeks after this treatment.It turned out worst ,where I have a black rim shadow in the corner of my eye and blurry/clouding vision actually worst than the right eye.

    I went to back to see him on my follow up and he said it would need YAG also which I declined ,seeing that the right eye had not improved with the treatment.So make the story short ,he up front told me I would need glasses full time ,not just for reading,which I never expected.Even with new glasses I can't see very much better ,things look double,and I see flashes of light when I move my head fast at times.This as been a very disappointing  "ORDEAL"     

    • Shae280
      Shae280 freeman62151

      Posted

      I am sorry for all your problems also. I really thought YAG should not even be done for at least a month. My Moms Dr. said to wait 3 months.It does seem alot of people are having too many issues after cataract surgery.
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An Shae280

      Posted

      Hi Shea - not sure these forums are an accurate picture of how many people have issues after cataract surgery.  I think there is a high percentage of people satisfied with the outcome - but most would never think to post about it.  But I am thankful we live in a time when forums like this are possible and people from all over the world can share their experience and advice.
    • Shae280
      Shae280 Sue.An

      Posted

      I understand what you are saying. I do have another question for anyones input. Should you be able to see 20/20 with glasses after cataract surgery?
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An Shae280

      Posted

      Hi Shae280 - this is just my opinion (I am a patient so rely on what my opthamologist told me and reading I have done).

      To answer your question - if there is a refraction error / power not right / astigmatism then absolutely yes a person should be able to correct those with glasses or contact lenses.  An optometrist should be able to test vision and provide an exact prescription.  One could also get a lasik enhancement but that would be more expense and I would think only someone who paid for premium lenses would go that route as they are more motivated to be glasses free than someone who opted for monofocal lenses and went into that know they would need glasses.

      However if the issue is something else then I don’t think glasses will correct.

      My suggestion would be to visit regular optometrist for exact prescription (not surgeon).  especially if you have some doubt or lost confidence in what they are saying.

      Sorry your mom is going through this - hope she gets some answers.  

    • Shae280
      Shae280 Sue.An

      Posted

      I just very simply wanted to know in general after cataract surgery if glasses are needed should it be able to be corrected to 20/20.
    • jantje32476
      jantje32476 Shae280

      Posted

      Shae280, I learned a lot just from reading past comments from contributors like at201, Sue.An and Knight-hawk.  Wrt your question, I could not have explained it any clearer than Sue.An.  Just like your mom, I too have standard lenses (monofocals). I have very good near and intermediate vision, and with Rx glasses my distant vision is corrected to 20/20.

      One other thing, if you are not sure whether your mom has astigmatism that required surgical correction or not, she might know as all of us who underwent operations had to sign a consent form.  After the cataract surgery, some patients may have residue astigmatism (thanks Knight-Hawk) that may or may not improved. Some may even become hyperopic.

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An Shae280

      Posted

      Best way to find out is to take her to an optometrist.  You’ll know then and there.
    • Shae280
      Shae280 Sue.An

      Posted

      I contacted the first Doctor my Mom saw and got her records. I am not sure exactly how to read them so I called the office. It turns out my Mom does NOT have an astigmatism.

      Anyone new here if you are a Medicare patient a Doctor cannot charge you extra if they choose to use the Femto as a method to removing a cataract unless you get a specialty lens or have an astigmatism(that you want surgically corrected). My mother did not get a specialty lens and even if she had an astigmatism would not have spent 2800-to have it corrected.  She just wanted regular catataract surgery. I hope this helps someone else make an informed decision. 

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An Shae280

      Posted

      hi Shae280

      Just wondering how this all this turned out. Were you able to report this doctor? Or confront the surgeon with your mom's records that she didn't have astigmatism and ask why he would charge you for something your mom didn't need?

      Hoping your mom is doing well - fully healed and able to see again to go on with her life. All the best to you.

    • Shae280
      Shae280 Sue.An

      Posted

      Sue.An

      I Appreciate you thinking of my Mom. As far as the astigmatism the first doctors office sent me her records and said there was no astigmatism. In looking over the records I could see her previous prescription did not have any correction for an astigmatism. The exam looked like there was a slight astigmatism. I spoke to the Dr. and he said he found a .75 astigmatism. So it seems that there was a slight astigmatism but still would not have had LRI on it. I did file papers with Medicare in detail yet they sent all the papers back saying they were incomplete. I Mailed them back weeks ago asking them to contact the Dr. if they need more info.

      I have a feeling nothing is going to be done and the Dr. will get away with not being honest. As far as her vision the eye that had the YAG is worse than before the YAG. One eye is good. All I can say is she can see better now on the whole which for me right now is good enough.

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An Shae280

      Posted

      As long as your mom is content and happy that is key. At that age the stress of conflict is not something seniors like to deal with. But it is hard for family members to see them taken advantage of - something I see seniors go through all too often in our society (and recognizing I too will be a senior soon enough). Bet she is glad to have you around.

      I think I might be tempted in that situation to write that doc a letter outlining my thoughts on his practice and including her low astigmatism results prior to surgery and may even threaten legal action and demand a refund.

      But totally get that you might not want that aggravation either. And these unscrupulous people do often get away with these practices. Hope your story inspires others to ask questions prior to surgery before making decisions on cataract surgery.

      Take care Shae280. Wish you nothing but the best.

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