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Cataract Removal - Small Pupil Complication

Posted , 5 users are following.

Nanna
Nanna

I had the operation today and everyone knew someone who'd had it done and said it was a doddle, didn't feel a thing, in and out in a short time etc. so although I was a bit nervous I wasn't unduly worried.

I had several lots of eyedrops administered to dilate pupil. The surgeon said that I had a small cataract in my other eye too and I could have that done in the future. I was delighted because some people are able to discard their specs if they have both done. He also said that my pupil was still quite small and he may have to use clamps to widen it.

Was wheeled into theatre and anaesthetic drops applied. Was dreading the first cut but wasn't even sure when they'd started so I was quite fine. After some time though I heard the surgeon call for the clamps. From then on it was a living hell.

I felt stabbing pain and he called for lignocane (sp) and then it felt like someone was sticking pins all round my eyeball. (I think they were injecting anaesthetic into my eyeball) I was really tense and stressed. I just wanted it to be over. More poking and prodding and the surgeon said just relax, you're doing fine only about another 10 minutes!!

I think I was in surgery for about 40 minutes whereas others had come and gone much quicker while I was waiting for my turn.

When I was finally wheeled out (with iodine streaks in my light blonde hair - why don't they put a cap on you before they slosh that all over your eye?) I think I was in shock. I was shivering cold and trembling but I was just urged to sit up and walk to a chair where I was given a cup of tea.

I've searched the internet for more information about this and lots of sites say the patient should be given some sort of sedative or mild anaesthesia.

There are also lots of warnings about the increased risks with this sort of cataract surgery. I was just told that there was a slightly increased risk.

Well I'm sitting here with my patch on and now dreading having the other one done unless I can have a general anaesthetic which was never offered to me at any time. Strange that because my friend was offered a general anaesthetic for a camera down the throat (gastroscopy). I'd have any amount of those compared to what I had.

I feel a bit of a \"wuss\" cos everyone else says it was \"nothing\".

Be interested to hear from anyone else who thought it was a horrible experience and painful? Otherwise I'll have to admit I'm just a cry baby.[img][/img]

1 like, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • jean96748
    jean96748

    Posted

    My recent experience was similar. I felt great discomfort and prayed for it to be over. I am now dreading having surgery on my other eye. I was not nervous re my first cataract surgery as I had heard such good reports and the patients returning from surgery appeared very pleased by their experience. Afterwards I had a lot of pain and felt quite ill. I had to take srtong pain killers and my eyesight appeared worse. After a few days I went to eye A&E because I was so worried. I was informed that my eye was healing and my experience was usual. After three weeks my vision is not good, I am wearing a contact lens in my eye with a catarct still in place, I am wearing reading glasses and my distance vision is not very good even though the srgeon told me I would have good distance vision. My eye now without the cataract feels odd. Feels as if I have something in it and I sometimes see a blackcurved line to the side of my vision. I am due to see the consultant for my follow up appointment 2nd Jan.
    • roz17139
      roz17139 jean96748

      Posted

      hi jean is your eye ok now? and has the curved line gone , i too have had the black curved line  but the surgon on my second opinion said it was fine and  and in the right place and didnt think it would be the lense ,my op was only six weeks ago so iam hopeing my brain gets to ignore it x
    • roz17139
      roz17139 jean96748

      Posted

      hi jean how are you doing now, has your black curved line gone now?
  • Sharon_B
    Sharon_B

    Posted

    Things are really worse with cataract. It seems that my life filled with colors will turn into total darkness. The white patch though small seems to have ruined my life. A believe in natural remedies was just one hope within me. That day was the end of my worries. My search on the net made me take a deep breath. I purchased OM 25 CRT Formula and eye drops online. The eye drops and the formulations have really shown great results. Last Monday, I was delighted with the news that my chances of getting operated are very less.
  • Carol_V
    Carol_V

    Posted

    I too was traumatised by my 2nd cataract operation. The first eye I had done went

    well, it was a different surgeon. This second eye was done by a different surgeon, who was really, really rough.

    I left there with a really bloody eye that took about 2 weeks for the blood to clear. Here I am 3 months on, and I am left with a very dry, sore, bloodshot looking eye. I am using

    eyedrops the whole time. Apparently I have posterior capsular thickening, a epiretinal

    membrane and basically told to live with it. I am stressed, anxious and waking up at 3.00

    am every morning and not being able to switch off the trauma. I feel my life is finished.

    I would like to have the lens taken out and replaced as it is not settling. Has anyone had

    there lens replaced?

    • roz17139
      roz17139 Carol_V

      Posted

      hello carol how are you getting on now did you have it taken out i had mine taken out and a mono put in for distance but now i have th dark line you spoke of. and now going for a second opinion  i might have to have it taken out again ,but wont let my first surgon touch me any more
    • Carol_V
      Carol_V roz17139

      Posted

      Roz I am just amazed that both you and Nanna have had replacement lens put in I am told it can't be done, clearly it is not true.

      I have been told to just keep bathing my eyes and using drops.  I must say it is better than it was, but still sore and dry every day and cloudy.  It is clear to me that it is never going to be right.  I may just have to come to terms with it, which is not easy.  I think you have to get the right Doctor who is prepared to listen and accept that there are problems that need to be resolved.  If you find one let me know. 

    • roz17139
      roz17139 Carol_V

      Posted

      hi carol where abouts are you, i know what it feels like to be traumaised by this op , and i too felt my life was over it the most frightening feeling i think i had a nervous breakdown ,but if you have athickning you can have  laser treatment to sort that out dont just live withit if its usetting you that much get it out and find someoneelse i know i good surgon  but dont know where you are  x
    • roz17139
      roz17139 Carol_V

      Posted

      hi carol , i went for a second opinion on tuesday , the new surgon said everything was fine and the lense was in the right position ,but he said some people can see the edge of the lense , but didnt think so in my case and couldnt really explain the dark circle and the pain so i now  feel  that i must get on with it  has your dark half circle gone or i you still  unhappy with it x heres my number 07843082926ski if you fancy chatting or skyping u could tex if you want roz
  • Nanna
    Nanna

    Posted

    I'd forgotten I'd even written this post after all this time.

    Jean, I hope you have got yours sorted now x

    That doesn't sound right Carol x I hope you can get something done about it.

    My troubles didn't finish with the trauma i experienced. I was told I would have reasonable distance vision but what I ended up with was what I call my bionic eye lol. I can read even the smallest print on labels but my distance vision is hopeless. As I needed specs for my other eye anyway I went along to the optician expecting to get some to bring them both in line. I was shocked when the optician said that he couldn't prescribe any specs because of the difference in the short sight and the long sight. What? Everything he tried just gave me blurred/double vision!! He said he could give me a pair with plain glass in the short sighted eye and just distance vision. I already had specs so wasn't about to pay out for more that weren't helpful.

    Luckily I found on the internet that I could wear one contact lens in the eye that hadn't been operated on and I would have what they call monovision, i.e. one distance eye and one reading eye.

    I managed OK but I didn't want to spend the rest of my life putting in one contact lens every day. I'm not young and couldn't be faffing about with it so I went back and saw the consultant and asked what they could do about it. He gave me 2 options. Have the reading eye done again (didn't fancy that) or have the other eye converted to reading eye strength and just wear specs for distance. I went for the 2nd option.

    As luck would have it the NHS were currently sending their "overspill" to the local private hospital. What a different experience that was. When I saw the surgeon there before the op and told him what had happened he said I think we can do better than that and I came out with a clear distance eye so basically the same effect as having a contact lens in without the inconvenience.

    I was really dreading the op but I can now understand why most people said it was nothing. I couldn't believe how quick and easy it was. No pain and all over before I knew it.

    So after years of wearing specs I don't need them any more. I get on fine with the one eye for reading and one eye for distance. I believe some people who go for lazer treatment choose this option but it doesn't suit everyone apparently.

    • Carol_V
      Carol_V Nanna

      Posted

      Wow!   Well done Nanna for getting your lens changed.  I am told lens can't be changed.  Could I ask you what the strength of your original lens were.  I have one eye -1.6 the other -0.5 so  I too have a short sighted lens and a distance and if I wear glasses I seem to get double vision or can see the words but can't focus so don't really know what the word is,  as it keeps moving.  I wonder if the difference is too great to focus. 
  • roz17139
    roz17139 Nanna

    Posted

    hi nanna you are sertainly not a cry cry baby i was compleatly traumatised by my surgery how has it turned out
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