cataract surgery in young age

I had cataract surgery at age 17 (currently 29 years old). I also had a multifocal lens implanted but I'm suffering from a host of light perception issues. I'm thinking about going back for another surgery to replace my lens but it could be risky (It could leave me blind). I've also had a vitrectomy surgery in the same eye so it's been no fun...

So rest assured you're not the only one dealing with this crap at a young age.

• Grant

my first surgeries were at age 48. and all the comments were, youre too young to have cataracts. at first it really effected my self esteem, but i learned from it. i have the ability at this age to correct my vision and heal quickly. i believe, if later on in life, i would have had more complications and the outcome may have been much worse. so today, i can be happy with my choices, and accept that im aging...just quicker than the average person...and im ok with it

Hi Asta - although older at 53 - still young for cataract surgery. It wasn't an easy time but totally needed the surgery as I was going blind. Some decisions are totally out of our hands. Grateful I can drive again, work, watch TV and daughter play soccer!

I haven't heard of your lenses. I live in Canada so our selection is limited. I have Symfony EDOF lenses. Are yours new on the market? Are they multifocals (assume so if you can see all 3 distances?

I think more experience cataracts younger than we realize and thankfully because of internet we can connect and share experiences. My surgeon thought mine were caused by my severe eczema and use of steriod creams. One year I saw fine with glasses and next year couldn't read road glasses - my cataracts developed fast.

Glad you are able to see well and everything turned out ok. Sometimes it doesn't and it is truly a sad thing to have vision impacted.

How is night vision for you? That is where my vision is a little lacking. I see multiple concentric circles around certain lights at night.

Are the lenses they used multifocal and if they are are you happy?

Asta,

While I'm a bit older (ok, more than a bit) than you, I can still relate to your story based on the vision. I had cataract surgery at 60. My vision was horrible: -8.5 and -8.0. Even corrected with contacts, it was still not 20/20. I had to wear readers, often got headaches, and other problems too numerous to mention. While cataracts were starting, the vision headaches were bad enough to justify having the surgery done. My attitude towards it was that my eyes would never be as healthy as they were at that moment in time. It's a decision I've never regretted. I went from MAYBE 20/40 or 20/60 and readers to perfect 20/20 both near and far. Additionally, as a high myopic, it was brought to my attention that my retinas were really thin and also had lattice degeneration--conditions that we're prone to having. I had argon laser treatment prior to surgery to strengthen the retinas and I honestly believe that the two docs involved saved my sight. I recently had to have another laser treatment because of a slight retinal detachment in one eye, BUT I knew what to watch out for (thank you Dr. Claudia and Dr. Silva!!!!) and contacted my doc immediately when it happened. So, my point (as windy as I've been) is to not dwell so much on the fact that you were young when the surgery happened, but to appreciate that you live in a time when you don't have to wear coke bottle glasses like our grandparents did following surgery. You have 20/20 vision. Ain't life grand?

I am 42 years old and I just had cataract surgery on my left eye a month ago and my right eye last week. I had toric symfony lenses put in for both. i also had subcapsular cataracts that were rapid forming. I noticed my left eye was cloudy in early December of last year. By early Feb i could only get to 20/70 in my left eye. By the end of Feb, my left eye was so cloudy that I could not even read a license plate on a car in front of me at a stop light. My right eye soon followed. I took a magnifying glass to work with me must to be able to read my computer. i did it discreetly in my office and hid the fact that i had cataracts from everyone at work and my friends as well. Only family knew and only a couple of people outside of my family. it wasnt so much shame, but just didnt want people to know. Mid March i decided to stop driving. it was just too risky. Luckily my left eye was done March 18th. So, i only has to have someone close to me drive me for a week before i would have one eye back. it came just in time because my right eye continued to go. Had the surgery been just a week later, i would have not been able to function because both eyes would only be able to see shapes. Finally, last week i had my right eye done. so far both have been a success. I believe i am 20/25 in my left eye. I teated around 20/40 in my right, which was a little disappointing, but i am hopeful that will improve since it has only been a little over a week and i am still healing. Reading vision is good and maybe even better than right before my cataracts. ( i was just starting to have the onset of presbyopia the past year). i totally get what you are saying about having this at such a young age. i was really down at first. i didnt like the fact that my natural lens was being taken out and something artificial was being out in. i dont know why it bothered me. it just did. i kind of felt cheated in a way. hard to explain. but as rapid as it progressed, those feelings were overshadowed by the fact that i needed this fixed and needed it fixed fast. i think that helped me cope with it because it was better than the alternative of seeing only shapes and dull colors of those shapes. i try not to ask why me because in the whole scheme of things, it isnt that bad. yeah, it sucks to have to deal with this in my early forties, but i am trying to focus on the fact that i probably wont need glasses or contacts anymore for the most part. i think that in a few months this whole cataract thing will be a distant afterthought. i dont know if i added any value here with my story, but it does make me feel better that someone around my age feels similarly.

i am 43. diagnosed with PSC at 41. i got one eye done with Symfony and i am experiencing severe nightime dysphotopsia since day 6 post op. other risk of being young is PCO, thats why they remove the posterior capsule as well in children. another risk of being young and male is risk of retina detachment after cataract surgery. so odds are stacked against young people when it comes to cataract surgery.