Cataract Surgery post op

Thank you for responding!😊 today the grittiness feels better I did buy some Systane drops to use in addition to the multiple drops I am taking from surgery. I am 5 days postop. I want to suggest to the doctor to put a more powerful distance lens in my second eye to compensate for not having great distance vision in the first eye that had surgery. I find being in fluorescent lighting to be unbearable. Can you explain what you mean about lens exchange? Does that mean removing the first IOL and replacing it? 

Do you feel they didn’t get the correct power due to Lasik? 

Thanks again!

Yes lens exchange means removing g the one you have and replacing it with another.  Not to be done lightly without considerable thought.  It usually requires an even more skilled surgeon and the risk is also greater.  Personally if you are getting good intermediate vision (and your eyes are still settling being only 5 days post op) and you wind up stabilizing where you are I would ask the doctor to target the other eye for distance.  It likely would be what you’d ideally want anyways if your first op gave you good distance vision.  You’d target the other eye for intermediate to provide more all round useable vision.

But first let that first eye fully heal - push out the operation until you know what that prescription is before having 2nd eye done.   I know not what you originally asked but do think you could be pleased with the end results.

Sounds like a lot of your symptoms are very normal after surgery.  A lot of people take a few weeks to heal - it’s a journey/process for most people.  The fantastic day after surgery results may not be the norm.  I think you are doing well and on the toad to recovery.  Bei g more near sighted than you wished for can be corrected by target of 2nd surgery.  Given you had lasik surgery it is sometimes harder to judge the correct power needed and hopefully tour surgeon can make right adjustments to 2nd eye.

Hang in there!  

From what both drs have told me, ther are four measurements needed for cataract surgery. And with previous lasik patients, even with their records, that last measurement isn’t accurate. So it’s a guessing game. Some come really close , and lasik enhancement can fix, others are way off and need exchange. My surgeon is willing to do the a change for his cost. Nice way of admitting a mistake in my book. So we shall see if it is needed after all. I’ve decided to wait the full 90 days ( or more) before I make that decision not the dr since I had so much pain and inflammation the first go round. And because the dr said he’s only done “a few” exchanges. Not really confident in that response. Anyway, I’m glad the additional eye drops for lubrication are helping. I wish I would have started that right away. 

Sue.an it’s good to hear that you were able to back off the multiple use daily of eye drops. I just assumed I would be using them daily ( several times a day) for life. 

Just a suggestion if the eyes are too unbalanced to manage perhaps your optometrist can fit your unoperated eye with a contact lens to balance it out a bit more.  They often have ‘trial’ lenses where you don’t pay for them.

I also take vitamin E and Faxseed oil supplements every day as I read they are good for preventing dry eye (omega 3 would do well too instead of flaxseed oil.  I just preferred the flaxseed as it was helping with eczema too.  Last winter I had so many flare ups - had to take antibiotics 2x for infections I got from scratching.  This winter I have had very few flare ups and if it’s good for my eyes kill 2 birds with the proverbial stone.

Here are some tips I found online for dry eye (natural remedies).  Going to copy and paste as moderator usually doesn’t allow links:  good luck to us all as cataracts truly are the gift that just keeps giving.

Dry eye prevention tips

Try not to use a hair dryer, if possible.

Stay away from very warm rooms. In the winter, add moisture to the air with a humidifier. Or put a pan of water near your heater or radiator.

Protect your eyes from drying wind by wearing wrap-around glasses outside.

Talk to your ophthalmologist about adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet for dry eye relief. They are found naturally in oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, tuna, trout, and anchovies), and in flaxseeds. Omega-3 fatty acids can be added as a dietary supplement (pill or tablet).

Do you wake up with dry and scratchy eyes? Use artificial tear ointment or thick eye drops just before you go to bed.

Your eye's vision can definitely improve up to at least the 4-6 week period after surgery, my right eye was varying quite a bit  until after 4 weeks before it got more stable for distance vision. So give it some time a few weeks for the eye to stabilize.  I'd wait until then before getting the other eye done then you will know better what to target the other eye for, if your first eye stays a little nearsighted they can target the other eye accordingly.

As far as dry eyes, when viewing a computer screen for hours be sure to take short breaks every 10min or so to look at distance for a short time and try to blink more often. Staring at a screen often reduces blinking increasing eye dryness.

How did your doctor know how to compensate for 2nd eye when he wouldn’t have know where your first eye would end up?