Double Vision after cataract surgery

Thanks your case is a bit different than mine in that I never had double vision until after the cataract surgery and now I'm told as of today that the cause of this double vision is cloudy membranes which are the part of the eye that the doctors purposely leave behind in cataract surgery. It's the part that they attach the new lens to and the hope is that time will heal the eyes and clear up the membranes of not more surgery. I should have kept my cataracts.

Salty0 - Don't despair, in time I'm sure the surgeons, or healing process, will repair the double vision you're experiencing. It is so scary/frustrating making the decision to have the surgery, but cataracts are no fun either. Sending you positive, healing thoughts!

Your symptoms like the black rim in the corner of your eye are very similar to what I've been experiencing, it comes and goes I've discussed it with my doctor and explained it like looking through binoculars, she explained that the lenses which replaced those which were removed with the cataracts are smaller than our natural lens and the brain needs time to ignore that space. What I don't like or understand is the lack of information, it makes me feel as if they're more concerned with protecting themselves or their reputation. They've lost my trust and confidence by not being straight forward and as soon as possible I'm seeing a specialist who's not connected to their practice. Unfortunately, I've seen to many instances where doctors protect each other rather than serve the patient. Although I don't blame the doctor for the issues I'm experiencing just the way in which they are addressing them. Kind of treating me like a mushroom, keeping me in the dark and feeding me crap.. thanks for your response.

Hi and thanks for contributing your thoughts. I've been back so many times to discuss these issues I think they may dedicate a chair to me. The double vision appeared as ghosting ( not well defined) after the second surgery, in fact all of these issues apoeared after the second sugery. The first went so well I was amazed at the improvement in my vision. I could see distance and mid level well without the aid of glasses. I could even read without glasses although only for a limited time. After the second surgery I was wishing I'd just kept that cataract which wasn't all the large or chosen to go with a toric len in that eye too, but I was told it wasn't necessary because the astigmatism in my right was negligible. Now the double vision has become more defined the images are one behind the other and the back one image slightly higher, the back images use to be shadowy, now they resemble the front images and seem to be growing less blurry, it's really weird.

Salty0 - do you see the double image/ghosting on all lettering or just lit screens where it is white lettering on black background?   I get a slight amount of that (ghosting or highlighting) with white lettering on black backgrounds on TV or iPhone/iPad but not on street signs.   But do you get that effect on everything?

If I am using my eyes for normal reading like a book etc and then try to read signing (large street signs) immediately after everything is both blurry and double. If I don't use my eyes for reading then it's just as you say on the tv screen black on white or white on black all of it doubled. It's depressing.

So for normal reading (book) vision is clear?  It is only if you change the focus from reading a book to looking at a sign further away?   Just trying to get a sense if your double vision is constant or comes and goes.

Double vision is constant but more pronounced after reading. I can only read for a short while then words become very blurry and more pronounced double vision. I should have kept my cataracts

Not sure this makes it any easier but if your cataracts has gotten to a point where your vision could no longer be corrrected with glasses there really wasn’t much choice.  I was diagnosed with cataracts at 53.  Completely took me by surprise and I asked numerous times if I could hold off.  But at that point I wasn’t able to read road signs or even the license plate on the car in front of me waiting at a red light.    I read if you wait too long cataract becomes quite dense and the surgery a bit more difficult to perform.

Have you seen another doctor or at least gone to an optometrist to find out what your prescription is?   Someone should be able to pinpoint the issue and offer suggestions.   When I googled it there were a number of reasons for double vision after cataract surgery.  But if your current surgeon cannot investigate further or give you any answers you might want to get a 2nd opinion.   The optometrist would at least be able to tell you if astigmatism is causing this or maybe the difference between the eyes is too much for brain to adjust.   But I can well imagine how frustrating this must be for you.   You deserve to get some answers.

My last conversation with both my surgeon and also

a senior surgeon at the practice indicated that the double vision and blurriness was due to "cloudy membranes" these are the membranes which are always left behind after removing a cataract to allow the surgeon to affix the new lense. I was told it should clear up in a couple of months (3) at the minimum. I was advised that people heal differently and the standard is at least 3 months. If it doesn't improve I'm told lazer surgery could be used to remedy this situation although I am taking everything now from these doctors with a huge grain if salt, I've lost confidence in their competency.

That sounds like a description of PCO, where the remaining capsule that holds the lens gets cloudy some months or even years after surgery.  They use a YAG laser procedure to shoot a hole thru the cloudy capsule to remedy that, but it makes IOL replacement difficult, so best to be sure you want to stay with that IOL before choosing that procedure.

I am usually very careful about doing research before I choose to go forward with anything to do with health care. I research the doctors, ask the questions, but in this circumstance I was absolutely remiss. I didn't take this procedure as seriously as I should have. Those terms you are tossing out are new to me, my bad. I think I was lured into a feeling of complacency, that this surgery was a snap, done so often with excellent results that I took it for granted. I just hope these " cloudy membranes" or PCO as you put clear up. Again these doctors are not being straight with me. Why they're not using medical terminology in responding to my questions is very concerning to me. I think I made a terrible error in choosing these doctors. I'm curious are you in the US ? The reason I'm asking is the people who seem to have a better grasp of these issues appear to be located in Europe.

I'm curious about where they are located also. I had my left eye cataract surgery done 2 weeks ago and now I am proceeding with the second eye this Monday . I am not 60 yet, so now I am concerned (learning that this could be an issue after the second eye surgery procedure). I was also going to ask if anyone had lapse of memory that they "actually" had their eye surgery after their second eye was done because my surgeon just informed me, this would happen. I thought he was joking, but when he assured me he was serious, I now have started googling it, to find some answers

Jacey11 2 weeks seems a very short time between surgeries. How is your vision after first surgery? It takes time for healing and your vision could change still. personally i would want to wait do that any adjustments needed could be made for 2nd surgery.

the vision after my first surgery was awesome after not being able to see since 3rd grade, this was quite a wonderful improvement I had such bad anxiety before my first eye surgery, my whole body shook on the first chair where I got drops & the IV. I had a wonderful nurse who was very attentive ( and knew her stuff!) as she handled me. They brought me warm blankets & put them over me & behind my head. I was shaking from nerves, not from being cold. The anesthesiologist was wonderful when I explained my fears & told me he would give me something to help me right away. For my second surgery, I truly dont believe I had the same one because it was a total different experience & this time I saw & felt alot more during the procedure. I still believe that the guy didnt give me as much anesthesia as I got the first time. I'm going to check on that when I go back to the surgery center to see my first wonderful nurse

i always find it interesting to read the different experiences. for my own there was no IV just the numbing drops for the eye both times. my surgeon had a calming voice though.

glad you have good results and able to see well.

hi Sue.. you mean you werent even given a mild sedative at all?? just numbing drops?