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Epiretinal membrane - update

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Sue.An2
Sue.An2

So nice to see people here I dialogued with about my own cataract surgery providing input to others. A big hello to you all.

A year after my cataract surgery I developed Epiretinal Membrane. I am followed each year by a specialist who recommends the surgery as a last resort. Happy to say the pucker has moved off my central vision so it is a little better. Given surgery is risky I won't do it until benefits outweighs the risk.

My mom had cataract surgery this year (monofocal lenses). Even tho I am happy still with my premium lenses I told her to go with monofocal ones. i was 52 tho and she is 80 at time of surgery. Unfortunately she is not happy with the outcome. Makes me wonder if our unique variables play a much greater part in outcomes.

Anyways wanted to say hello to the many I knew here and give a little update on my situation.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • RonAKA
    RonAKA Sue.An2

    Edited

    Sue.An, it is good to hear from you again and that your eye condition has improved. Sometimes just waiting is the best thing we can do. Hopefully your mom can reconcile her issues with the monofocal lenses. It is probably worth keeping in mind that there is no perfect solution and we all have to make the best of what we have!

    • Sue.An2
      Sue.An2 RonAKA

      Posted

      Thanks RonAKA

      She doesn't like 2 sets of glasses so is going to see if progressives help. It doesn't appear any monovision was used after 2nd surgery. Both eyes the same.

      agree waiting sometimes is best solution.

    • RonAKA
      RonAKA Sue.An2

      Edited

      After decades of wearing progressives, I am now appreciating the freedom of my nearly glasses free monovision. I have readers and prescription progressives for back up. In very near vision activities where the monovision comes up short I find I like the readers best, and virtually never use the progressives. It seems my tolerance for progressives has been spoiled by my monovision experience.

      .

      My IOLs are now past 3 years (AcrySof IQ) and 1.5 years (Clareon) and I have some indications of PCO developing although I can't say I notice it. My optometrist was recommending YAG on the newer one, but I got a second opinion from an ophthalmologist at a private Laser/Cataract surgery clinic. His advice was that the older IOL PCO was more advanced than the newer one, but neither were at the point of needing YAG. He says there is no hurry to do it, and it is best to wait. I have a follow up at 1 year to evaluate again. I hope PCO progression levels off and I never have to do it! Finger crossed.

      .

      I also plan to switch optometrists and will get a third opinion from the new one this spring. I am diabetic (for 25 years) and my current optometrist was not doing dilated retina exams, only HD wide angle digital photographs, and I am switching to a optometrist that takes diabetes exams more seriously. Our Alberta healthcare system has separate charge codes for refraction exams, and for diabetes exams. He recommends doing both. The diabetes exam includes the dilated check for diabetic retinopathy. We have all of these experts looking after us, but at the end of the day we have to look after ourselves! So my suggestion for you and your mom is to not hesitate to get second opinions when there is any question about what needs to be done.

    • Sue.An2
      Sue.An2 RonAKA

      Posted

      yes good advice. my husband is diabetic too and has those exams. important to find right optometrist. i live in the martimes so not as many specialists here. Thankful i do have s good optometrist - she was one who said she had seen in past patients an improvement with time with epiretinal membrane

      Sith spend some time looming at posts. ,curious to find out if there has been new lenses and advances for cataract surgery.

    • RonAKA
      RonAKA Sue.An2

      Posted

      Not all that much new. J&J has come out with OptiBlue versions of some of their lenses. Alcon have now released Clareon verions of most of their lenses. And, there has been more discussion here about the RxSight LAL process.

    • jimluck
      jimluck Sue.An2

      Edited

      In regard to new, the IC-8 pinhole IOL was approved in the US, acquired by Bausch +Lomb and is slowly rolling out . It off terrific depth of field and correction of mild astigmatism without being toric . It is starting to get some mentions on cararact forums, indicating docs are starting to talk about it with patients . it is still very rare to read about a patient actually having it implanted.

  • jimluck
    jimluck Sue.An2

    Edited

    Caution your mom that falls are more prevalent with progressives . This has been shown in studies.

    It might be coincidence but I haven't fallen in the two years since I gave up progressives. And I certainly could not say that about the two years prior to giving them up .

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