Has Any One Else Noticed this Unusual Vision Issue with Symfony Lens

Only a few days have passed since left eye done, but so far opposite result than right. Distance is better than reading. We will wait and "see" what I see over the next week or two.

It seems like you may have been a little nearsighted with the left eye IOL. and the surgeon was able to use the information for that eye to get the prescription for the right eye close to plano.

Will be interested in knowing the actual measured prescription for your left eye.

How is your night vision using both eyes now?

i have 2 symfony lenses.I find them perfect in  bright daylight such as driving.Can read small gas receipts, maps, etc  with less light contrast sensivity goes down but no blurring..i would say it may take time for eye to fully heal since cornea may have had some 

slight  trauma and lens needs to scar into place..if you watch the operation on youtube you can get a feel for what eye goes thru

Hi vlad873

Just to understand your situation- did you have cataracts?  Or did you have a clear lens exchange as a fix for presbyopia?

If you would provide some details on your pre-surgery prescription and what it is now, a number of us will weigh in.  Thanks.

I am sorry to learn that you are having day-time and night vision issues.

While it is good to wait another month before you take any corrective action, did your doctor share the exact prescription and the best corrected vision in each eye, you were found to have at the most recent eye examination after the surgery. (he may not give you a written prescription, but can tell you on the phone). That will give a better idea of whether it is just a bad IOL prescription, which can be corrected by LASIK, if necessary, or some other reason.

Unfortunately, the multiple circles or halos around lights may stay there for ever due to the lens design, although you will learn to live with them. As you noted, one sees the multiple circles mostly at more than 30 feet or so. That is because, at close distances, the lighted circles and the dark bands separating them merge into each other.

Just a final comment. I think that the practice of taking out natural lenses and replacing them with lenses like Symfony (by overselling what they can potentially do and ignoring the problems they create) is highly irresponsible and unprofessional on the part of the doctors. What people, including otherwise good doctors, will do just to make more money!

I had many pre surgery measurements and in my case the ORA during surgery to check if power was correct...healing takes time though you seem to not have an outcome you like.What was your drs explanation?Did you have your vision tested to see distance results and also look at a close up chart to see how many small letters you could see?

halos and starbursts are part of tne nature of the lens but many stop noticing them.,

vlad873, can you be more specific what exactly are "some other potential issue which retractile surgery was suppose to fix all at once", in addition to fixing presbyopia.

slightly Increased pressure and risk to get to glaucoma with in a few years , Not sure i understood the reason but something to do with the size of the lens

But the main problems before the surgery

- presbyopia

- hyperopia

- astigmatism

and at the time of operation 4.5d/5d of long sited

Generally healthy eyes but could not see any more clearly short or long and a bit of a pain with the increased pressure , so options i was given  to improve the glasses with progressive and small operation for the glaucoma risk or Lens replacement and eventually get rid of the glasses and may be for reading glasses

The problem i see at the moment is really bad halo effects like spider. Very blurry long and intermediate vision can not read Motorway sign. Good near (at 350mm distance) vision i would say probably very good . And i requested is the opposite and everything i have read is that symphony Toracs extend IOL should be good for distance and intermediate and some near vision .

I elected for the refractive lens exchange  and i am paying my self for all of it , and asked for the  best i can get as a lenses  . I want mainly for outdoor activities to be independent of glasses

Thank you vlad873 for sharing. I believe at201 and the others are more qualified to give you fruitful suggestions. Just can't believe any eye-doctor would give you Symfony lenses knowing of your pending Glaucoma.  If there is any consolation, the halo effects will eventually diminished. That was what transpired with all patients implanted with Symfony lenses (same eye-surgeon as my husband), but then their operations were painless and quick, and the results immediate. Unlike yours.

toric lenses sometimes rotate during placement and need an adjustment.I would imagine your dr could see what went wrong...astigmatisms are tricky ..if you paid extra he should follow up with your issues.Perhaps waiting a mo th for eye to settle.

i did read somewhere glaucoma sometimes improves after cataract surgery.You might do a search of topic..lots of journals online

Hi jantje ... Just want to add to your sentence about halo effects eventually diminishing. I've had a Symfony lens in one eye for going on 8 months now (wow) with my other eye still being natural. I don't think the halo effects I see in my Symfony eye have diminished at all since Day 1. The reason might be because of not having a Symfony lens in the other eye (to work together with), but I don't know that for sure. Just wanted to point out that halos might diminish for many people, but maybe not everybody.

they can diminish  mentally for some people.I know halos, spider webs around tail lights etc are there but i have to make an effort to notice them.My dr never pushes multi focal or symfony lenses unless easy going sort of person ..he said not worth the complaints.i see trifocals are in trials in usa..again there are compromises to be glasses free..i have accepted to see clearly close up i need good light..i have not used glasses at all...

Hi rpk0925

No I don’t think the halos (concentric circles) ever go away or diminish).  It is part of Symfony’s design.   One does adapt but I still see them.   What did diminish was glare.   That was a process that took 6 months and I think part of healing that takes place as IOL settles).   There is still some glare  but I would say about 75% less than what I experienced first few months with Symfony.

When I say adapt to the concentric circles (trying to find an analogy) I mean in the beginning I would focus on them - they’d drawn me in and captured my attention.   A little like when cataracts first removed and everything was so bright (particularly when just one eye was done). Those 6 weeks I would keep comparing colours between the eyes.   Now it isn’t so noticeable because I adapted to new colours/brightness.

I will say though I walk every night - most months after dark and drive regularly- often after dark.  If you avoid those situations that adaptation period may be delayed.  On my walks those early months I would stare at porch lights or passing cars and focus and notice the circles.  Now they are there but they’ve become part of the landscape.

Someone asked me a question recently (forgot who - maybe Soks) about whether the circles were as bright as the ones online that David Taylor drew and whether each circle is equally as bright.   I could not recall from memory and had to wait till after sunset and head outside to take a look.

Not sure I am explaining this right but hopefully it helps.

Yes I understand what both you and Bravogoldenk9 are saying. I can relate to that very well with the tinnitus that I've had for as long as I can remember.The ringing is there 24/7, even though I pretty much tune it out all of the time. It's when I concentrate on it, that the ringing is most pronounced.

Hi rpk0925, Thanks for bringing up a good point there. It makes sense that both eyes have to work together.

Thanks Sue.An. That is an eye-opener for me to vicariously see through a pair of Symfony eyes.

"Every streetlamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning."

Thanks that is what the Dr said that after a month adjustments may be needed. Will keep posted on the experience .

About the halo and the glare. I wish i did more real research in a forum like this. The symphony research it self showed that most people disappear but it is done after 6 months of the operations and I will not be surprised if they have picked some best cases. The good news is that if can not adjust it is possible to change the lenses in most cases. In my case the Dr confirmed that can be swapped if with in 6 months can not adjust.

I notice the same as other people reported that id fades or disapears . For me each day the halo gets less obvious it does not disappear but some how the brain starts to ignore it and unless concentrate on it, it looks like fading.

I've just had my one-year followup in left eye; right eye was 10 months ago. There has been no change in halos, spiderwebs, starbursts and concentric circles during night driving. While it sometimes seems like the "new normal," most times it is dangerously distracting. Starbursts are particularly bad, and I had a fender bender (my fault) because of them. I am now relying more on Uber at night, an unwanted expense. My ophthalmologist claims that every other one of his patients with the Symfony lenses has seen these symptoms diminish within 6 months to a year, but I am not convinced mine will improve. He also explained that at this point explantation would be complicated and risky. I did contact the folks at Johnson & Johnson, manufacturers of Symfony, to see if they had any suggestions. They offered to have my doctor call one of their doctors and have a chat, although they could not give me any medical advice or even any practical advice. 

You are not the only one with no change in seeing the concentric circles around lights at night during the last 1 year. I (and many others on this forum) have had the same experience of not seeing any such changes.(over 19 months in my case). Many of us do learn to live with those, but obviously that depends on how bad the issues are.

Your pupil dilates in the dark.The rings on lens causes the halos in the dilated eye....Hopefully you will see the clarity  of the car and not the halos as your brain adjusts

However if you look up Toric lenses they can rotate after placement much to the chagrin of surgeon..it is simple to rotate it..you can look up Toric rotation..even a small bit can interfere with clarity..I watched top specialist interviewed at world wide meetings on eyetube..they discussed rotation alot!

19 months in your case! That's brutal. Please don't answer if it's inappropriate, are you blonde with blue eyes?

I have black hair and hazel eyes.

After the first 3-4 months after the cataract surgery, I knew that I have to live with these multiple circles around lights at night for the rest of my life. So, the number of months since facing that reality do not really matter.

At least, I am luckier than many other people on this site, since my combination of Symfony lens (set for distance) in the right eye and a monofocal lens set for reading (-2.25D) gives me good day vision at all distances of interest.

I just went to the website of the eye-surgeon who did my eyes, and he had another patient very happy with her Multifocal Toric Lenses. Skills and expertise matter.

I just went to the website of the eye-surgeon who did my eyes, and he had another patient very happy with her Multifocal Toric Lenses. Skills and expertise matter.

Hi sue I did not have cataracs. I am longsited

My prescription was 4.5 and was wearing 3.5 for long and intermidiate and 4.5 for near . 3.5 was a bit week . 4.5 near i could not see details I went to check if I can do lasik or new glasses not suitable for lasik and then they discovered the risk of glaucoma and the rest as per my previous post . I am sailing and asked is there and option to get rid of glasses . So the retractive lense exchange was an option some tests were done to asses the risks and how suitable am I. No problem there. About the halo was not told to be a permanent problem.

Now I see quite well at near my mobile has never been so clear no glasses but my intermediate and long is no good. Still do not use glasses as have not made one. But cant read a motorway sign from 20 meteres and car plate ovrer 3 meters But the detail of diopter and the rest will know in my next exam which is mid July also as previous people said correction may be needed . For me far vision is most important. Then intermediate and near well I do not mind glasses for reading.

Note that my age is 44

Before with out glasses could not see any thing far or near but with glasses had a very good distance vision and relative bad near. The intermediate was average

I am really sorry you are going through all this.  And sorry whoever your surgeon was did not fully explain the pros and cons of lens replacement.  There is always a trade off to seeing better at all ranges - night vision halos and glare (perceptions or experiences of some worse than others) and the one thing that should never be promised is glasses free.  Although some can be it isn’t a guarantee.  The concentric circles you see around light sources are due to the lens design and you won’t see them go away with time.  And although annoying you do learn to adapt to them.

That being said you shouldn’t have to wait till mid July for a refraction exam.   Was a target ever discussed with your surgeon?   With Symfony’s range most target for plano at least first eye (dominant eye) and perhaps -.5 for second eye to give better reading.   Given your preference for distance I am surprised you don’t have that.  Your surgeon must have calculated the power wrong (have you had prior lasik or PRK surgery)?   That can throw measuremental off even if surgeon has your prior pre-lasik measurements.   You can go into any optometrist to get a written prescription if your surgeon won’t provide that now.   If you had toric Symfony lenses implanted it is possible they rotated which account for poor vision.  The lenses can be rotated back or vision corrected with lasik but again your surgeon should be able to ascertain that with an eye exam. 

Seems to many surgeons are all too willing to take people’s money but often aren’t willing to provide after care.

First things first though and you will need to find out your prescription and determine if IOL power is correct.

The other thing to note is at 44 your natural lens would be so much better (even if one wears glasses) than someone at natural cataract age.   I was 53 and had cataracts where my vision would no longer correct with glasses.  And my surgeon told me because of my age that I would be compromising something.  We are usually the more unhappy patient than someone in their 60s or 70s who gain be cataract surgery.   I think because  if reduced contrast sensitivity and advanced presbyopia which set in later in life which I had not yet experienced at 53.

Wish you all the best.  You outplayed good money - hoping you insist your surgeon investigate the issues you are experiencing.  Although halos and glare are part of the lens design - not seeing well is not.  I have 2 Symfony lenses and see well.

 vlad you sound as tho you went to first rate surgeon.They do wait to do anything until

eye has healed and vision stabilized....they have a bag of tricks so to speak...dry eye or slight cornea inflammation can affect things.Minor rotation of toric lens etc

i found surgeries on youtube fascinating and watching the expertsdiscuss issues on eyetube...wonder if your  dr was one of the many experts who attend these meetings?they are from all over the world..

Hi vlad873, I re-read you posts.  You had to choose between: 1) a small surgery for high-risk glaucoma patient within a few years; or 2) Refractive Lens Exchange now.

And you chose 2) RLE to improves the risk of glaucoma.

How long have you had your new Symfony lenses? One month ago? Two months ago?

Sometimes blurry vision can be due to the drops. I was on drops nearly 3 months, and discovered that I administered the drops incorrectly during first month. After the 1st drop, I waited 5 minutes then squeezed the 2nd drop in my eye; the liquid drops crystalized or froze and eye felt blurry. Later I waited 10 - 15 minutes in between the drops, and no more blurriness.

 

Interesting - I think each person reacts differently to the drops and type of drops.  I just looked at my instruction sheet I was given and it says to wait 5 minutes between the 2 drops.  I was fortunate in that they never caused me blurry vision.  Only discomfort I felt was after first eye’s surgery - felt pressure from time to time and even weeks after surgery that eyelid was sore.  Second surgery no discernible out of the ordinary symptoms.

Happy C-Day.   The drops made my eye a bit red.  And on my 1st check-up one week post-Op, the eye-Doc sent me off because of that. I could see the disapproval of the staff and my heart sank. So on the 2nd visit to the eye-Doc the following week, I skipped the drops that morning. he he

I am going through some of your advice at WebDev's discussion (17 pages in all). I only managed to cover a few pages, more to go.  So much to grasp .. dry eyes .. PCO .. post cataract surgery laser enhancements. Thank you Sue.An.

Happy reading - one day I will read those and ones with software developer who were posting g prior to my surgeries but not quite ready to go down memory lane.

YES HAPPY CANADA DAY to you as well - we really live in a great country coast to coast.  Spent day at the beach.  Was so nice - perfect in fact.

No problem with the drops for me. Week 1 . 3 different type of drops 5 min apart. Week 2 onwards 2 different drops 5 min apart . The only thing I was advised before the drops if there is crystallized or particles to clear the eyes with boiled water cooled down with sterilized pads I used cosmetic pads. And to use separate for each eye if needed.

Around week 4 only one kind of drop 1 drop for as long as needed but I will be advised when to stop

A bit stingy of the antibiotic drops 1st week and from the voltaren . The bluriness disappear usually in 5 to 15 minutes after the drops.

And other operation 1 done 3 weeks ago operation 2 weeks ago

Thanks agree will see in few weeks . Will post then results