Posted , 11 users are following.
for those people on this forum who have had their surgery, could you explain some of the side effects you have experienced (increased floaters, glares, starbursts, halos, dark patches over vision, dry eyes, etc) even if you are overall happy with your better vision?
and if you dont mind, how bad were your vision issues that caused you to decide to make the leap to cataract surgery? much appreciated.
0 likes, 24 replies
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Bookwoman Dapperdan7
Edited
I was having increasing trouble driving, and stopped doing so at night because the halos and starbursts were so bad. I also had double vision with text on any backlit screen, but the last straw was when I went to a film with subtitles and could barely read them. As a movie buff, that was what sent me to the doctor!
After surgery I had negative dysphotopsia in my right eye - a dark crescent towards my temple. That went away after about 3 months. I also had one episode of PVD in my left eye - sudden floaters and flashes of light. I went to a retina specialist, and all was well on that front. The flashes subsided after a couple of days, but it took the floaters about 6 months to disappear. Being highly myopic, this wasn't a big surprise. Other than that I haven't had any issues.
Lynda111 Dapperdan7
Edited
I waited until I had very dense, +4 cataracts and could barely see well enough to drive. You don't want to wait that long. After I had cataract surgery, I could finally see clearly and had no side effects at all.
Dapperdan7 Lynda111
Posted
was the inability to drive because of glares at night or also during the day?
Lynda111 Dapperdan7
Posted
I think I had some glare from oncoming headlights at night, but my main problem was my worsening vision. It seemed like I was looking through a yellow haze
karin08666 Dapperdan7
Posted
I didn't realize I had cataracts until I went for an eye exam for new glasses. The doctor told me glasses would not clear up my vision because I had cataracts. Surgery went well, but first day after surgery I got positive dysphotopsia - flashing/flickering in the outside corner of both eyes. Some days it was very debilitating and I had to stay in my house. I found it hard to drive, read, walk etc. because I couldn't focus through all the flashes/flickering. I still have it 10 months later, but it has improved. I was very happy with my vision, other than the dysphotopsia, for about 2 weeks and then my vision changed again. I was no longer able to read street signs and reading a book was even getting hard. The doctor said I had PCO, so a few months later I had YAG so I could see again. A few months after that I had PVD in one eye with a lot of floaters. I have cloud like floaters that are in my vision about 99% of the day. It is like looking through a milky film or cloud, so nothing is clear. Just like having cataracts again, except these floaters change shape and move while in your vision. I also have a Weiss ring that darts around in my vision. My eyes get tired fast because nothing is clear. My doctor tells me the same thing will happen to my other eye when PVD is finished in it. I can't drive at night and reading is getting hard with these floaters. Looking at my computer or tv is like looking through a milky film or cloud. At Christmas I was taking pictures of my children and grandchildren and I could not focus my camera because I was unable to see them because of the floaters. I am considering having a floaters only vitrectomy because if I get the same thing in my other eye I will no longer be an independent person. My doctor said they will not go away or "sink" to the bottom as some people say because it is my vitreous.
I also have dry eyes, something I never had prior to cataract surgery, and use eye drops a couple times a day.
Dapperdan7 karin08666
Posted
wow. im so sorry
Lynda111 karin08666
Posted
Karin, What kind of lens was put in your eye during cataract surgery?
RonAKA karin08666
Posted
I have PVD in both eyes, but with nothing as serious as you describe. If I look for them, I can find them but when not trying to focus close on them I don't see them for most of the day. The one I got first about 2 years ago is less distinct now than it was when I first got it. At that time it looked much like an engagement ring with the stone missing. Now it is a mostly transparant smaller blob. The one that is about 6 months old is more distinct and I can still see somewhat of a ring shape to it. Hoping both will fade over the years...
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My cataract surgeon tried to tell me that PVD has nothing to do with cataract surgery and is simply caused by being older. Well I found a paper that concluded the risk of PVD at 12 months post cataract surgery is over 7 times higher than those of similar demographics but without cataract surgery. Some have speculated that the strong light used during surgery hastens the ageing process.
Dapperdan7 RonAKA
Posted
ron, what were the symptoms you had with your vision that finally caused you to choose cataract surgery?
RonAKA Dapperdan7
Posted
Double vision in my right eye was what let me know it was time. The optometrist had been saying he could see some evidence of a cataract for a couple of years before that, but it was not having an impact on my vision. He was not recommending cataract surgery until I went in complaining about double vision. I had it done under public healthcare so I needed a reference for surgery before I could get on the list.
karin08666 Lynda111
Posted
I had Tecnis 1 monofocal set for distance. The doctor I was referred to uses J&J products, so it was that or Eyhance. I could never use progressive glasses, so wasn't sure I would get use to Eyhance with the change in power from the edge to the center of the IOL. If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have tried to find a doctor that used EnVista.
karin08666 RonAKA
Posted
An article I read thought one of the reasons people get PVD after cataract surgery is because of the movement of the eyeball during the surgery loosens the vitreous.
RonAKA karin08666
Posted
The enVista also effectively changes power from the edge to the center of the lens as it does not try to correct asphericity in the cornea. It is a uniform power from edge to the center but when combined with the cornea it does change power. The Tecnis 1 actually changes power proportionally to correct the positive asphericity in the cornea. The Eyhance I believe does something similar but most of the power change occurs near the center of the lens, rather than evenly distributed over the radius.
karin08666 RonAKA
Posted
That's interesting information. The only issue I have with the Tecnis 1 is the positive dysphotopsia. I am wondering though if perhaps some of the dysphotopsia could be related to the vitreous detaching and now perhaps the floaters reflecting the light. The fact I get this positive dysphotopsia every day starting the day after cataract surgery kind of disputes that I feel.
RonAKA Dapperdan7
Edited
Prior to surgery I really only had two issues. The first was that I started to see double images in my cataract eye. I could see quite well but there were two images. The second was that my eyeglass prescriptions were needing to be updated more and more frequently. There was a third symptom, but I was not aware of it up until I had cataract surgery. That was that my perception of colour was shifting to be more yellow. After surgery I was quite amazed as to how differently skin colour was for people on TV.
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The main deciding factor was my double vision.
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My main after surgery side effect was PVD in both eyes at 10-12 months post surgery. That remains my most annoying vision issue.
Dapperdan7 RonAKA
Posted
so what are the pvd symptoms? flashes of light, floaters etc?
RonAKA Dapperdan7
Posted
Yes, I got some arc like flashes of light at the same time (within hours) of my first PVD. Optometrist said they were caused by the vitreous membrane pulling away from the retina. The interprets the process as light even though there is no light involved. However, that said I am convinced some of the arc like flashes are reflections off the edge of the IOL. I only see them rarely when it is dark. I have not come to any firm conclusions as to what the real source of the arc like light flashes. All I can say is that they are not an issue like the PVD shadow obstructing some of my vision.