IOL Surgery for Myopia Correction?
Posted , 9 users are following.
I am 55yo and yet, have not developed cataract as of now. Nevertheless, I am contemplating IOL surgery to correct my myopia. I am not expecting total independence from glasses and I have done lot of research online on the positives and negatives sides, etc.. I do have some questions regarding different IOLs which I will ask later in another thread. My first question however is regarding the safety level of IOL surgery. I understand it is a relatively safe procedure but there is always chance of complications. I am wondering in comparison to laser eye surgeries, can one assume IOL surgery is equally safe? Or, laser eye surgery is still a better (=safer) choice? Even though the surgery itself seems safe, I have just learned about the PCO complication which is very likely to happen some time not in the near future and requires a YAG treatment which adds its own risks. I had assumed an implanted IOL is good to go for pretty much the rest of life but that might not be the case. So I am wondering what your opinion would be on the matter. Thanks
0 likes, 21 replies
Sue.An2 raminolta
Edited
please do not do this to correct myopia. There are worse things than glasses. Once your natural lens is removed it is irreversible. This is for those with cataracts. Not many here would recommend this surgery for vision correction. Maybe scroll through some of the threads.
raminolta
Edited
Thanks for the contact lens suggestion. I will certainly give the new type a try soon. Regarding the IOL replacement, I initially thought they were a reasonable alternative to laser eye surgery. I know some people have done it merely for less dependency on glasses. Someone on Youtube speaks of his experience with trifocal lenses. He opted for them simply to get rid of reading glasses (that is only for presbyopia correction). Overall, he seems content of the result. That said I am now hesitant and want to postpone it as the risk seems higher than my initial estimation and the reward may not be that great. I have also noticed there are new types of upvoming accommodating IOLs that may become available to the public within a few years. Some of them are already in the testing/trial stage (Juvene IOL) . These exciting new lenses seem to address some shortcomings of the currently technology: they providing accommodation without compromising on the optical performance. More importantly, they also seem to reduce the likelihood of PCO happening because they fill and stretch the capsular bag like it was before IOL replacement. So I think I am going to wait a bit more. Though on the other hand, I sometimes think waiting all these years for the technology to advance enough to give a reliable good solution may not make sense. I certainly want to enjoy the benefits before I grow too old to even bother.
raminolta
Posted
I had an appointment with an ophthalmologist at Lasik MD and she stated I do have cataract though it's still at an early stage so I can still wait before doing an IOL surgery. She wasn't in favor of using monofocal IOl and believed if I don't want multifocal or EDOF IOLs, it would be better to wait since some new exciting technology is on the horizon that is, the upcoming accommodating IOLs. I had read about them too and like very much the idea of modular accommodating IOls particularly because fill the capsular bag so there is less risk of PCO happening. She said they would probably be in the market within the next 1-2 years though I am not that optimist. Even the Juvene IOL which is at the human trial stage right now (in the US) might still take a few years before being approved (in Canada).
I am wondering if anyone knows about the new bionic lenses that are being developed in Canada? I recently read that they are also now at the human trial stage. The available information online is scarce.
RonAKA raminolta
Posted
What city in Canada are you in? The reason I ask is that after my second IOL surgery I ended up with astigmatism and some associated vision issues with it. My surgeon suggested that I could get a Lasik correction and recommended some Lasik clinics including Lasik MD (Edmonton Centre location). I saw them first and was told they could not make the corrections I wanted. Aside from that I was extremely unimpressed with their clinic. They seemed to have very inexperienced staff. With cataract surgery on both eyes and both eyes being measured twice, I had a fair bit of experience with what the measurements are like. They kept taking the measurements over and over again. I lost count how many times. In any case, the short story is that I would not touch that clinic with a 10 foot pole.
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I then went to a second clinic called Eye Q Premium Laser. It was a night and day difference. They quickly and efficiently measured my eyes, and then I saw Dr. Leong-Sit. He was very thorough and explained the situation to me in detail. He even asked for some more measurements to be taken and then met with me again. He said that I had a thin cornea and that was the cause of my irregular astigmatism, and that I probably had keratoconus, and would not be suitable for Lasik. While I got turned down for Lasik, he is going to see me again to determine if my keratoconus is stable or not. This clinic does cataract surgery, and if I had a chance to do it all over again, I would go to this clinic.
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In any case the advice to wait, with a possibility that better IOLs will come along, is good advice. Accommodating lenses have been "coming" for a long time though, so I would be very surprised if they are only 2-3 years away.
raminolta RonAKA
Posted
I did not notice any irregularity or chaos in their Montreal's clinic. Personally, I would not generalize from one of their clinics to another clinic branch., It could simply be a problem specific to one brand whether some staff or a technician in that clinic is causing irregularity. In Montreal, I went through a smooth procedure at Lasik MD, it was fast and efficient. I did try another clinic a while ago and that was fine too. I check online reviews on the surgeon I met at Lasik MD and she had all positive feedback. They told me she has had 60000 surgeries in the past (though not all of them might have been IOL surgery). This goes as far as one can get some useful information online: most surgeons have mostly positive reviews from actual clients and the best we can get is anecdotal testimonies (positive or negative) which of course is no guarantee. However, having an experienced surgeon is certainly more comforting.
I think I am going to wait and for the moment, I am going to try the suggested contact lenses.
RonAKA raminolta
Posted
Yes, another clinic could be totally different. I got the feeling at the Edmonton Centre outlet that there didn't seem to be anyone in charge. I didn't even get to talk to an ophthalmologist. This clinic seems to rely on a lot of fly in surgeons that seem to only show up for the day of the surgery. What appears to be their main surgeon is DR. GHISLAIN-ANDRÉ BOUDREAULT, and he seems to operate out of 9 different clinics across Canada.
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I think you are wise to try the contact solution. If nothing else it will tell you what monovision is like and whether it might be a solution for you when you do get to the point of needing surgery. It is probably the most risk free way of getting a full range of vision without glasses.