Laser surgery
Posted , 6 users are following.
I had cataract surgery on my right eye in March 2017 and since then my eye hasn't felt right. Told the surgeon when I went for my check up and my optician, they said it was dry eye and to use drops, but it has steadily got worse as I now have a floater some clouding and what looks like a hair in front of my eye...went for an eye test in November and was told I may need Laser surgery. I have an appointment at the hospital on the 14th February. Am a little concerned, has any one on here had the laser surgery and if so what was it like. Thanks
1 like, 10 replies
derek76 barbara2311
Posted
Don't worry about the laser surgery. I had to have it for Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after my cataract operation and that is possibly what you have. If it happens it is usually in a two year period. You just look ahead and they give a few brief blasts of the laser and its done. Your out in no time without having your eye needing to be covered. My floaters came back again for a few days after it.
barbara2311 derek76
Posted
Thanks Derek. Can I ask what your eye is like now that you've had the surgery?
derek76 barbara2311
Posted
Perfect. And that was after being short sighted from the age of eleven.
Now I only need glasses for close reading.
My wife had a cataract done in November and she is pleased with it apart from a dryness that she is using drops for. She had been given the impression that the NHS would do both but now they are saying that the other eye is not to bad ad she doesn't drive she can wait for it to get worse. The person she sees seems to try to keep patients at bay. She only got the first one done as I insisted she bring in the consultant to look at it. It was very different four or five years ago when I and a friend had ours done. I was asked if I wanted it done now or wait for it to get worse!
barbara2311 derek76
Posted
Mine where done before they got bad as I had macular Hypertension, apparently cataracts make it worse and it can lead to glaucoma. So didn't have to wait too long to have the left eye done. Hope your wife doesn't have to wait too long to have her other eye done x
TRoper barbara2311
Posted
I really don't understand. You had regular, aka using a surgical scalpel, cataract surgery in March 2017, not laser assisted cataract surgery, right? For that "cataract surgery", they didn't get all of the cataract out of the eye and you didn't have a new lens put in the eye?
Anyway, last Oct 2018, I had laser assisted cataract surgery in both eyes, three weeks apart. The surgery itself, was quite a bit easier to handle than I thought it would be. It's doing the daily eyedrops that gets old, but has to be. The laser and specialized lens for each eye did cost us out-of-pocket ($3,800 or $1,900 per eye). The eyedrops weren't cheap either, but I was given discount cards for two of them. Wife and I also applied for, and got, Care Credit to pay the $3,800. And, if not told about this, try to get a pair of underwater goggles, not the swimming type, to wear when taking a shower. Definitely keeps water out of the eye that had surgery. I bought a pair (1) that cost $35 and very glad I did. I was also given a pair of sunglasses, after my first surgery, to wear outside in the sun. I still wear them.
Now, for MY results: First, I did (note the word, "did") wear prescription glasses for 10 years. The cataract in my left eye was pretty bad, but after surgery and during post-surgery check-up, I now have 20/20 vision in that eye. After a couple of days after surgery, I was truly amazed at what I could see........absolutely beautiful colors and long-distance vision. Right eye wasn't as bad with a cataract, but still had it done. Now have 20/20 vision in that eye as well! Only glasses I have to wear now is Reading Glasses to look at iPhone or very small print. No more glasses for driving, watching tv or computer use.
However, my results weren't completely 100% good. I have Negative Dysphotopsia, in which there are times, depending on the light, I have a black vertical line on the temple side of each eye. Apparently there is no real answer for this problem and I'm told it will go away. Other than that, wife and I are truly happy with my surgeries.
Good Luck to you.
barbara2311 TRoper
Posted
I did have an artificial lens put in and think I now have Posterior capsule opacification , will find out when I go to my appointment. Also I'm in the UK so didn't have to pay to have it done, my cataracts weren't that bad but because I had Macular Hypertension they couldn't wait till they got bad as cataracts apparently make the eye pressure worse and I could have ended up with Glaucoma. Glad you and your wife are happy with your surgery, I'm hoping I will be, when they have sorted my right eye out, it's affecting my driving at the moment, so much hubby has to drive me everywhere
mjcg barbara2311
Posted
Hi Barbara - I recently had a retinal tear in my right eye and it was repaired with laser surgery. My eyes were first dilated and thoroughly examined by a retina specialist (lots of probing) who located the tear. He immediately set me up for laser repair. Each time I was "zapped" I'd see a flash of light. Every so often I'd feel a quick snap, but otherwise there really isn't anything to it. Try not to worry. But if your vision worsens (you see flashing white lights, lots of tiny black floaters, or a piece of vision black out) see your doctor asap. These are all signs of a tear or detached retina and it needs immediate fixing. My journey with eye issues started with a detached retina in my left eye. Fixed with a vitrectomy (not fun) but a cataract grew (side effect of the procedure) and just had that taken care (went with a near distance lens). Hopefully you'll get all the answers on Feb 14th. Sometimes it's the "waiting to know" that can drive us crazy. The good news is that medical technology is on our side! So many solutions to problems that wouldn't have been fixable just 40 years ago. By the way, talk to your doctor about using Restasis for dry eyes if that's what you have. Good luck and keep us posted!
barbara2311
Posted
Thanks for your reply. I'm not convinced I have dry eye as I don't have any symptoms other than they get a bit itchy. I knew something wasn't quite right months ago but kept getting told 'dry eye'" use drops, which didn't do anything for the problem in my right eye...hopefully they will get it sorted soon as it's driving me mad...don't like driving at the moment so hubby drives me if I need to go anywhere.
sarabjot barbara2311
Posted
If your eyes feels dry than you an use any lubricant or always wear specs when you are using any mobile,tab etc.
barbara2311 sarabjot
Posted
Sorry only just seen your reply....that's just it Sara, my eyes don't feel dry, my left eye is fine and my right eye was ok for a couple of months, then I started getting, what I can only describe as a fine film going across my vision...if I blinked it went away but started creeping back again a minute or two later.. and drops didn't help. Now I have clouding, a floater and what looks like a fine hair going from top to bottom, if I close my left eye everything is blurred. Hoping they can get it sorted sooner rather than later.