My distance vision is terrible after surgery

Posted , 8 users are following.

I had a monofocal lens for distance placed in January. The doctor said she aimed it to be -.o1 . It is measuring -1.0. I can see up to about 20 feet away. After that it becomes blurry, almost to the point of double vision when looking at things like road signs. The only thing the doctor is recommending is that I wear glasses. I am extremely upset because I didn't need glasses before and I don't feel like I should have to settle on wearing glasses after surgery. Also, it is as if I am looking through the opening of a glass jar. I can see a ring that makes my depth perception seem off. At night, there is a complete tunnel of rings that surround any points of light. I am overall displeased with the outcome of surgery. I have not had my other eye done because I am afraid that the same thing will happen to it. I did go to another surgeon for a second opinion but all he did was look at the lens and said it looked beautiful. He didn't want to hear my concerns. I am just really frustrated.

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Posted

    I know this isn't the response you want, but get another opinion ASAP. It sounds to me like doc 2 doesn't want to criticize doc 1...sadly, not that uncommon. What you're experiencing is NOT normal and you shouldn't be expected to live like that. My lenses actually improved my crap vision when I was wearing contacts; it shouldn't be the other way around. The fact that you're complaining and no one is addressing those complaints is really concerning to me. Keep going until you find a doc that listens to you. After all, only you know what you can and can't see. I wish you the very best.

  • Posted

    sorry for your troubles. how old are you?

    your pupil is dilating more thats why you are experiencing the tunnel rings.

    • Posted

      Your young age likely accounts for some of the visual effects you ate experiencing. Just curious as you mention you didn't need glasses prior to surgery - was a cataract the reason for surgery? I had cataracts at 53 that progressed very quickly and I could no longer read biggest letter on top of eye chart with glasses.

      What happens when you are younger is your pupil dilates more - often beyond the size of the IOL. You can get drops to temporarily constrict the pupil for several hours. This might be worth trying to see how much of your visual issues are due to that.

    • Posted

      i am 43 and know what you mean by light tunnels.

      what has helped me is.

      lumify. they it is over the counter and will eliminate the tunnels for about 4 hours. there will be slight headache for a minute after you administer the drops. it contains preservative BAK which can be harmful in the long run.

      alphagan is the most effective and lasts for 8 hours and lower strength has no preservative but is expensive in the US.

      pilocarpine is effective but has larger risk of retina detachment.

      all miotics drops have risk of retina detachment.

      lighter eyes (blue/grey) constrict more as they allow more light.

      good luck.

    • Posted

      Yes, the surgery was due to cataracts. Thanks for the information.

    • Posted

      I didn't know that about light blue/grey eyes vs dark constricting more. I do have blue eyes so perhaps that is why mine don't dilate beyond the IOL.

    • Posted

      So sorry you have cataracts at such a young age. Not fun.

      If your other eye is also needing surgery perhaps best strategy would be to to target that one for best distance giving you a mini monovision allowing you to have good reading distance with first eye and great distance with the other. Both eyes open you won't discern a difference.

    • Posted

      i think -1 is great correction when going with monofocal. i said that since you will mostly need glasses for slight astigmatism and -1 should be great for indoors. i am curious how much near you got with -1 for distance.

    • Posted

      Indoor in smaller areas or rooms it's fine. However, my classroom is large enough that I can't see the back board clearly, or walking down the hallways on campus throw me off. The large openness of stores throws me off etc. I need glasses for reading up close or looking at the computer. However when I use readers it messes with my vision when I take them off. I have been closing one eye to read or pushing the computer a little farther away than normal so I can see it. It always seems as if I am looking through a bubble and my depth perception is off, mostly like because I need to have the other eye done.

    • Posted

      Are you able to experiment with a contact lens in unoperated eye? This will help balance your vision and should give you back depth perception.

  • Posted

    sorry you are experiencing this.please seek out another doctor for another opinion. Doesn't sound like your current one wants to investigate the reasons for your seeing the way you ate. It does sound like your pupils are dilating beyond the IOL. Younger patients experience that more than older ones. Hope you are able to find another surgeon that can provide more answers.

  • Posted

    Some surgeons will offer laser correction if the target isn't reached. You could also ask to have a second surgery (if you haven't had a YAG capsulotomy done) to replace the IOL with one that hopefully would provide better distance vision.

    A better option might be to go for mini-monovision with your second eye. With your first eye at -1.0, you could target your second eye for distance (plano) and thereby achieve a greater range of vision. Your vision from the two eyes will blend together so that you will be able to see as close as your -1.0 eye will allow and as distant as your plano eye will provide. This will be pretty much seamless.

    I'm close to this level of mini-monovision now, with my left eye at -1.0 (plus -0.25 astigmatism) and my right eye fairly close to plano (although not yet measured since my surgery was recent). I am glasses-free except for reading very small print, for which I need reading glasses. I also prefer wearing the reading glasses for extended reading, such as with books. I don't see the tunnel of rings with lights at night that you do.

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