Ongoing problems 2 years after lens replacement surgery
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi.. i had lens replacement surgery 2 years ago in Thailand and am still experiencing some major problems. I am originally from the UK but have lived in Thailand for the past 29 years. I am now 49 years old and had the surgery May 2017. My eye sight was always quite good but started to get worse as i turned 40 years of age. Anyway i decided to look in to surgery as my short vision was bad and i needed glasses for reading. I did my homework on the best eye surgeons in Thailand and booked the operation with a doctor that was regarded among the best in Thailand. I paid top dollar for the operation and was assured that all was going to be fine. The doctor operated on both eyes on the same day which, i have since found out is not common practice. I was put to sleep for the op as i was quite nervous about them poking around in my eyes whilst being conscious. As soon as i woke it didn't seem correct. It took a whole night sleep for me to awake and to be able to open my eyes and try to focus. I had my 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 month, 6 month and 1 year check up's, and some other check up's in between and at every appointment i voiced my concerns that the problems i disgusted at every appointment were not clearing up. I decided to get a second opinion from the best eye hospital in Bangkok to be told that they could not find anything wrong with my eyes and the operation looked perfectly normal. Another few months passed and the problems persisted, i then decided to fly back to the UK and had an appointment with a doctor at Moorfields. Again i was told that they could see nothing wrong with my eyes. Before i had my appointment at Moorefields i made a list of the, sometimes overpowering sensations i was having in my eyes.
Feels like there is an eyelash stuck in my eye for days on end which in turn gives me a headache for days on end.
The eye sometimes feels sticky when i blink
A cold stinging sensation at the tear duct
Muscle spasms around the eye
All of this leaves me, constantly with tired eyes.
I'm sorry to go on but here i sit again with a headache, blurred vision and feeling depressed. Is there anyone that has experienced this amount of irritation for this long after lens replacement surgery.
1 like, 11 replies
mjcg Sportsmandave
Posted
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this unfortunate (and no doubt frustrating) situation. I would recommend that you find another Ophthalmologist with a good reputation and get another opinion (any research universities with eye care centers near you?). Ask if it is possible if there is a stitch still left in your eye from surgery. The fact that you feel like there's an "eyelash" bothering you makes me wonder if that's part of the problem. I'd also insist that they test to see if you have dry eyes. Restasis may be of help. The muscle spasms are probably from straining and worrying about your sight (twitches around the eye are usually due to stress). Is your vision helped by wearing prescription glasses? Presbyopia can't be fixed with laser surgery (losing your close up vision is age related), so talk to your doctor about this too.
Note - I'm not a doctor, just a patient here reaching out to help others if and when I can. I developed a detached retina over a year ago now and had a vitrectomy. Since then I've had a retinal tear in my right eye (fixed via laser) and cataract surgery (a side effect of a vitrectomy). I understand completely how alone you might feel in dealing with eye sight problems. Sending you positive thoughts.
Sportsmandave mjcg
Posted
Hi mjcg, thanks for taking the time to comment on my problem. I will start to look for another Ophthalmologist for another opinion to get another view. Hopefully one of these doctors will come up with a possible solution. On all of my vissits to all 3 hospital the report came back that there were no foreign objects left in my eye or under the lens. Also no sign of scratch or abrasion to any part of the eye. Also at Moorfields that preformed a tear assessment and result came back normal tear meniscus eliminating dry eye. I was given a coarse of tablets to treat a minor blepharitis but the doctor said that this would not be the cause of so much discomfort. 6 weeks of Doxycycline, 3 weeks of Dexamethasone and 1 month of ciclosporin. Unfortunately none of these medicines seemed to help. I hope another appointment with another Ophthalmologist may come up with something. To date i have not fouind anyone with the same problems i am experiencing. Thanks again.
mjcg Sportsmandave
Posted
You must be so frustrated! Please keep us updated on your future appointment and any new outcomes. We are all here for you!
jane02854 Sportsmandave
Posted
Hello
I have an epiretinal membrane which can be caused from an injury or an operation.This feels like a cold in my eye and makes my vision blurry.Though think if you had this Moorfields would picked it up?Though depends if they looked at your retina.
It is annoying when one has had good vision in the past but stressing over it doesnt help.Sometimes we have to accept our vision isnt as good as it used to be.
Ive decided to live with my poorer vision as eyes are tricky and an operation may make it worse Ive been told.Glasses dont help my condition.
My other thought maybe an infection somewhere in your eye?
Hope you find the cause and a solution.
Good luck.
Jane
Sportsmandave jane02854
Posted
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your comments i will be making another appointment to see another specialist and will mention to them about the epiretinal membrane.
georgeGG Sportsmandave
Posted
I am sorry to read of your persistent difficulties and distress. Six months ago I had lens replacement therapy in my right eye. The resulting vision is excellent. However I had an uncomfortable droop in the upper eyelid. The nurse who discharged me suggested using artificial tears. The pharmacy had two makes; one did not help and the other improved comfort. Two months or so later my Optometrist diagnosed "dry eye" and supplied a further variant of artificial tears, the best of the three. I hardly notice the droop now but it is still there. None of the health professionals really acknowledge that it is there. I fear this little account will bring you no comfort; if you see reasonably well it seems that there is no more to be said.
Earlier this week I had the cataract operation on the left eye by the same surgeon. The early signs are that it is a success and there is no droop.
jane02854 Sportsmandave
Posted
Can you tell me which drops helped your dry eye?I also have dry eye.Cheers Jane
georgeGG jane02854
Posted
I will add my dry eye experience. I have tried 3 different drops. Two changed the optical properties for an hour or two and one eased dry eye stickiness and restored the optical properties almost immediately. The first two I bought from the pharmacy (? and Systane) and the third I bought from the Optometrist (Hyabak) . So Hyabak is the one I use.
I also use an eyebath with saline first thing each morning. That removes any build up of gumminess. The saline I make up for myself with table salt and boiled water in a bottle I exclusively use for this purpose.
elizabeth87225 Sportsmandave
Posted
I only experience the double vision, my eyes fight when I read, and when I focus this happens frequently. My problem started after cataract surgery, one eye is ok and the other blurry and although I can read some print I cannot read road signs and my clear vision is limited to very short distance. The surgeon says the procedure was done correctly and my retina doctor said my eye is healthy otherwise so I went to an IOL specialist and seems I need an IOL replacement. I also know somebody who had the IOL placed incorrectly and experienced similar symptoms. I do not know if this is your case, as I do not have any of the other symptoms but I would find the best IOL specialist in UK to see what is happening to you. Good luck.
amh00 Sportsmandave
Posted
Hi, I see its been a long time since you posted but I just wondered if you had managed to get help with the problems you'd been having with your eyes?. I had multifocal lens replacement March last year in the UK but am still suffering similar problems to you, like the gritty feeling and sometimes like an eyelash constantly in your eye which tends to drive you a bit mad, also blurred vision that leads to headaches most days. I also find when the light is not good I have a horrible sensation drawing in around my eyes, hard to explain a bit like a pulling sensation and then the gritty feeling feels really bad. I dread going to a supermarket and shops because the lights in there cause severe dizziness and balance issues. I want to get a second opinion but unsure where to go, so I was hoping you may have had some luck in finding someone. If you can reply that would be great.
Thanks
Sportsmandave
Posted
Hi, unfortunately I never found the real cause of my problems and so, haven't had any treatments that noticeably worked. I was diagnosed, at one hospital with dry eye (they used the method of putting dye in my eye and looking through a microscope which seems much better that the old paper in the eyeball method) I used eye drops regularly for a 6 month period and it didn't seem to help. I then started to attend physio treatments as it seemed the headaches were coming from tight muscles in the back of my neck. Needles and massage didn't cure the problem but helped a bit. The thing that definitely helped with the headaches was regular swimming (now 1km every day) my physio doctor said that it is common that nerves can get damaged during the operation.. i'm not convinced if this is true. Overall my eye problems have improved a lot but still suffer from tired eyes. The eyelash sensation and sticky eyes have almost subsided totally. I'm sorry I can't be of more help or give you a miracle cure. I understand how frustrating this problem can be and I sympathise 100% I think in time the sensation will subside but mine have taken a very long time