Part II of Symfony/Synergy Lens Update
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi everyone,
Yesterday was week 3 for the Symfony lens (dominant eye) and week 1 for the Synergy lens.
Positives
- sight tested at 20/15 far and 20/20 reading - very happy with this!
- Intermediate (computer) vision is actually the best when compared to far and near (although they don't test this, this is based on my perception) - this has been transformational for me as a Professor as previously I had to use any number of glasses/contact lens combinations to see the screen
- I can see leaves on trees! Yay!
- Day driving has resulted in less anxiety for me as I am seeing so well. I did not realize how much my deteriorating sight was causing anxiety
Room for improvement and/or not positive**
- Still have flashes in both eyes at periphery sometimes - intermittent
- Sometimes eyes feel shaky - I don't know how to explain this - just feels like things aren't in place yet
- Eyes get tired more quickly - by about 7pm or so, they are toast - reading a night time book is out of the question as they are too tired and/or sting too much. I do use them ALL day in my job though - morning is BEST
- Night time driving - this was not a surprise due to commentary online. I drove home from work last night and it was manageable - and I definitely noticed an improvement in how I perceived lights with both lenses implanted as the constrast from my natural lens was not there. I would NOT feel comfortable taking a long drive at night on unknown roads or the interstate at this time.
- New and ongoing anxiety about something happening to the lenses or detached retina, etc. I have to learn to deal with this and stop worrying so much. Although I am extremely grateful to have this wonderful vision, I am also conscious that I now have man-made devices in my eyes which bring new risks!
Overall, I am very happy with this lens combination. I heartily thank the forum members here for all of the terrific information. Knowing what to expect in and above the marketing material has been very helpful. So thank you 😃
0 likes, 13 replies
RonAKA Jennifer_Guess
Posted
It sound like overall you got a very good outcome. I hope things continue that way for you. I thought I was home free with perfect vision in my IOL eye, and then at 10 months got the PVD thing. It is annoying, but certainly is not impacting my vision. So you never know what is coming... I just hoping that my second eye goes as well as the first.
Jennifer_Guess RonAKA
Posted
Hi @RonAKA,
This is such a great point you make (as always 😃). I hope everything goes well with the 2nd eye for you (and hope you wife is faring well - she had surgery recently, correct?). Just from reading your posts, it is obvious that you know a heck of a lot and this knowledge will help you make the best choice for you for sure.
Jennifer_Guess RonAKA
Posted
@RonAKA - Also, I just went to read about PVD. Wow, this is a very common occurrence after cataract surgery (over 75% of surgeries according to one study) and has not been discussed with me at all by my ophthalmologist! From what I read, it does not always affect sight? Did you have to have another surgery? Apologies if you mentioned this elsewhere, I may have missed it.
RonAKA Jennifer_Guess
Posted
My wife is doing fine. She got 20/20 vision with a residual refraction of 0.0 D spherical and -0.5 D cylinder in her good eye with an AcrySof IQ Toric, using the lowest cylinder power available. Her amblyopic eye did not get a miracle cure with a much higher power lens and the highest power toric available. The issue needed to be addressed in her preschool years and it is simply too late now. We knew going it that it was a long shot.
RonAKA Jennifer_Guess
Posted
My PVD occurred 10 months after the surgery and does not appear to be related to the surgery, and just my age (72). I have a consult with the surgeon next week to see what he says. The only treatment is vitrectomy, and since that is a high risk surgery, it is not recommended unless there are major vision problems. To me it is more an annoyance than anything. The hope is that it finally gets tired of hanging around in my vision and drops to the bottom of my eye. Or, at least that is what the optometrists keep telling me. As you are younger I suspect you have nothing to worry about until you get to my age!
Jennifer_Guess RonAKA
Posted
Glad she had a great outcome with the one eye - though, that's too bad about the amblyopic eye. I wonder what will happen for my mother. She is waiting until she absolutely has to have the cataract surgery done (and now I get it) - but will at some point. I am curious what will happen with her amblyopic eye and wonder whether they would put a lens in that one or leave it alone. She says she sees lights and shapes out of it, so it will be interesting what the surgeon says when the time comes.
Jennifer_Guess RonAKA
Posted
Thanks for explaining 😃 I read some experiences online and it seems like it can be a very scary ordeal.
RonAKA Jennifer_Guess
Posted
She has gotten varying advice over the years on her amblyopic eye. It appears that the theory the eye nerve development is terminated at a young age if the vision optics is not corrected is the correct one. The optics are now corrected, but still no vision. So in retrospect they could have put any lens in when the cataract was removed. But, it was worth a shot, and in this case it didn't work.
Sue.An2 Jennifer_Guess
Edited
This sounds like a successful outcome. Yes there will always be worries and concerns. Try not to think of all the what ifs. In time this will be your new normal. Some of the not so positives like flashing will disappear. With time you will likely drive at night without much thought - I too had trouble in the beginning but it will get better.
Best of luck.
Jennifer_Guess Sue.An2
Edited
Thanks @Sue.An2 😃 Driving is already improving for sure.
valerio01538 Jennifer_Guess
Edited
Hi! I became very interested in your publications, and I have read them so far with enthusiasm. On 12/06/2021, I was implanted with a Symfony lens in my dominant left eye, and my vision is excellent from 60cm to infinity, but that gives me J6 up close. My right phakic eye, which previously had presbyopia and then a core cataract that made it myopic, allows for close-up J1 for that eye (even with the cataract). In this combination, I don't need to wear glasses for anything since the surgery. Now I need to schedule my right eye surgery, and I'm really confused about which lens to choose. I'm in doubt between Synergy and Panoptix. Reading your experience, it tipped the balance towards Synergy.
Jennifer_Guess valerio01538
Edited
Hi there 😃 As far as I can tell from what I read on several forums, both the Synergy and Panoptix are terrific options if your eye is a good candidate for them. I am now 4 weeks with the Synergy/Symfony combination and can drive at night and see very well! My brain seems to have adapted to both lenses and with no noticeable issues at all. I feel very fortunate 😃
Good luck to you 😃
valerio01538 Jennifer_Guess
Posted
Thank you for responding! I'm glad you were lucky in your choice. I know that a good result for one person does not guarantee the same for another, but I need to make a choice, so I need to base myself on the experience of others. As I said, I'm looking to improve my near vision in my unoperated right eye (I already have the Symfony in my left eye), so if I may ask, I'm very interested in a lens comparison. Were both calculated for emmetropia? What is the shortest distance that has the best focus on Symfony and Synergy? Is your distance vision the same in both? Do you have any preference between one lens or another in any special situation (up close, far away, low light, dysphotopsia, etc.)? Sorry for so many questions.