Possible Early PCO in One Eye
Posted , 6 users are following.
My vision with the PanOptix tri-focal has been improving -- don't really notice any change from day to day, but I can now read newspapers on the subway with relatively poor lightly.
I had my one month follow-up appointment yesterday, and when testing each eye independently, and was surprised my left eye vision is not very good (cloudy on the letter charts).
Surgery was done on my my right eye done first, with limbal relaxing incisions to address astigmatism. And my left eye a week later was borderline on whether limbal relaxing incisions would be enough, so a toric lens was used.My day after surgery follow-up showed excellent distance vision for each eye.
Now, in the one month follow-up, right eye is still really excellent. But left eye vision not that good -- quite blurry on the letter charts. Not something I noticed with using both eyes. Checked for residual astigmatism, and that doesn't seem to be the problem. Doctor had me do a OCT scan to check the retina, and everyone looks good.So it may be PCO, as sometimes it can appear quickly.
Plan is to have another follow-up appointment in another month.
I think I should confirm that it's PCO and not something else and not the lens.
- Fact the distance vision was excellent in both eyes the day after surgery suggests it's not the lens.
- Trying different lens to adjust for residual astigmatism didn't improve the vision, so that suggests it's not residual astimgmatism.
- Now, Right eye had non-toric lens, and Left eye toric which has to be more precisely placed and aligned. But again, both eyes had excellent distance vision the day after.
I guess if it is PCO, and not something else, then YAG is the answer. But best to confirm it really is PCO.
1 like, 20 replies
soks janus381
Posted
hi janus
how old r u? early pco within the line of sight can impact visual acuity. younger people, people with posterior subcapsular cataracts are more prone to early PCO.
i had early/mild pco at one month. it is 2 now.
soks janus381
Posted
btw d u notice gaps in vision with the pan optix?
janus381
Posted
Soks: I'm 57 years old.
I don't notice any gaps in vision with the PanOptix.I know from articles that the defocus curve little worse in the 100-120 cm range for tri-focals, but it's not something you really notice.
soks janus381
Posted
the optometrist would have seen the PCO if it was there.
Sue.An2 janus381
Posted
I am experiencing the same thing Janus381. My right eye was operated on first just over 2 years ago and vision has only improved in that eye and zero astigmatism.LE was never quite as good and had .50 astigmatism which at last checkup increased to .75.
I do not notice blurriness with both eyes open but if I close RE all is blurry. I am wondering if it's PCO but like you need 100% confirmation of that vs a lens issue.
W-H Sue.An2
Posted
Has any eye doc looked at it recently?
Sue.An2 W-H
Posted
No haven't made an appointment - had one in late January and all was good at that point in time.
If it is pco - hesitant about getting yag when vision with both eyes open is good. I guess a little fearful of having that procedure done. Many say it makes floaters worse and didn't help their vision.
Sue.An2
Posted
Regarding pco - I am of the belief it happens to younger patients as our cells grow faster. Readon why cancer is aggressive in younger people vs older. My surgeon led me to believe that if anyone lived 10 years after cataract surgery they'd experience pco. Stats don't take into account t life span of majority of cataract patients
soks Sue.An2
Posted
here is a picture of my mom's eye taken just now. surgery at 41. yag at 48. immediate RD. RD untreated.
Deb03 janus381
Posted
I have PCO which was diagnosed at less than 3 months out in my LE. I think it's more common than the statistics show. My lens shows low risk of PCO, yet doctors aren't at all surprised by occurrence of PCO. I think I posted it somewhere but at one consult you had to sign an acknowledgement that there was about a 30% risk of PCO.
W-H Deb03
Posted
All surgeons we visited said PCO will definitely come.
Two said it might even be there as they can't see what is behind the lens.
Can it come even before the lens has been removed?
soks W-H
Posted
"Can it come even before the lens has been removed?" -- probably not.
Sue.An2 W-H
Posted
No Worried it can't be present before natural lens is removed. The back of capsule is suctioned and cleaned out before insertion of new IOL. And even with sharp edged IOLs the cells can grow (more so the younger you are as everything grows fast. That's why even younger cancer patients see cancer much more aggressive than it is n older ones.
So the cells grow behind the IOL making it seem vision is cloudy and blurry again. Often called a 2nd cataract. But there are faulty lens that have become opaque and were mistakenly diagnosed as pco. If going to have pco diagnosed make dire surgeon really checks to see it is ot the lens before going ahead with a yag.
soks Sue.An2
Posted
if i get a lens exchange, can they clean the PCO cells from the capsule?
Deb03 soks
Posted
I wish I had asked that question to Dr. Safran since I have PCO also. When go back for my surgery, I will ask and let you know.
W-H Sue.An2
Posted
Yes I understand that 😃 but 2 surgeons clearly said there could be opacification of the rear capsule area already as they can't see behind the PSC lens.
This made or makes no sense to me. I thought PCO is direct result of taking the lens out, as the remaining lens cells try to grow again.
The clumping of the protein that causes cataract happens inside the lens I would have thought, unless it leaves some sort of deposit on the capsule too in case of Posterior subcapsular cataract?
W-H soks
Posted
They can try but they can't get it all. The can't clean it on cell level 😃
I also remember reading an article which was discussing using some sort of agent (let me call it insecticide to kill off all the insects/PCO related cells. The problem is you need some of this insect sauce stuff to keep the capsule healthy/elastic or something like that.
Otherwise the capsule kind of dies and collapses and can't hold the IOL.
Note- This was my rough understanding and my use of wrong non medical terms lol
soks Deb03
Posted
it would be good to know. before YaG there was some kind of surgical intervention.
soks W-H
Posted
i have read that article. PCO makes the capsular support stronger.
Sue.An2 W-H
Posted
That's my understanding too. I haven't heard about there being opacification of rear capsule pre-existing removal of natural lens. something to read up on.