Post -Surgery Exhaustion, etc

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hi,

Great forum!

I had my 1st cataract removed and lens implant (PanOptix) Thursday morning. All went well- I have great distance vision, though not so great closeup/mid range, but that's for another post. I'm sure that will come in time.

What I'm worried about is though I left the surgical center feeling fine, I got hit with incredible exhaustion/fatigue and a slight sense of light headedness that began the "following" morning (yesterday). I went to bed hours earlier than normal, slept 10 hours, only to wake up feeling the same. It is now 2 1/2 days post surgery. Is this normal?

I suspected it might be the diuretic I took the first night post surgery (Diamox) and the following morning -yesterday- (only had to take two pills, total). I had a mild twilight IV sedation and remember most of what went on, though I have some amnesia from the time I was in the recovery room. IOW, I did not have deep sedation. They gave me Versed + Zofran.

Did anyone else have this exhaustion beyond the first day post-surgery? Light headedness?

TIA-

Terry

0 likes, 34 replies

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  • Edited

    l watched a couple of youtube videos from people who had panoptix and they said it took them a few weeks to adjust before they got good vision so your near vision should get better over the next few weeks. l think your brain needs time to adjust to the new lens

    • Posted

      Hi John-

      That is good to know. My far vision came back the very first day but the rest...nope. I hope you are right! And I wonder if I'll be able to drive. Thanks!

  • Posted

    Doctors use different sedation methods and different people react to them different. I would just call the doctor and tell him what you are experiencing and see what he says.

    BTW why are you taking a diuretic.

    The only thing I did pre surgery was not eat or drink and take the eye drops they give and post surgery just use the eye drops.

    • Posted

      The diuretic is to prevent some kind of eye pressure buildup, I think. I'm hoping today is better- I'll know soon, but I'm not sure what hit me so hard- that or the anesthesia. I tend to be very drug-sensitive but I did have some very specific side effects listed online for this diuretic. I'll ask if I can NOT take it for the 2nd eye. Thanks!

    • Posted

      This is one reason it is hard to answer question here, as no one knows the persons eye health or history. Do you have Glaucoma or high blood pressure. I don't think I have heard of a doctor subscribing a diuretic for just cataract surgery, but maybe some do.

    • Posted

      I'm in good health, so no- I don't have either of those issues. I think those two pills did a real number on me. Online, the side effects are similar to what I had, but then...anesthesia could explain some of them as well, though it's odd that it hit me so hard for three days. I'm going to look up to see if diuretics are ever used in cataract surgery-

  • Posted

    I had the IV sedation, and was somewhat aware of what was going on during surgery. Can't say I suffered from any exhaustion after the surgery. What are you doing for correction of the other eye? If you have a stronger prescription and are using glasses for correction of the non operated eye, that can give you a bit of a dizzy feeling. I found the best way to correct the non operated eye was with a contact instead of an eyeglass lens.

  • Posted

    Ron, interesting that you ask that. My non surgical eye is corrected with a 6.00 contact. My right eye needed a 6.5 or 7.0. So yes, very bad eyesight Post surgery, I had them remove the lens from my glasses for my surgical eye side, but immediately saw that I couldn't see at all with it (maybe because it sat on my face vs in my eye?). They are now useless.

    So now I'm wearing the contact and it is much much better (thankfully!) - you're right. I find that if I sit at the computer, I feel much better, because I'm not moving. So maybe that's what is going on, here.

    What happens, then, when you get the 2nd eye done and you can't wear glasses or contacts? My near vision hasn't kicked in yet. Does it mean I'll be a dizzy mess if what is going on IS due to the difference in the two eyes vs a reaction to the meds/anesthesia? Thanks for your input!

    • Edited

      Using a contact for the non operated eye should minimize the vision issues. When you get the second eye done, then there should not be any more issues with the location of the correction, as it will all be done with the IOL in each eye.

  • Posted

    Ron,

    I'm using the non-surgical eye with the contact to take over where my new lens is falling short (for now). So when the 2nd eye is done, I'm not sure how I'll be able to see other than for long distance. Mid-range is just starting to come back today (3 days post surgery) but not close up vision. Maybe readers will help with close up and HOPEFULLY midrange will improve in 2 weeks when I get the 2nd eye done.

    I kind of wish the doctor had explained all these things- things to expect post surgery. He did talk about things like halos and such, but not how to manage seeing and what to expect. I do know some people here have said their vision was pretty good right after surgery.

    • Posted

      Yes, with a PanOptix you should get distance, plus good intermediate and closer up. However, not all eyes end up the way they are supposed to be. I have a friend that got PanOptix in both eyes. Her distance and intermediate was pretty good, but she was disappointed in the close vision especially in dimmer light. She now wears +1.75 D readers for reading and close work. When you get to the point where the eye has recovered enough for a refraction eye test you should get an idea where the distance ended up. It would be best for the surgeon to look at the eye and the eye test results before going ahead with the second eye. The surgeon my wife and I go too says he always learns something on the first eye that lets him do the second eye better.

    • Posted

      Hi Ron,

      I saw my surgeon yesterday for follow up (6 days post surgery) but he didn't do the refraction yet. He reassured me that my eye will continue to improve. I can now see the computer screen but it's fuzzy. I cannot, however, read anything close up.

      And so I worry- once the 2nd eye is done (one week from today), how in the world will I see? Does the 2nd eye generally have the same outcome, which for me- one week out, anyway, means no close up vision and fuzzy mid- range? Wouldn't one get terribly dizzy to have two eyes so out of synch?

    • Edited

      If you have the same issue with your second eye, about all you can do is try reading glasses of different powers. My friend that has PanOptix in both eyes uses +1.75 D reading glasses for reading a book, or closer vision.

      .

      For these reasons it is always best to wait 6 weeks between eyes. It gives you a chance to see what you are going to get with the first eye, and some time to change your mind about getting the same lens in the second eye.

  • Posted

    Hello,

    I am 49 and recently had both eyes done. For two weeks after each eye, I felt tired and/or got tired quickly. I am on week 3 now for the second eye and still feel quite tired in the evenings after lecturing (more than usual). My eyes also get tired more quicky, but this is becoming less and I can pretty much read for a while before sleep whereas the first two weeks I could not.

    A positive outcome from this surgery is that having lens replacement can reset one's circadian rhythm as more and better light reaches the retina after lens replacement. My sleep since surgery has been amazing!

    Good luck to you.

    • Posted

      Hi Jennifer,

      Wow- very interesting about improved sleep. Mine has gotten worse! I think because I'm so thrown off by having had to get up at 5am last week to get to the surgery! I am a major major night owl. Do you think you were tired because your EYES are tired? Mine lasted just 3 days of exhaustion in general, but that's since past and I'm thrilled that my surgeon said- yesterday- that I don't have to take the diuretic this time, even though he doesn't believe that was the cause of the fatigue (and weird sensations in my lower legs and feet).

      Question: how were you able to see after surgery and...was there a problem after your 2nd surgery in terms of having your eyes "work" together? That's a huge concern for me and I'm still feeling a little off balance, even with a contact in my non-surgical eye.

      Thanks for your feedback!

    • Posted

      Hi there,

      That's a great question regarding being tired b/c my eyes are tired. I don't think so....it was overall fatigue. I read a research article on Google Scholar regarding the reset of circadian rhythm.

      I saw better after both eyes were done. 20/15 far and 20/20 near. I have one Symfony and one Synergy. I am still experiencing flashes in my peripheral vision in the Synergy eye 3 weeks out. I am hoping this stops as it has in the Symfony eye. Everything else seems great 😃

      All the best to you.

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