Symfony lens halos

Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble Rosemary. I got standard non-toric monofocals set for distance in both eyes (paid for entirely by my insurance in the US) and hardly ever need to wear glasses except for tiny print or maybe if I were to read an entire book.

I think you meant you had the surgery in December 2016? I'm not sure why you can't see at all distances since that's what they're supposed to be for and why you pay so much extra money for them. I decided it wasn't worth the extra money since so many people have said they either can't read with them or they have terrible night glare issues. I never heard of someone who can't see distance with them yet though before you.

I also don't recall anyone saying they have glare during the day with Symfony lenses. Sorry again.

I have moderate to extreme glare from all light sources regardless of the time of day.  The glare in winter from snow creates a blurriness that is so severe I simply can't see - it is like I have a cataract 100x worse than what I had before the surgery.  I saw the surgeon again today and was told I have a 3 month period within which to have it removed and replaced with something else - after 3 months replacement apparently becomes problematic.  Not sure what I'm going to do.  

Jim have you sought out a second opinion?  I read that they can do a lens exchange within 6 month period.

I'm considering having the Symfony Lens removed/replaced as well........it doesn't seem to improve any over time.....

get some of the amber lens sunglasses...........at night , or when very cloudy, they cut the glare from headlights and help some......

 

Wow that's really terrible after paying all that money for the Symfony lens, Jim (and grouper150 too). Like I said, that's why I went with standard non-toric monofocal IOLs set for distance and I rarely need glasses ever now. I read many other people's posts with the same results, so it's not unusual as long as the power for the IOLs is correct after the surgery.

I actually picked up some yesterday at my local Sam's going out of business sale 😎 Tried them tonight and they do cut glare a bit but have no effect on the starburst. Decided that although I am not happy with it I will just suck it up. The thought of forking out another $11,000+ ($6,000+ for Dr. and $5,000+ for hospital) on top of the $13,500+ I already spent just upsets me.

Unfortunately not an option where I live.

Rosemary, yoju words are a mirror of my own experience.  I'm going in today to consider my options to have them replaced.  Abbott should be sued for putting such a product on the market. 

Hi Bucklywheat - I have Symfony lenses and am pleased with the result.  Yes I do think Abbott and surgeons who offer premtlenses should spend considerable more time with patients interested in these lenses and disclose the compromises and trade-offs.  I am glad my surgeon did and didn’t push these on me.  In fact due to my age he went further by saying this decision is much more difficult for younger patients to make as there is always a compromise and it is only me that can decide which compromise to make.   Older more senior patients having already lost their near vision gain something and they are generally more satisfied and happy with the outcome.

I have great vision during the day.  Things are crisp and clear from 11 inches out.  No glare off any lights during the day or in my home.  I do contend with the concentric circles which are annoying - but knew that would be the compromise so I have learned to live with them.  Driving at night 7 months later is easier than it was those early weeks where I had to plan my routes that had overhead lighting.  Now I don’t even think about it and am comfortable driving.

I think you will find that there can be unhappy outcomes with any lens and some of those may not have to do with the lenses.  If you’ve not seen an optometrist since your surgery they can better tell you what your exact prescription is.  Sometimes there is astigmatism or refraction error which would cause more negative visual outcomes than desired.  One thing my surgeon did say with premium lenses was that it is more crucial to get the power right.   

I am sorry it has been so miserable and if you are unhappy you should pursue seeing what can be done to fix it (perhaps a laser tweaking) and last resort lens exchange.    It for a lens exchange everything I have read indicates it requires more skill so you may want to search out a cornea specialist rather than the one who did initial surgery.  Wishing you the best.

You are correct when you say my surgery was in Dec. 2016.   Distant vision isn't any better now than it was when I made the first post.

 

 Rosemary, I am in 100% agreement with you!  It is horrific trying to deal with the light show constantly coming at you!  Even the sun bouncing off the windshield of an oncoming car  is blinding!  I considerate it the worst decision of my life!  I would do anything just to have my old vision back it was incredible compared to what I deal with now!  I didn’t realize that they could be taken out or replaced my doctor said they could not.  Of course he said that what I was dealing with was a trade off for better vision,  I would like  him to live in our world trying to drive on a highway some evening!! it is not the better trade off! 

Agree!!!

Agree!

I agree with you. My experience has been the same. It’s been 3 months and no improvement. I dread going out at night because of all the star burst and halos, it’s blinding. 

Agreed

@bucklywheat and anybody one else this info helps.

Sorry to hear you have had a difficult time. YOUR surgeon should have gone over everything in depth before your surgery. With that being said lens implants are off calculations and the info for your lens prescription is pulled from a pool of known lens that work with your type of prescription. Nothing is perfect. Not even the free lense covered by insurance! Premium lens work best together not in mismatch pairs. 

I am two months out in right eye and 7 weeks in left eye. I have: Symfony EDOF right eye, Tecnis multifocal with 3.25+ Left eye.   Now my surgeon originally wanted to do both eyes same lens, but I was needing a bit more in my closeup vision. (Did not want to wear readers) By adding the 3.25+ he over corrected my vision and made me to nearsighted. It also increased my glares/halos/starburst! So what most don’t realize is THIER prescription dictates how bad the lens artifacts will be. The upside for me is I will have PKR done next week to left eye to fix the vision being slightly off and the astigmatism residual leftover from original surgery. At NO COST to me. If your doctors want to charge you above and beyond the original cost....that’s shameful. Will I have artifacts still...yep. But I can see better than before! And with no glasses for anything! Low light reading can be difficult but I understood this going to it, along with the glares/halos/rings etc. (which have improved) Overall things continue to improve. I suspect once my left eye vision is correct things will really improve. 

would I do it again with these lens? Yes, the other lens I would still be using glasses! 

Please let us know what your outcome is! Good luck! 

If one has astigmatism still in their  vision. That makes the light reflection worse. Had eye doctor put head gear on me a few weeks ago (I still have some astigmatism left that wasn’t fixed/caught at time of surgery) he had me go drive. The correction drastically helped with the glares. So I am very optimistic that after I have PRK next week (left eye only) my residual astigmatism will be gone and the daytime issues off of cars and buildings etc. will be gone. 

I have been reading a lot of everyone’s stories. I think that most with astigmatism still being issues seem to have worse outcomes. Your thoughts on this? 

Glad your surgeon is going to do an enhancement at no charge.  Hoping you like the results.  Did your surgeon discuss targeting a Symfony Lens nearer (if first Symfony hit plano target)?  That likely would have given you the closer vision you wanted without a mix of IOLs.

I found once 2nd one was implanted my reading improved (I have 2 Symfony lenses).   The starbursts and glare also diminished with time.  Left with the concentric circles but have adapted and able to drive at night.  I have good all round vision - no need for glasses.  

I totally  agree!!!  I would do anything to have my old sight back!! 

 Anymore thoughts on having your lenses replaced?

I wish that were the case,  I still have to wear glasses for reading. 1.50  One of my other problems is reading anything that has LED lights , ie:  my washing machine I can’t read the control dial it’s blinding!

It’s been about 5 months with the same lenses in both eyes. No improvement, still have sunburst, halos, irritation.  The sensitivity to day light is so much I have to wear sunglasses when out. I use to enjoy watching the night sky so much but no longer. I am too afraid to have more work on my eyes. I think the astigmatism was a big factor in causing more problems.  I too wish in had never had cataract surgery.