Symfony lens halos
Posted , 46 users are following.
This summer I had cataract surgery in both eyes and opted for the Symfony lens implants, including a toric lens in the astigmatic right eye.
My experience, two months out in left eye and two months out in right eye: Distance is crisp and colors are sharper. Daytime driving is noticeably easier.
Nighttime driving is a problem; severe halos around headlights and streetlights, like starbursts coming at me down the highway and concentric circles particularly in red lights. I also experience the same to some degree with bright images on a dark background on the television screen. Not as intense as with driving, but noticeable halos. My ophthalmologist says they will go away in time, but I am not yet convinced. There has been no improvement yet.
Computer work is fine, although I have increased font size a bit for less eye strain. Need 1.25 to 1.50 reading glasses for smaller print in books and on labels. I have residual astigmatism in the right eye, which had a toric lens implant. This may require treatment with Lasik.
Considering the expense of the lenses, I may have been better off with mono-focal lenses and continued glasses, which would have been covered by insurance. So the jury is out with me.
4 likes, 319 replies
joleenjane jerome49013
Posted
I had Symfony lenses placed a year ago and am having the same problems. If I had been told about the starbursts and poor night vision ahead of time I would have chose regular lenses replacements.
Jessica60400 jerome49013
Posted
I am experiencing the the same things. I had my surgery Nov 11 2020. I still see halos, concentric circles, starburts and glare. I was told glasses would help. I paid over $300 for glasses and nothing has improved. The pamphlet given to me said the lens would help for far and near, which is further from the truth. Even my vision for further things is still not crisp and things are still fuzzy. I cant even read things on my phone. I am 100% unhappy with this lens.
rwbil Jessica60400
Posted
Read your and jerome49013 post. This IOL has been out for a while and the dysphotopsias are known, so it is very disturbing that any doctor would not have informed the patients of the side effects that come with this or any defraction IOL. And these manufactures should have to include realistic examples of dyspotopsias in their pamphlet. This is the reason many Ophthalmologist only do monofocal IOLs.
Everyone’s results vary and people tolerate dysphotopsias differently. I have a Tecnis MF and I see halos, glare and starburst, not to mention it is darker in dim light, but I was aware of the side effects and willing to make those tradeoff. In addition I think all these defractive IOLs come with contrast loss.
Any doctor that does not go over in details the side effects of defractive IOLs IMHO is not doing his professional duty to his patient. And this goes triple for anyone thinking of doing a clear lens exchange.
You stated our distance vision is fuzzy. What did your doctor say? It is not unusual for the doctor not to hit the refractive mark and you might be slightly myopic. Did you have both eyes done?
I will add one more note about dysphotopsias going away in time. I don’t think they ever go away. I think you just get use to it (I am sure there is a better to explain it than that). But if I stop and look and think about it I see the halos.
Sue.An2 rwbil
Posted
Yes after 3 years I see the concentric circles from my Symfony lenses and I think adaption means in time your brain doesn't focus as strongly on those as the view you have becomes part of landscape. I agree with you that opthamologists should explain all the pros and cons particularly with premium lenses due yo high cost and expectations of patients opting for them.
For this reason I doubly think clear lens exchange should be discouraged a d only done after patient fully aware of outcomes. Mist do this to be glasses free and they often wind up with glasses anyways. Just my opinion but these patients often go through lasik to correct distance vision and so with cataract surgery it will be more difficult to determine lens power.
However this procedure is expensive so it would not benefit surgeons much to dissuade patients.
Jerome - I have had my Symfony lenses for 3 years now (they had bot been out in Canada very long). I had cataracts so had to have surgery regardless. Due to cataracts I was already having glare and contrast issues so that could account for my satisfied outcome. I always wore glasses or contacts from teenage years so it was appealing to ho for premium lenses. I rarely use glasses except for extended periods of reading or fine print but I need good lighting. I do see concentric circles around light sources. They are more vivid on the inside circles and very faint on outer circles (have to concentrate to see those). It was hard to drive at night first 6 months or so but now I jump into the car and drive without it bothering me at all.
Everyone's tolerances are different so this is something everyone considering should research thoroughly and ask questions as I am not always sure the surgeons take the time to discuss everything - especially in countries like Canada where I live where the surgery for cataracts is covered bt our medicare system and we have wait times. Hope you are able to get an appointment to have everything checked by your surgeon.
Jessica60400 rwbil
Posted
they say there is a small fragment from my previous lens causing things to not look crisp. I am at my wits end with this lens and strongly considering having it removed. I only had cataract in one eye. The halos and glare make me feel like i have double vision in this eye. I am miserable to say the least.