Very frustrated with doctors after cataract surgery. Drastic change in prescriptions
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I had cataract surgery 6 months ago, and chose monovision basic lenses. I was told I would need to wear glasses due to astigmatism, because I couldn't afford the toric lenses.
Right eye is dominant for far vision. Left eye for near. After the left eye surgery, I was happy that I could see so far with the right eye, but I was quite surprised that I only had about 6 to 8 inches of clear vision in the left eye. I really thought I would have a long range of vision in the close eye, so was quite surprised I only had a small window of vision. I wanted intermediate vision and the ability to see the computer and phone. It was much closer than they had planned, without clear vision at computer distance. There was a void where the one eye stopped seeing and the other eye started, and it was right at the computer range. Doctor #1 did the surgery, and Doctor #2 handled the after-care. #2 told me that the lens must have been mismarked. He said I needed a lens exchange, but they don't like to do that, so I would need PRK.
I have had a blurry like a film over my eyes from day one, and they kept telling me it was dry eyes. It feels more like a film that moves around. On the two week checkup from the second surgery, I was told that I needed YAG laser because I had “wrinkles” in the capsule behind the new lenses. My eyes hurt so badly and I had constant pain. More steroid drops, and nothing helped. I was told to get glasses and all my problems would go away.
I was hesitant to get glasses, because I believed there was a major issue that wasn't being addressed. I did a lot of research and realized I have anisometropia....2 diopters difference between the two eyes, and my brain just wasn't adapting to it. They assured me that glasses would solve all my problems, quite surprised that I had learned I had two diopters difference. I reluctantly chose frames at the doctor's optical dept. and without even selecting which lenses I wanted for the glasses, I was told the total AFTER Medicare insurance paid for $165 of the charge, my part was well over $800 for one pair of glasses that I was told I would only need to drive on long distances, since I had 20/30 vision. I refused to pay that much for glasses, and I left!
I went to another optical place and ordered glasses, and when they arrived, I jumped backwards from the shock. I simply couldn't wear them, because they weren't clear and I had double vision, and depth perception issues, due to the two diopter difference. I was able to get a refund on those glasses, because I knew they were now considering PRK surgery, and I didn't want an outside optical store to be dealing with the obvious issues I would have to make new lenses for the glasses.
I made an appt to see doctor #2 who deals with issues, and when I arrived, they told me they cancelled the appointment. What? Because Dr. #1 wanted to see me. I waited in exam room and a totally different doctor came in and said they were going to fit me with a contact to decide what works best for PRK surgery. I wanted the doctor who solves problems, and got a totally different doctor. They put me in a contact, that I later realized did nothing to change my distance, but only corrected astigmatism! What was the purpose of that? I started to feel like they were playing games with me, and avoiding me seeing doctor #2, because he is great at fixing a major issue.
I was becoming desperate for help, since my vision was becoming worse, and computer viewing only made it worse, because I didn't have any clear vision looking at the computer, since there was the void where one eye stopped and the other eye started. I need astigmatism correction since I was having so much eye strain, but glasses are expensive, and I wasn't ready to pay a lot of money, knowing they would have to be changed later, since nothing was being resolved yet. So, I ordered glasses online for an inexpensive quick fix, until I could figure out what they were going to do. Those glasses were just as bad as the first ones, but I could see a little better. Right lens was very thick and very distorted, but I was so desperate to correct the astigmatism.
I went back to the surgeon, doctor #1, and he had an attitude!! He acted like I was a problem patient that he didn't want to deal with! I told him I was very frustrated, and he said my newest glasses were the issue. I told him I'm totally open to the glasses being a problem, but I had so much more than glasses going on. They checked them and saw that the progressive lenses were rotated incorrectly, yet never offered to fix them, even though they had an optical department. He knew I only ordered them for a quick fix and was upset because their glasses were so expensive. He told me that's not his problem, even though he owns the clinic! I told him my eyes were getting worse, and he had no idea why. He always insists that I have dry eyes, even though drops do nothing to improve my eyes, and the film over my eyes was never addressed.
I thought we were going to discuss PRK surgery, since the other two doctors said I need that. He said he was shooting for 1.5 diopter difference in my eyes, but for some reason it turned out to be 2 diopter difference, and he didn't know why. He assured me the lens was NOT mismarked, like the other doctor told me. I told him I just think my brain isn't adapting to such a difference in the eyes, once I put on glasses. He wasn't concerned in the least that I was having double vision, a film over my eyes, eye pain, eye strain, and couldn't see with the glasses. He said I couldn't have PRK surgery because my insurance wouldn't cover it. I was shocked! I said, “I thought YOU would cover it, since this is not what I wanted!”. He said, “Why should I cover it? I did your surgery. I'm not covering it, and your insurance won't pay for it.”. I asked about the YAG surgery for the wrinkles behind the lenses, thinking that possibly was adding to the multitude of problems I'm having, and he said, “Oh, everybody needs that after cataract surgery, but didn't offer to correct that either!
His solution was for me to order “cheap” single vision glasses....even though I NEED progressive lenses. "Get cheap single vision for distance, and wear readers for close up reading!" What??? I told him there is no way that would work. He said, “Of course it would work!”. I told him I would be losing intermediate vision all together, and because one eye is for distance and one eye for close up, the readers wouldn't work! He assured me it would. Well....it doesn't work, because I can't see up close with readers. I still haven't even ordered glasses, and I'm actually using my OLD glasses I had prior to surgery because even though my vision isn't great, it at least helps with the astigmatism needs.
I just felt like they were covering something, so I got my records and saw that in the beginning, my records showed that I had “guttata—rare” on the record file. It later no longer showed up, so I didn't know if they were hiding something, or if the guttata was no longer there. I read that it's spots on the cornea and the only way to cure it was a cornea transplant. If cataract surgery is done if you have guttata, it makes your vision progressively worse, which is exactly what is happening to my vision. I decided to seek a different opinion, and I went last week to a new doctor. She told me that most people my age have guttata and that wasn't an issue. Totally opposite what I read online.
She gave me a completely new prescription, and changed a -.50 to a +.50. I now have 4 different prescriptions and have no idea which one to use to get new glasses.
Here are the prescriptions I've received in the past 6 months.
SPHERE CYL AXISADD
#1 Notice the 2 diopter difference
R -0.75 +1.50 015 2.50
L -2.75 +1.50 150 2.50
#2 This was when he told me to get cheap distant single vision and readers.
R-0.75+1.50 10NA
L-2.50+1.25170 NA
#3 Went for a second opinion and this is the newest prescription.
R +.50-1.50 95 +2.75 SLAB OFF
L -1.50 -1.50 70 +2.75
I just sat down today to figure out which prescription to use, and I'm flabbergasted at the difference. Any thoughts on why the Sphere went from a minus .75 to a plus .50? Were the first prescriptions totally wrong, and is that why I couldn't see with the glasses? How can there be such a drastic difference in the refractions? I just want to be able to SEE better!
0 likes, 26 replies
Night-Hawk sam417
Posted
Many people can't handle monovision or a difference of 2D or greater between the eyes with eyeglasses. Since the glasses lenses are far out from the eye lens it causes a different apparent image size viewing objects with each eye at a different power lens, one eye will see an object a little larger than the other and if the difference is big enough it is difficult to deal with that view with both eyes.
However if you use contact lenses, they are much closer to the lens of the eye, so the image size difference is reduced significantly and a 2D difference can most likely be tolerated with contacts vs eyeglasses.
So you might try getting contacts that correct both eyes to similar distance or intermediate focus including taking care of the astigmatism. You may be able to handle a smaller (mini monovision) focus difference between the eyes with contacts and try setting one eye for good distance focus and the other for good intermediate (2-4feet) focus for computer vision.
I myself after having cataract surgery only on my right eye achieving distance focus with a little residual astigmatism and my left eye with natural lens with bigger astigmatism can handle eyeglasses with the two eyes Rx difference power about 1.5D with no issues fortunately.
sam417 Night-Hawk
Posted
Yes, the glasses are indeed the issue. I wore mono contacts for years, so I assumed I would slide right into monovision with no issues whatsoever! Little did I know that with 2 diopters difference, it makes a huge difference with glasses. I didn't know that, but I would have assumed the surgeon would have known that. So, when I noticed that my eyes were becoming worse, they kept insisting that I get glasses. I knew there was another problem going on and I didn't feel it was time to get glasses until the blurred vision was corrected, since I saw 20/30 before and was now lucky to see 20/100. That should have told them something! So, I got glasses and was unable to wear them. I explained that I was seeing larger print with one eye due to the glasses, as well as double vision up close. I did more research and discovered that glasses simply don't work with 2 diopters difference, but contacts do. They keep telling me that my eyes are dry, so contacts weren't an option. The last time I saw the surgeon, he admitted to me that glasses don't work with 2 diopters difference, and said it's very difficult to get progressive lenses to work correctly, so his solution was to get single vision distant glasses, and use readers. I still can't believe he thought that was a good solution!! It simply didn't make sense to me. He admitted that he was shooting for 1.5 difference, and it ended up being 2 diopter difference, but he is unwilling to do anything about it. I like having monovision, and being able to see close, however with the astigmatism and the flucuating vision, I have a challenge seeing clearly. He admitted that he doesn't know why my vision is getting worse, yet not willing to work with me.I may end up using your solution with contacts later, to see if that could be helpful, but I really don't want to mess with contacts, and not sure I can wear them, since I had to stop wearing them a number of years ago, due to dry eyes. Thank you for that suggestion.
Night-Hawk sam417
Posted
Well with your eye Rx currently, eyeglasses won't work as you found. So that leaves only contacts or laser eye surgery to correct the refraction errors. Dry eye does complicate things, but I'd suggest you try contacts at least to verify you can correct your vision and work with both eyes together that way OK even if dry eye prevents it from being a long term solution. Laser eye surgery on at least one eye might be the only long term solution unless you can get lens replacement surgery.
Komiko sam417
Posted
WOW, I'm so sorry you are going through all this. If you can, I would suggest you see a doctor who specializes in corneal diseases and get that checked out, if the cornea is part of your problem you need to get that confirmed and addressed. Hopefully you can find a doc who is a cornea specialist and also does cataract surgery and lens exchanges. Do not get YAG as it will make any lens exchange extremely difficult.
sam417 Komiko
Posted
Thank you! I think that is the very reason they aren't doing YAG yet, because they know it would interfere if I end up having a lens exchange, which they said they don't do.I spoke with someone in an optical place a few days ago, who told me he used to work for a cornea specialist, so I will get the name of that doctor from him. The second opinion doctor totally blew off any chance of there being a problem, so I have reason to suspect she might be covering for the surgeon. Or not. At this point, I simply don't trust any of them. 😃
britkennels sam417
Posted
Sadly, the medical community is very, very reluctant to say anything negative about one of its own. I heard so many horror stories from my parents about some of the "wonderful" doctors in our area (they were both in the med. field). Mistakes are covered up/ignored and only the patient suffers.
I live out-of-country and we have a great webboard where the expats share local experiences. There's an eye doc here who has actually been responsible for several folks completely losing their sight in one eye, but even though the information is there, many people still go to him because he's so "nice." Ugh.
sam417 britkennels
Posted
How sad! I guess they take an oath to cover each other's rear. I suspected that the second opinion doctor, may have called the surgeon to see what was going on. She was reluctant to discuss very much with me, telling me guttatae were normal.
melanie06783 sam417
Posted
This is shocking, and the arrogance of the doctors is appalling. I would not do anything drastic like PRK at this time until you see a top notch expert to get a decisive diagnosis of what is going on. I would hate to see you subject your eyes to any further trauma until you get an independent review and a solid treatment plan. I pray that this ends in a great result for you.