Vivity IOL - 5 month results
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Long post, I tried to give as much information as was relevant on my results with Vivity IOL cataract surgery.
So last year I was diagnosed with fast-developing cataracts. September 2021 checkup was fine with no cataracts showing (20/35 in one eye and 20/40 in the other), by March 2022 I was having issues with my left eye being very hazy, by May 2022 I couldn't really see anything but colors and shapes up close in my left eye. Right eye was comparatively fine (although the doctor said a cataract was developing in that eye as well).
All tests were done, conversations had, researched and decided on Vivity IOL’s (at a $4200 premium with insurance over monofocal lenses) for the replacement due to the doctor’s recommendation for the benefits (great distance/intermediate vision but may require reading glasses for up close vision). Was sold on the fact that I may not even need glasses after the surgery because my vision might be close to 20/20. “might be” being the key.
1st surgery was scheduled for 2nd week in October 2022 and the day of surgery everything went fine. (Acrysoft.IQ Vivity-Toric IOL +20.5 D) Expected results day of surgery (eye sensitive to light, scratchy/dry feeling, blurred vision).
1st Surgery Next day checkup was the same: eye sensitive to light, scratchy/dry feeling, blurred vision
Left Eye - 1 week checkup: scratchy/dry feeling, blurred vision, started to notice that during the exam I was seeing a double image in my left eye when reading the chart – doctor stated it was due to Posterior Capsular Opacification and could be corrected with laser post full recovery time.
2nd surgery was scheduled for 1st week in November 2022 and the day of surgery everything went fine. (Acrysoft.IQ Vivity IOL +20.5 D) Expected results day of surgery (eye sensitive to light, scratchy/dry feeling, blurred vision).
2nd Surgery Next day checkup was the same: Right eye: eye sensitive to light, scratchy/dry feeling, blurred vision
Left Eye – 2nd week: still having issues with double image, blurry beyond arm’s length.
2nd Surgery 1 week checkup - Right eye: scratchy/dry feeling, blurred vision, noticing close up vision is good (to about 24” but gets increasingly blurry the farther away)
Left Eye - 3rd week: Still double image and blurry, started noticing massive glare/halos at night which made it painful and scary to drive.
At this point the doctor reassured me that the blurriness would go away over time but that we still might need to do the laser for the posterior capsular opacification to get rid of the double image in the eye with the Toric IOL. Next checkup scheduled for March.
By the second week in December the blurriness in both eyes had not gotten any better with driving during the daytime being difficult and driving at night being dangerous due to the glare/halos/blurriness. Got an emergency appointment with the surgery doctor to check things out because my job requires me to drive on a regular basis. At the appointment they do all the tests again, dilation, scanning, chart, etc. and determine that my eyes are healing fine, everything looks perfect as far as the surgery went, the lenses are positioned properly and even though they are still healing I might want to get a pair of glasses to help with the blurriness for now (but don’t pay a lot for them cause my vision could still adjust).
Wait.. what happened to close to 20/20 with great distance and intermediate? Doctor – “Well, you are still healing, and things could and most likely will change over the next few months”. He gave me a prescription for new glasses based on the test done during that visit (very dialated eyes). I took that prescription to my normal eye doctors office, had him do a vision test (undialated), explained what was done and what I was experiencing and found that my new prescription was “worst then my last pre-surgery prescription”. Now my eyes are at 20/70 and 20/100. My regular doctor also verified that the lenses appeared to be positioned properly.
Now, I am going to say that I really do not understand the calculations they use to select which IOL ‘power’ they are going to implant or how that affects your vision as a whole, I am not an eye doctor and can only do so much research (which included ready a couple 100’s posts on this site) so I am limited to speaking on this topic with any certainty. But, when asked if the IOL’s used for my surgery were the correct power, the doctor stated that the calculations are computer controlled based on the size and shape of my eye and really could not be wrong.
So, my current vision is both better and worse than it was pre-surgery. Better due to the cataracts being gone, the haziness is gone and everything is very vivid, worse because I need a higher prescription corrective glasses to be able to see clearly.
Jump to March 2023 checkup: Everything looks perfect as far as the surgery recovery goes, new glasses work to correct the blurriness which in turn has gotten rid of the glare/halos (mostly) at night. I mentioned to the surgery doctor what my regular doctor said about my Prescription being worse then is was pre-surgery and he defensively said “I don’t know why he would say that, you couldn’t see before the surgery”. And again stated “everyone’s surgery goes a little different and if the glasses fix the issues then that’s the solution” although I may opt for Lasik down the road if I’m not satisfied. He also stated that if the glasses were doing a good job he would recommend holding off on the laser for the posterior capsular opacification.
So now I’m left feeling like I was oversold on an upgrade to the cataract surgery that did not have the advertised results and a doctor who seems to get dismissive/defensive anytime I try to question if anything could have been done differently to achieve better results.
I know that at the rate the cataracts were developing by this time I could have been in much worse condition with my vision and even possibly to a point of not being able to drive so I am glad I had it done. I just wish that I would have been better informed of the potential for a result like I am having because being in the bottom 3% (based on the Vivity result stats on their page) of potential outcomes kind of sucks. I most likely would have saved the money and went with the $400 Monofocal IOL replacement instead.
And again, when asked I say my vision is Better and Worse than it was pre-surgery.
Paul
1 like, 17 replies
donna13579 paul11962
Posted
It seems not uncommon that some docs do oversell premium lens. I can't imagine that this is widespread, but there is profit in it. It's really difficult to do all the research when you know nothing about vision science and medical terms, but due diligence is called for. Retrospectively, I should have gone to multiple docs and got various opinions. This was the only area doc who does these premium lens, so I opted to trust him. Ends up I lost functional near vision that I was assured of, but not guaranteed. I have excellent distance vision, but I would never have traded that for blurry vision up to 3 1/2 feet around me. My arms have a 22" reach...do the math. I still have potential for an adjustment, but weighing the upsides and downsides first.