Cataract Surgery for RK "Victim"

Posted by wry @wry, Jun 20 11:13pm

I am looking for an ophthalmologist in Richmond, Virginia, experienced in performing cataract surgery on those that underwent radial keratotomy. I have consulted with several but can never obtain an answer as to whether they have actually performed cataract surgery on anyone who underwent rk. I only get "It can be risky," which I already know from having read extensively.

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Keep asking those questions. I have macular puckers and I am high myope, and am very unhappy with results of cataract surgery with IOL implant. My highly recommended also didn't give me straight answer, I should have walked out. Luckily I only had one eye done 5 months ago, I'm still trying to get my brain to understand my visual distortion. Best of luck....

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@1995victoria

Keep asking those questions. I have macular puckers and I am high myope, and am very unhappy with results of cataract surgery with IOL implant. My highly recommended also didn't give me straight answer, I should have walked out. Luckily I only had one eye done 5 months ago, I'm still trying to get my brain to understand my visual distortion. Best of luck....

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Have you seen a retina specialist? Both my husband and his friend experienced this after cataract surgery (also high myope.) Our friend had his corrected several years ago and got 90% improvement. My husband is scheduled to have his done in July. Both at the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, one of the very best places for complex eye issues.

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@1995victoria

Keep asking those questions. I have macular puckers and I am high myope, and am very unhappy with results of cataract surgery with IOL implant. My highly recommended also didn't give me straight answer, I should have walked out. Luckily I only had one eye done 5 months ago, I'm still trying to get my brain to understand my visual distortion. Best of luck....

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Hey! Thanks for responding. It's absurd and I consider it malpractice when an ophthalmologist who performs cataract surgery and is willing to on an rk patient can't authentically answer whether or not he's actually performed such complicated surgery before, much less the number of times, and provide feedback on the success rate. I would be having the LAL implanted, which will cost me quite a bit out of pocket, which I really don't care about, but I don't want to go back and forth and back and forth to get adjustments, only to obtain a refractive result that's unacceptable. I will also add here that the office staff of these various doctors I've visited are unhelpful and uncommunicative. I can't imagine dealing with them post-surgery!

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@1995victoria

Keep asking those questions. I have macular puckers and I am high myope, and am very unhappy with results of cataract surgery with IOL implant. My highly recommended also didn't give me straight answer, I should have walked out. Luckily I only had one eye done 5 months ago, I'm still trying to get my brain to understand my visual distortion. Best of luck....

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See my response below Sue's.

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Cincinnati eye institute - Dr. M. Snyder is to go to. He prrformed two surgeries for me (cataract removal after rk surgeries). Very experienced with rk patients.

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After my disappointing cataract surgery I went to 2 retina specialists, with nothing further to be done, just have my eyes/brain adjust. So with left eye I can see distance, and with my right (no surgery) I can read comfortably. As an accountant, I have to check numbers twice especially with my right eye, my left eye where I had surgery is not reliable.

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@wry

Hey! Thanks for responding. It's absurd and I consider it malpractice when an ophthalmologist who performs cataract surgery and is willing to on an rk patient can't authentically answer whether or not he's actually performed such complicated surgery before, much less the number of times, and provide feedback on the success rate. I would be having the LAL implanted, which will cost me quite a bit out of pocket, which I really don't care about, but I don't want to go back and forth and back and forth to get adjustments, only to obtain a refractive result that's unacceptable. I will also add here that the office staff of these various doctors I've visited are unhelpful and uncommunicative. I can't imagine dealing with them post-surgery!

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be careful about LAL. Might be ok, my cousin got talked into bifocal IOL and is very disappointed. I also got talked into laser and paid $3,400 extra, which I found out was unnecessary. But I got monofocal lens, I don't know what I would be experiencing with an LAL, don't be the first one on your block to get the latest, might not be best. Best of luck

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@1995victoria

be careful about LAL. Might be ok, my cousin got talked into bifocal IOL and is very disappointed. I also got talked into laser and paid $3,400 extra, which I found out was unnecessary. But I got monofocal lens, I don't know what I would be experiencing with an LAL, don't be the first one on your block to get the latest, might not be best. Best of luck

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Thanks. I don't know anybody who underwent RK "on my block" much less anybody who has ever had LALs. I will hold off on surgery since I can't find any surgeons locally (VA) who will provide straight answers as to their experience in performing cataract surgery on RK eyes.

I think it's shameful that there are no eye institutes in this country that will provide a list of ophthalmologists per state that have experience performing cataract surgery on people who underwent RK.

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@1995victoria

After my disappointing cataract surgery I went to 2 retina specialists, with nothing further to be done, just have my eyes/brain adjust. So with left eye I can see distance, and with my right (no surgery) I can read comfortably. As an accountant, I have to check numbers twice especially with my right eye, my left eye where I had surgery is not reliable.

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i suggest seeing a neuro-opthamologist. I do

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@wry

Thanks. I don't know anybody who underwent RK "on my block" much less anybody who has ever had LALs. I will hold off on surgery since I can't find any surgeons locally (VA) who will provide straight answers as to their experience in performing cataract surgery on RK eyes.

I think it's shameful that there are no eye institutes in this country that will provide a list of ophthalmologists per state that have experience performing cataract surgery on people who underwent RK.

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Wry, in my 40's, I had RK done on both eyes at the same time back in the 1980's before the issues with it were widely known. I was very pleased with the results of my RK - 20/15 for several years and didn't need reading glasses. However, as I
aged, I developed cataracts in both eyes, 5-6 years apart. Then, I found out that there were concerns with the 'after effects' of RK. My opthamologist in San Antonio was very knowledgeable about the medical circumstances, discussed the 'surgical allowance' required, and did a superb job on both of my eyes. Didn't need glasses for a while, but now wear glasses mainly for astigmatism correction. After all that, I can see well enough without my glasses to drive, but need reading glasses. So, I wear glasses all the time, with very little correction except for the reading section of the lenses. The professional, knowledgeable doctors are out there. You just need to look hard to find one you're comfortable with. I will provide my doctor's name in a private message, if you want it, but there are others out there. Good Luck.

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