Positive Dysphotopsia after Cataract Surgery

I'm so sorry to read this. I hope you know how many people you are helping by all your posts about your experiences. You have helped me a lot and I have only read a few starting from the beginning. Wishing you the best. God bless.

Kitty,

As I said in my earlier report, I insisted on a B & L round edge IOL for the right eye in January 2023 and FINALLY got rid of the PD about 4 months after surgery.

As I said, I am very glad I did insist on the round edge option. As expected, the left eye with its square-edged, Alcon SN60 IOL remains unimproved.

My hope is that if your IOL was properly measured and placed, your PD and double-vision will settle down.

Note: As I waited for my right eye cataract surgery last January, my long-standing double-vision had worsened badly. But, after I got the new IOL in that eye, my double-vision subsided to a large extent. I had each eye corrected for distance, so maybe that “equalization” helped lessen double-vision.

Hope that’s helpful and hang in there.

Kitty, I did not have a lens exchange. I insisted on the round edge IOL implant for the cataract surgery on my right eye after I had experienced the long term PD from my initial cataract surgery on my left eye. Doctors in my Pittsburgh area advised me against lens exchange surgery. I’m thinking that a discussion group on those who have gotten lens exchanges would be helpful to you. Good luck.

I got the basic Acrysoft lenses in August 2022 and have been experiencing the diagonal light rays, starbursts and flickering, especially at night. I had the YAG on my right eye which addressed the wrinkle that causes the diagonal ray and seemed to eliminate it. However, starburst and flickering remain. I am of the opinion that the diagonal ray is an eye issue while the starburst and flickering are primarily a lens issue. Lens replacement is possible but would now be more difficult in the YAGed eye. The replacement would likely be silicone which has its own pros and cons and would, of course, be an additional surgery with no guarantees. I really don't know what to do at this point or if I even want to consider lens replacement. But I apparently need to make that decision in the next few months for best results. Really wish I hadn't done this as my eyesight with glasses was decent and I only wanted better night vision.

Was the round edge IOL better?

Don’t let them do YAG yet! If for some reason you have do do a lens exchange YAG makes it more difficult.
In January I had Vivity multi focal put in. I have positive Dysphotopsia they said I’d nuero adapt but I didn’t.
Last Tuesday I started the process of a lens exchange. Left eye has a toric mono focal. On the 27th the right eye will get the same. I don’t care if I have to still wear glasses. Those lens will be out. I’ve already seen an improvement.

Hi, Thanks for the good article. In reading it, I noticed they referenced the flickering light symptom as a non-PD that “can” persist through about 1 month post cataract surgery and then subsides after some fibrosis occurs. I suppose that your condition, having persisted for 5 months, could not be attributed to that? Just trying to help.

It amazes me that monovision IOLs like mine, the square-edged, acrylic Alcon SN60WF, are the go-to for most cataract surgeons because they inhibit PCO development. However, I developed PCO almost immediately after my surgery AND got this very bothersome PD to boot! Figured they knew what they were doing..

Again, thanks