Bad outcome after eye surgery. HELP PLEASE!!!

Posted by mlett82 @mlett82, Nov 14, 2024

I had the cataract removed/a lens placed, and I had worse vision and light blindness (the car lights blind me) and most lights have become very sensitive with halos around them.
They put new lenses in, and I wonder if they put them in backward? Or did they place them in at the wrong angle? I am terrified of the future because I am a CPA and cannot see the computer and numbers. I squint so hard that I end up with a headache. Can anyone lend some words of wisdom, PLEASE?

Thank you,
Catherine

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Profile picture for 1995victoria @1995victoria

I also had my left eye cataract removed, and as a CPA I was also very disappointed in result. I'm not having my right eye done until ABSOLUTELY necessary. Turns out that being a high myope with macular puckers in both eyes are part of the problem, and it's taken almost a year for my brain to cope. Also I told Dr I wanted to have IOL for nearsightedness, but he gave me medium distance IOL, so only my right eye can see close now. Believe me I understand how distressing this can be.
BTW, there are IOLs to allow being near-sighted, but need to be ordered special, my doctor just took the IOL from the shelf. I'm not sure I would want it replaced with the lens I would have liked. My regular eye doctor said having a near-sighted IOL would be very unusual, but I wasn't told about that option.

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I have been monovision most of my life so I have no recollection of normal vision. One for near the other far. The brain is truly amazing organ and of course Optic nerve. When there is a change now I am older the adjust. Now I have had Fuch's Dystrophy and that plays havoc with lights, halo's.

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Profile picture for bluebird3 @bluebird3

I read comments,am scared to get cataract surgery. What should I ask before surgery, like make sure correct
Lens is used, or is another dr going to be helping( backup ). Should I get ALL measurements numbers before and after surgery. . My mother s was not good(1986. SHe
LOST VISION ONE EYE. ) Dr is young,I am in80,s.

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I would not have cataract surgery unless absolutely necessary. My wife had cataract surgery, the doctor put one lens in wrong, had to remove and replace it. The result was a detached retina. Five surgeries by a retina specialist could not save her vision in that eye.

She was scared into having cataract surgery that I now believe wasn't necessary at the time. Her cataract doctor was a second generation eye specialist, his dad was still active. He gave a good story, talked about his extensive experience, he told her cataract surgery is no big deal. The reality is his sales ability and ego are bigger than his medical skills.

I'm sorry if you this scares you but her surgery had horrible results. I'm almost to the point of needing surgery and I will not have it as long as I can still see. I limit my night driving and wear amber glasses when I must drive at night.

I was nearsighted when I was younger and wore glasses for 30 years. I was having trouble seeing TV with my glasses 15 years ago, thought I needed stronger glasses and went for an exam. The result was my vision improved and I no longer wear glasses.

I am 73 , read, drive and watch TV without eyeglasses. However, I often need more light to see than people around me. I'm told that's because of cataracts. The day may come when surgery is absolutely necessary and I'll have only one eye done until a second is absolutely necessary.

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Profile picture for tonyde @tonyde

I would not have cataract surgery unless absolutely necessary. My wife had cataract surgery, the doctor put one lens in wrong, had to remove and replace it. The result was a detached retina. Five surgeries by a retina specialist could not save her vision in that eye.

She was scared into having cataract surgery that I now believe wasn't necessary at the time. Her cataract doctor was a second generation eye specialist, his dad was still active. He gave a good story, talked about his extensive experience, he told her cataract surgery is no big deal. The reality is his sales ability and ego are bigger than his medical skills.

I'm sorry if you this scares you but her surgery had horrible results. I'm almost to the point of needing surgery and I will not have it as long as I can still see. I limit my night driving and wear amber glasses when I must drive at night.

I was nearsighted when I was younger and wore glasses for 30 years. I was having trouble seeing TV with my glasses 15 years ago, thought I needed stronger glasses and went for an exam. The result was my vision improved and I no longer wear glasses.

I am 73 , read, drive and watch TV without eyeglasses. However, I often need more light to see than people around me. I'm told that's because of cataracts. The day may come when surgery is absolutely necessary and I'll have only one eye done until a second is absolutely necessary.

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Sounds like a very random occurrence - cataract surgery success rate is over 99%, with pretty incredible vision 95% plus.

I would not hesitate for a second to have cataract surgery again. I am 20/15 distance and J1+ near.

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Profile picture for bondee97 @bondee97

I have been monovision most of my life so I have no recollection of normal vision. One for near the other far. The brain is truly amazing organ and of course Optic nerve. When there is a change now I am older the adjust. Now I have had Fuch's Dystrophy and that plays havoc with lights, halo's.

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@bondee97, you're right. It is amazing what the brain can adjust to and accommodate for. You mention having Fuch's dystrophy. I thought you might appreciate seeing these related discussions:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/?search=Fuch%27s+Dystrophy

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Profile picture for tonyde @tonyde

I would not have cataract surgery unless absolutely necessary. My wife had cataract surgery, the doctor put one lens in wrong, had to remove and replace it. The result was a detached retina. Five surgeries by a retina specialist could not save her vision in that eye.

She was scared into having cataract surgery that I now believe wasn't necessary at the time. Her cataract doctor was a second generation eye specialist, his dad was still active. He gave a good story, talked about his extensive experience, he told her cataract surgery is no big deal. The reality is his sales ability and ego are bigger than his medical skills.

I'm sorry if you this scares you but her surgery had horrible results. I'm almost to the point of needing surgery and I will not have it as long as I can still see. I limit my night driving and wear amber glasses when I must drive at night.

I was nearsighted when I was younger and wore glasses for 30 years. I was having trouble seeing TV with my glasses 15 years ago, thought I needed stronger glasses and went for an exam. The result was my vision improved and I no longer wear glasses.

I am 73 , read, drive and watch TV without eyeglasses. However, I often need more light to see than people around me. I'm told that's because of cataracts. The day may come when surgery is absolutely necessary and I'll have only one eye done until a second is absolutely necessary.

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I’m in total agreement with you. I regret having the surgeries. Sorry I didn’t wait longer since my vision was not really bad. My only problem was night driving (glare from oncoming cars). It’s been a nightmare for me. Had the first eye done over a year ago and the doctor scratched the interlocutor lens when he put it in my eye. Lens needed to be replaced so I went to a different doctor who is supposedly the best in his field. He did fix my problem satisfactorily so I had him remove the cataract in my other eye which has resulted in one problem after another. It is just so frustrating. It’s true that 98% of the time cataract surgery goes well and but if you’re in the 2% that has problems it can be a living hell.

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Profile picture for carolmarlene @carolmarlene

I’m in total agreement with you. I regret having the surgeries. Sorry I didn’t wait longer since my vision was not really bad. My only problem was night driving (glare from oncoming cars). It’s been a nightmare for me. Had the first eye done over a year ago and the doctor scratched the interlocutor lens when he put it in my eye. Lens needed to be replaced so I went to a different doctor who is supposedly the best in his field. He did fix my problem satisfactorily so I had him remove the cataract in my other eye which has resulted in one problem after another. It is just so frustrating. It’s true that 98% of the time cataract surgery goes well and but if you’re in the 2% that has problems it can be a living hell.

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I'm really sorry you're going through that. Some doctors work strictly for the dollars and do as many procedures as possible in the shortest amount of time. We overheard our doctor's staff talking about how he was able to do a procedure in under 5 minutes. We should have sued him, more to tell the world to beware of this guy than anything else. You can't put a price on your vision.

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Profile picture for tonyde @tonyde

I'm really sorry you're going through that. Some doctors work strictly for the dollars and do as many procedures as possible in the shortest amount of time. We overheard our doctor's staff talking about how he was able to do a procedure in under 5 minutes. We should have sued him, more to tell the world to beware of this guy than anything else. You can't put a price on your vision.

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Actually, cataract surgeries are commonly very quick - like most surgeries, the shorter the time frame works in a positive way for recovery. Here's an AI summary - note the total time vs the time the surgeon actually spends implanting the IOL:

"Cataract surgery typically takes between 10 and 20 minutes. This includes the time for:
Preoperative preparation (e.g., numbing the eye)
Performing the surgery (removing the cloudy lens and implanting a new one)
Postoperative monitoring
In some cases, the surgery may take longer if there are complications or if the patient requires general anesthesia."

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Profile picture for mayoconnectuser1 @mayoconnectuser1

Actually, cataract surgeries are commonly very quick - like most surgeries, the shorter the time frame works in a positive way for recovery. Here's an AI summary - note the total time vs the time the surgeon actually spends implanting the IOL:

"Cataract surgery typically takes between 10 and 20 minutes. This includes the time for:
Preoperative preparation (e.g., numbing the eye)
Performing the surgery (removing the cloudy lens and implanting a new one)
Postoperative monitoring
In some cases, the surgery may take longer if there are complications or if the patient requires general anesthesia."

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I understand it's an easy and fast routine surgery. However, a doctor needs to be more concerned with proper medical care than a record time to complete a procedure. This particular doctor saw his patients as "cash cows". His "make a quick buck" surgery left my wife blind in one eye

My older brother had a basic lens implanted during cataract surgery with great results. My brother-in-law wasn't so lucky. he paid for the better lens, it was put in wrong and he now has poor vision in that eye.

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Profile picture for tonyde @tonyde

I understand it's an easy and fast routine surgery. However, a doctor needs to be more concerned with proper medical care than a record time to complete a procedure. This particular doctor saw his patients as "cash cows". His "make a quick buck" surgery left my wife blind in one eye

My older brother had a basic lens implanted during cataract surgery with great results. My brother-in-law wasn't so lucky. he paid for the better lens, it was put in wrong and he now has poor vision in that eye.

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Hmmm ... quite a run of bad luck with such a common and statistically successful surgery.

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I too had cataract surgery and a goniotomy last year for my glaucoma.
My vision and ongoing eye pain has worsened. I too thought that the lens was not placed correctly but a 2nd set of surgeons/ophthalmologist has reassured me that they are perfect.
My eye hurts, I now have dry eye and those symptoms related to dry eye.
Also, it feels some days that my vision is garbled. It’s terribly frustrating.
The only good news for now is my eye pressure has decreased.

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