Pain in eye after cataract surgery: When does it get better?

Posted by sunny1971 @sunny1971, Apr 28, 2021

Hi friends has anyone had pain behind the eye 9 to 12 months after the cataract surgery? My husband still going down a dark road fighting the pain in his eyes he’s been to so many physicians no one seems to know what it is they all say his eye and cataracts are fine the surgery went well he had a expensive cataract lens put in which is called a panoptic, he feels the doctor did not place it properly or that is too strong for his eye. He’s been on drop after drop five or seven different drops sometimes they help most of the time they don’t.

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@gocy

I was prescribed Gabapentin by my internist. I have not taken it because of all the serious possible side effects, including dementia, eye rollings and others.

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Great, I'm glad you were prescribed a nerve medication. I understand your concerns about Gabapentin side effects...it's new territory and that can be scary. Please keep in mind that your Dr. must feel the benefit will outweigh the possible side effects. I believe each person is different in how they experience medications, and one must form their own opinion from their personal experience.

There are a great deal of folks receiveing benefit from Gabapentin. Typically you will start on a small dose then gently taper up as needed. If you psyche yourself out ahead of the game, you may defeat the purpose of receiving relief.

Ultimately, it is your decision. I wish you well and hope for you to find relief of your pain and discomforts. Will you please keep me posted on how things are going?

.

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@rwinney

Great, I'm glad you were prescribed a nerve medication. I understand your concerns about Gabapentin side effects...it's new territory and that can be scary. Please keep in mind that your Dr. must feel the benefit will outweigh the possible side effects. I believe each person is different in how they experience medications, and one must form their own opinion from their personal experience.

There are a great deal of folks receiveing benefit from Gabapentin. Typically you will start on a small dose then gently taper up as needed. If you psyche yourself out ahead of the game, you may defeat the purpose of receiving relief.

Ultimately, it is your decision. I wish you well and hope for you to find relief of your pain and discomforts. Will you please keep me posted on how things are going?

.

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Yes, I am tempted to start the Gabapentin and hope for the best.

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@willows

I have burning and watering eyes when watching TV for an hour or more. Had cataract surgery two years ago and this problem began following the surgery. I have tried many over the counter eye drops but they just make things worse. Anyone have any suggestions?

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My husband uses Bromfenac eye drops and it is an NSAID for pain. The eye Dr. gave it to him for pain but he is not having any pain. You should contact your eye Dr about that. I am not sure you can get that because my husband was told by express scripts that there is a delay from the company. The eye doc might have something else that would be helpful.

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Will speak to her about this medication. Thanks for the advice.

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@lacy2

Was "only" an Iridotomy" referral from my Optometrist; Ophthalmoloigst... she did it and I left office. I have read should wait fifteen minutes to check? Month later Covid had closed Optometrist so Ophthalmologist saw me again as I was getting some double vision. Her staff did some normal tests but my eye pressure was not taken; my angles were not checked.
Dr. had told me over phone beforehand, dont worry your angles are nice and wide...how would she know without checking in person? My Optometrist shied away.
Anyway before I left her office she said to me: you have the eyes/vision of a 20 year old I am 77) and when I asked about the double vision when looking at objects close but seeing objects in background double (and vice versa) she said, its age-rleated. I agree, and of course not all eye drs. the same, but there doesn't seem to be much accountability for follow up or further issues.
I think getting copies of medical notes from our files might be useful, if any are made/kept?
GOOD IDEA OR NOT.... BEFORE procedures, ask the referring doctor: should I have issues after the surgery/treatment, "who" will take care of me you or the referred doctor?? and get it in writing or have someone with you.
I know especially through Covid it has been difficult for all medical professionals, and most are amazing: but as patients, we need to know the risks and who will be responsible should there be a negative outcome to some procedures, shouldn't we? Or are we to be just left to our own resources?

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yes we should. My husband was seeing a dark spot on his eye and was sent to an optometrist who told him that its like the sun on the horizon and if certain things happened to come back. Well certain things that she told him didn't happen however his retina was detaching. After eye surgeries and appts. his vision is not great. He is lucky to see at all. I was so angry. He now goes to an opthmalogist that keeps tabs on his eyes. I am a retired nurse but have always said to myself if I am not happy with a doctor and don't feel right or feel like my questions are not answered then I will change doctors. My husband had an event at the table and I knew something was not right. I went with him to his doctor because I saw it and he didn't know what happened. I won't repeat what I am thinking right now but when I left I was very mad. His dr. was wishy washy and didn't do anything. So when he had his second event and fell on the floor I saw he was doing the same thing. I told him he was going to my cardio dr no ands ifs or butts. I made an appt with my cardio doctor and she did ekg they said his heart rate was below 46. She checked everything. He had Bradycardia. He ended up with a pacemaker because the pacemaker in his heart was dying. My husband has had to change drs and he does not like change so I know what needs to be done. I have had patients tell me their doctor is GOD. No he is not. Everyone makes mistakes and so can doctors. It can be very disheartening when things happen or don't.

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@sunny1971

He did go to palmer, They did all the tests and the doctor said to go back to the surgeon there was nothing that he could find photo sensitivity is something he has to live with unless it disappears it had lightened up a little bit and now he has pain in the eye I don’t know if it’s stress related or what he went back to the surgeon twice they found nothing they said come back in a year and that they want him to see an allergist, he does have sinus issues and I think that is affecting his eye.

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I am having a similar situation 6 months following cataract surgery. What did your husband find out from the allergist? Was it really a sinus or allergy issue, as I am thinking that might be my problem?

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@ausmansk

I am having a similar situation 6 months following cataract surgery. What did your husband find out from the allergist? Was it really a sinus or allergy issue, as I am thinking that might be my problem?

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Hello it’s been two years since my husband had the optic 3-D lens put in and he still has super light sensitivity and his sinuses are horrible we live in Florida I understand it’s muggy and hot, but it’s gotten worse over the years he chokes and grunts he’s been to at least seven different doctors and no one can tell him what it is. Thank you for checking in it’s been a while since I’ve been on the chat box, I feel so bad for him the only thing that helps him is when we go to Puerto Rico in the mountain air is beautiful for the winter he needs better air he does have a deviated septum, The sinus doctors only want to give him medicated spray and he’s not gonna put that up his nose the rest of his life so I just do not know where it all ends, the cataract is fine his eyesight every chest has been 100% fine I still don’t get it

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@surfing

Hello it’s been two years since my husband had the optic 3-D lens put in and he still has super light sensitivity and his sinuses are horrible we live in Florida I understand it’s muggy and hot, but it’s gotten worse over the years he chokes and grunts he’s been to at least seven different doctors and no one can tell him what it is. Thank you for checking in it’s been a while since I’ve been on the chat box, I feel so bad for him the only thing that helps him is when we go to Puerto Rico in the mountain air is beautiful for the winter he needs better air he does have a deviated septum, The sinus doctors only want to give him medicated spray and he’s not gonna put that up his nose the rest of his life so I just do not know where it all ends, the cataract is fine his eyesight every chest has been 100% fine I still don’t get it

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Thank you for your response. I am very sorry to hear that your husband is still suffering. I live in Wisconsin and did not have as much pain in the winter. It really started to get bad when summer came; the air is very humid, muggy and lots of pollen. I think you’re right about air quality. I’m going to be seeing my doctor this coming week and hope to get a referral to a specialist for my sinuses/allergies. Was there ever any discussion in regard to having your husband‘s deviated septum surgically repaired? I’m not sure if that is an issue with me as I’ve never had my sinuses checked. But they have always been problematic so it wouldn’t surprise me.

Thank you again, and best of luck to you both.

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Hi there, i did have pain behind and around the eye, that I found was probably caused by too much using the drops. I could drop as much as I needed and every time I felt something I used to grab the drops. I think much of the drops build up behind and at the sides of my eyes. I heard squeaking sounds when rolling my eyes. Now that I cut down on the drops it is much better. I use now more gels and less drops. Ofcourse I am not sure if this will help your husband, but you might want to experiment a bit with the frequency and products used for the eyes. Also make sure when using the drops, to close the teartubes between they eye and the nose. This to prevent the drops drippig into the tubes and getting into the sinuses. All the best.

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I had cataract surgery 9 months ago on both eyes. After the right eye surgery, I had stabbing pain if I moved my right eye too extremely, looked far to the right or looked down sharply. I was told that it would go away. It has been 9 months, and if I move my right eye too far down or right, I hit an instant 20 on a pain scale of 0-10. This is not great when I'm driving. Left eye is fine.

Any thoughts?

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