Positive Dysphotopsia after Cataract Surgery

You have had quite the journey with eye surgery, so sorry for all the problems with your left eye.

I hope to meet with a specialist in the next week to learn more. I will share anymore additional info I get that may help. I do feel like I have learned quite a bit and wish I had known some of this going into the initial surgery. I alsoo wore contacts for over 50 years and my cataracts were not to developed yet but I couldn't get Lasik due to the fact that the cataracts were beginning. In hindsight, I would have not done the surgery but I was told by many that they loved their new vision and even my own surgeon said I would have better vision than Lasik could provide. Unfortunately I fell into the 3% category with side effects that are quite annoying. For me they truly effect my quality of life since I am a designer and fine artist.

This whole journey for me really has me convinced that the ophthalmology industry really needs to invest more in pre-op diagnostics and be ready for more solutions post op if these situations occur. We may only be in the 3% but that is about 108,000 patients who are having visual disturbances and when its you that is 100% in my eyes. But I am determined to resolve this issue and will hopefully regain desirable vision. Thanks for sharing and listening. It does help to talk with those who know what you are experiencing and I want to help as many as I can to find answers to an unfortunate problem that I am afraid will become more prevalent with these newer lenses being brought to the market. Wonder how many in Alcon, J&J, B&L, etc. research & development departments for these IOL's have tried them in their own eyes?

I totally agree with you. Rare?? I think not. You are spot on with assessment. Folks who get their cataracts removed are probably in their late 70's and 80's after years of failing vision they probably think better acuity but with streaks etc not so big a deal since they can see clearer, plus many prob don't drive at night so hence the no complaints. I just had right eye cataract surgery and immediately got the flutter (which is calming down) and Postivive Dysphotopsia. My opthomologist said they don't know why folks get positive Dy
, they just do (gee thanks). He did say a new eyeglass RX (which we pursue at the one month mark) may help. I now do not even know whether I should do the left eye or not. I'm 70 so still a bit of a youngster 🙂

I think I’ve seen the mean age is mid-60’s, but yes, I think too that there are plenty who have better acuity after surgery and don’t complain about the dysphotopsia.

In what I’ve read, I see high incidence of complaints for positive dysphotopsia in initial weeks after surgery but symptoms disssipate and disappear over time through “further healing and neuroadaptation.” Guess I’m cynical about that because neither of my eyes seem to have improved (left eye is 3.5 yrs and right eye is 2 mos post surgery). I may just be in a “deal with it” scenario on each OR may find some aid in special sunglasses, glasses, contacts or pharmaceuticals in future.

Hi,
I just found this group. I had cataract and glaucoma surgery 1/23 &1/30/2023. The doctor used Alcon Vivity round edged lens. I have positive PD in both eyes. It awful.
These lenses are suppose to correct astigmatism +450, well they don’t. I had going into surgery +300 right eye, + 225 L. After surgery both eyes are + 1.25 and positive Dysphotopsia. I never had any exceptions of not where glasses but I did have an expectation to see.
I didn’t notice the PD because I had Hyphemas (blood) from the glaucoma surgery so with the blood film over my eyes which took 3 weeks to clear I couldn’t see the PD.
I am 9/8 weeks out and miserable. I have brown eyes. The doctor told me it was a perfect surgery. I call BS. He gave me a prescription for glasses and said we’d revisit this in 2 weeks. The glasses are a bandaid.
It gets the doctor out of either replacing the lenses or and overlap.
I’m hoping to get a second opinion.
From what I have been reading PD could be rotation or a miscalculation of the biometrics or an in correct marking of the cornea preoperatively.
I’m going to take this to the max. This could very well hinder my night driving. I am young and deserve better.

I'm also curious about the incidence of PD with the use of laser assist vs bladed surgery. I opted for laser, it probably has no bearing since it's thought to be the material and shape of the lens replacement, but I am curious. Saw my opthalmologist yesterday and he said no one knows why or how some people get PD, that they just do. At my one month post op visit we test for new eyeglass RX and he said that a new RX (if needed) may calm down the streaks. Needless to say I won't be doing my other eye any time soon.

I think I’ve seen the mean age is mid-60’s, but yes, I think too that there are plenty who have better acuity after surgery and don’t complain about the dysphotopsia.

In what I’ve read, I see high incidence of complaints for positive dysphotopsia in initial weeks after surgery but symptoms disssipate and disappear over time through “further healing and neuroadaptation.” Guess I’m cynical about that because neither of my eyes seem to have improved (left eye is 3.5 yrs and right eye is 2 mos post surgery). I may just be in a “deal with it” scenario on each OR may find some aid in special sunglasses, glasses, contacts or pharmaceuticals in future.

I agree with you. I too have Pos Dysphotopsia after day 1 of surgery, it's been one week now and still have them. I had high hopes that I would be just like everyone else that I talked to who stated their vision after surgery was fantastic, even my 85 year old Mom was raving about her vision post surgery. In terms of out comes, one post here was correct. If the average age of folks getting cataract surgery is in their 80s, they've likely gone quite a few years with poor vision and prob no longer drive at night. So for them, great acquity over rides the pesky side effects and they don't complain about it. It sounds to me like PD is something the opthalmology world does not care to address. Thanks for listening 🙂

Can you drive at night?