Just spoke with the doctor; he says this is actually not unusual but if it’s still the case next week I will go see him on Wednesday, the next day he’s in the local office.
Yuck. If it’s “not unusual”, doesn’t sound like it’s “usual” either. I would definitely not go for the second surgery until this one is resolved one way or the other!!
The doctor called me again today to ask what kind of lens I wanted for the left eye. I told him none, until the right eye was fully functional and reminded him of our conversation on Saturday. He actually thought that was a very reasonable decision, cautioning that it might take a while to get back in the surgery schedule if we cancelled next week’s appointment, but I said that was fine with me.
I also repeated to him the conversation with the follow-up person at the surgery center, in which the caller referred in alarmist tones to a “half-inch wound in the eye.” There was a slight pause. That, he said, was completely incorrect. The actual incision is perhaps a tenth of an inch at most. I did not have the name of the person who had called but he said he’d look into it. “They should never have said something like that to you.”
So I’m seeing him for another followup first thing Wednesday morning.
An update: I saw my eye doctor again this morning, and the situation remains unchanged. He says it is related to map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy. He says he has never seen this condition continue in this situation this long. I am to continue the steroid and antibiotic and artificial tears and see him again next week. If it’s still bad he will have me see the practice’s corneal expert.
Very discouraging, although he confirms that there is absolutely no infection to worry about. It is not related to the artificial lens itself, which is doing the best it can with the corneal irregularities.
I found a good explanation here.
MLS, I am so sorry, you are having this problem.
Yeah, it’s a real bummer. This is why they put so many disclaimers on the permission form one has to sign before surgery.
Was the map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy documented prior to the procedure? Was it caused or aggravated by the procedure?
I’d be inclined to go ahead and schedule a visit with the corneal specialist right away - at least you’d be on his list, as opposed to seeing the regular guy first and then having to wait for an appointment.
No, the MDF dystrophy was not diagnosed until after the surgery. The potential for the condition could have been there before, but from what I’ve read you can’t tell until after it flares up and causes the symptoms of blurry vision and/or other symptoms. It’s likely that the same thing will happen if I proceed with the cataract surgery on the other eye, but this time some preventive measures might be possible.
The corneal specialist is another member of the same group of opthalmologists, and I’m pretty sure that I will be able to get an appointment with her quickly.
My doctor called me this morning to make a change in one of the prescription eyedrops I’m using. I think he either did some more research or consulted with the corneal specialist since I saw him yesterday morning.
It’s not a permanent vision-threatening condition. It’s in the doctors’ interests to get it cleared up as soon as possible, since they know I won’t schedule the procedure in the other eye unless this one totally clears up and I can see perfectly with it!
I think it may be improving somewhat. It feels better physically this evening and I am actually starting to be able to get a focus at some distances.
Another update, if anyone’s still interested.
The MDF dystrophy is now gone. And I still can’t see clearly out of my right eye.
The doctor says there is more astigmatism now in that eye than there was just before the surgery. How this is possible I do not know. He suggested laser surgery to correct the astigmatism. Only another thousand dollars. No, thank you. Instead, I’m having a lens made to fit into my glasses to correct this new astigmatism.
I’ve come to wish I had never had the cataract surgery to begin with.
I’m very sorry to hear that. And that’s a very unusual outcome, which makes it all the more of a bummer.
Yes, it is very unusual. If this medical group were not among the top-rated ones around I’d have wondered if the whole thing was a scam and that I never needed the cataract surgery to begin with. Although they had been telling me for years “You have cataracts that will need surgery some day, but not now.”
According to the doctor it is possible that the cataract was somehow partially correcting an underlying astigmatism. He noted that a couple of years ago I did have a more pronounced astigmatism in that eye, but that on the most recent couple of exams it had decreased significantly. One more learning experience for me; I had always thought that astigmatism remained mostly the same throughout life, but apparently it can change.
@MLS, that really sucks big time. I hope that some how your vision corrects itself. Best wishes to you.
Update from ioioio (formerly laina_f):
It’s been about two months since I had surgery on my second eye. I am not happy and would not recommend the surgery, or at least not my doctor. I needed cataract surgery, but sprung for the toric lens, which also corrects for astigmatism and near sightedness.
Separately, neither eye has clear vision now, but together they’re pretty good, and I no longer need glasses, except reading glasses. The left eye bothers me constantly (there’s kind of a blurry spot) and it tears excessively – to the point where I frequently have to wipe water off my face.
I was told that the surgery didn’t correct for far sightedness. I wasn’t told that my near vision would be destroyed. This is a huge problem, even with reading glasses.
I was told that the cost to me after insurance would be $1300 per eye, total $2600. I planned carefully for this. So far, I’ve received additional bills for about $1500. The doctor’s office was quite nasty when I called to discuss this with them. I’m planning to call my insurance company and ask for an advocate because I suspect that both I and the insurance company are being ripped off.
Do keep the updates coming. I’m following them with interest (and sadness…and apprehension).
Interesting. I got the new right lens for my glasses today that is supposed to correct the astigmatism. It also includes a small near vision correction. I’m still getting used to it, but so far it seems like it may be OK.
The original recommendation was for me to get a toric lens in the left eye. My doctor definitely told me that it would NOT correct for near vision (reading, etc.). Toric and monofocal lenses, he said, immediately send your near vision to essentially nothing, requiring the maximum correction. The theory was that the right eye would be perfect and would be responsible for near vision.
That sucks that your doctor did not explain it properly.
Assuming that my brain eventually adapts to the current pair of glasses I have, it will be a long time before I do anything about the supposed cataract in my left eye. I have even considered going for a second opinion about it.
My left eye got the toric lens. The right eye got the monofocal lens. Yes, the near vision is blurry (but with +2 reading glasses it is fine). But I still read without glasses now, since I got myself a Kindle Paperwhite and even with fairly small print, the highlighting allows me to see the print pretty clearly when I read at a bit less than arms length. With normal Kindle I had to use glasses.
I don’t expect you need a second opinion as to whether you actually have a cataract, but you should absolutely shop around for a different surgeon. And you should also get a second opinion on the eye that’s already had the surgery to get a clearer picture of what your options are.
I just want the cataract in my right eye fixed. It’s causing significant double vision. I don’t care if I still have to wear glasses all the time. I’ve worn them since I was 11. I will need to deal with the cataract this year (as soon as I recover from my move a month ago). I plan to take a safe, minimalist, conservative approach. I don’t expect or want the cataract surgery to correct all of my vision problems. These stories do make me anxious. One of the women in my book club had problems with her cataract surgery over a year ago and it still isn’t right. Of course, many more people have no problems at all…but with my luck…
Frankly, I don’t think there’s much point in having the right eye checked. This evening I can see fine. I doubt there’s any other option besides the two I already have.
What I am tempted to have tested by a different doctor is whether the left eye cataract is bad enough to suggest surgery. Right now with my current glasses everything’s about as good as it was with my previous lenses before the surgery. I’m thinking I should leave well enough alone.
Does anyone know what, if any, additional risk one incurs in waiting longer for cataract surgery?
AFAIK, no particular health risk, but your vision simply continues to deteriorate. My cataracts progressed very rapidly – my health risk became stepping out in front of a car that I couldn’t see.
I didn’t have any test to determine whether my vision was bad enough. The visual exam by the opthamologist was enough. Presumably, with a slower progression, would would get a periodic exam or test until they judged it was becoming a serious obstacle.
OTOH, I would also guess that if you complain about it enough, you can get the surgery sooner than otherwise, assuming the office can get the insurance company to go along.