Post cataract surgery - one year on

I had both my eyes done just before Covid. Absolutely brilliant! I had been wearing glasses from the age of 8, now I just buy +3 or +3.5 cheap "off the shelf" reading glasses (which are necessary). Otherwise a huge improvement, especially driving in the dark.

I have dry Macular in both eyes with geographic atrophy in my left eye. I have cataracts in both eyes but surgery would only increase the brightness and after reading the experience of many here I will leave surgery for as long as possible.

The OP must seek help if she has not already done so.

I have Fuchs dystrophy which sometimes makes my eyes very watery. An ophthalmologist recommended that I use a hairdryer on a medium setting and use it to dry my eyes at a sensible distance. My cataract surgery last year was very successful.

I cannot understand OP why you have not gone straight back to the optician with these problems, which are not the norm. I really hope that you have now and are getting some help.

I get lots of floaters because of the shape of my eyeballs which are elongated as with all short sighted people. That encourages the retina to pull away and have small tears (as in rips). But this us not made worse by cataract surgery which is one of the most successful and transformational surgeries.

Apologies, I have not been able read all posts but wanted to advise that post cataract surgery, a film can grow over the back of the capsule which houses the lens.

The solution is treatment with a laser and takes but a minute or so.

Anyone who has vision which has declined since cataract surgery should visit their optician who can tell if this has occurred.

However, if your floaters are increasing, you should have immediate treatment as sometimes this can be an emergency.

Please speak to your optician, explain the problem and they should advise you.

I had to have immediate surgery (unfortunately,
I had to abandon the NHS as time was of the essence to save sight - too long a wait) and went privately.

Wishing you a good outcome.

I do know someone whose DH is going through the exact same thing. They have tried everything. No improvements. Not to discourage you Jackypat, but to let you know you are not alone. Maybe the UK has better solutions than here! Don't give up. They are still trying

I have had surgery in both eyes for Cortical cataracts ( form like the spokes of a wheel and cause trouble with dazzle from lights) .
It has been totally successful and I don't need distance glasses at all and only weak readers.
I was treated through the NHS with SpaMedica and can't praise them enough.

My DH had both eyes done this year on the NHS and was told if he needs lazer treatment after it will be arranged at his 6 month post op appointment, which he has an appointment arranged in January. I strongly suggest you get in touch with the Consultants secretary who performed your operations and ask for another appointment as soon as they are available as you have a problem.

I had distance lenses inserted when I had the cataracts done, so can see OK without glasses. But I still have astigmatism and the need for reading glasses, so I have opted to have varifocals that I wear all the time so I do not have to mess around with glasses being taken on and off.

You really must go back to the optician and they will take a look and refer you on - you should not have this and should not just accept it - you need something done!

I am about a year on too, and have had some problems - floaters and a retinal tear that was lasered last week very successfully. But nothing like you describe - and every time a problem arises I ring the optician and they see me straight away. Please get some help - life is too short to be enduring something that can be dealt with easily.

I have had cataracts removed from both eyes this year which has meant that my distance sight has improved but because I have astigmatism in one of my eyes I have actually gone for slightly corrected distance vision varifocals as I still needed reading glasses and having had to use reading glasses while waiting for my second cataract operation I was fed up in not remembering where I had left my glasses.

I have worn glasses since I was 17 and I did find that I didn't look the same without glasses on.

I would suggest that you visit your optician to check if there is something that can be done to improve your eyes.

Sorry to hear about your problems.
I have experienced something similar.
Colours to bright and a blue tinge to everything. I need glasses to read small print but distance is good.(here in uk only one kind of lens available on NHS) otherwise it's private care which I can't afford to enable you to need no glasses.
I went back to see what could be done and one lens was "polished" by lazer which did help. Tinted glasses also help.
Best of luck with getting it sorted out.

Allira

Oh dear, that doesn't sound right at all, you must go back and seek advice, jackypat.

I was told years ago that I had cataracts which would need surgery in the future and yesterday an optometrist told me she would see me again next year and refer me then.
When DH had them he said everything looked a yellowish colour but I can see colours perfectly well and clearly with distance glasses, so I'm wondering if I do in fact need surgery.

That's funny I had exactly the same message when I had my eye test a few weeks ago. I was fine about it but reading this thread has made me a bit nervous about having it done.

A type 1 diabetic for 55 years I'd been having injections in my right eye to reduce a blister near my optic nerve and as other areas of both eyes which couldn't be lasered as other parts of both eyes had been. During a regular assessment my consultant referred me for a cataract removal after I said my vision had become like looking through dirty pond water in a jar. The op was brilliant (30 minutes without any kind of unaesthetic) and I immediately was seeing much better. A week later I had my last of 5 injections in the same eye and a blood vessel was nicked and my eye became blood shot a few days later. Still no issue but then I suffered tremendous knee pain one night and took 6 ibuprofen in 5 hours through the night Later that afternoon my eye began to leak (bleed internally) and I went to my GP who (after x-rays and blood tests) told me I had got two badly broken fibulas (still ongoing) and told that I shouldn't be taking ibuprofen with a history of eye bleeds. I now realise that that taking the anti-inflammatory when my knee got bad was the cause of the eye bleeds and my "dirty pond water" vision. If only I'd known!
Don't take anti-inflammatories if you have eye bleeds.

You're not asking us INSTEAD of asking your doctor/optician, are you?

If you want my personal anecdote, I had both eyes done about a year ago. They corrected for distance vision, I knew I'd continue to need readers.

I have had cataract surgery and laser treatment on both eyes . One about 15 years ago, the other 10 years ago.

I hsve had no side effects. I would have been back to the surgeon like a shot, if had a result as bad as that of the OP - and kept going back until the matter was sorted.

Aveline

Allira I didn't realise I'd been seeing things yellowish brown until I had my first cataract done. I had fun (!) closing one eye then the other to see the marked change in colour from yellowish brown to more blue shades. It's lovely to see the real colours now.

Everything seems bright and clear with my bifocals.
Bright and fuzzy without.
Night driving is not as good, that's the only thing.

The optometrist said my vision had barely changed since I'd had my glasses which were from a different optician over two years ago (could be three).

Strange.

Have you raised this at follow ups?

Have you been to an optician to get refitted with glasses? I had my cataract surgeries last year but I still need reading glasses.

I have one slight issue in certain light conditions - looking at a bright light in dark conditions sometimes gives a ring.

I was also recommended to use OTC moisturising drops at my follow up appointment as I have a tendency to dry eyes.

Allira I didn't realise I'd been seeing things yellowish brown until I had my first cataract done. I had fun (!) closing one eye then the other to see the marked change in colour from yellowish brown to more blue shades. It's lovely to see the real colours now.

I'm really not bothered by them now. Not worth my taking any pills really.

There is medication now for floaters - it's a vitamin that you take 6 month 1x daily. It helps dissolve the gel that has separated from your eye. It can't take away all but it will reduced them significantly.
I've been taking it 4 month now and my floaters are no longer so prominent just a few small spots left.
I am so very happy with it.

See your specialist as some common post op issues can be fixed easily. Haven't had mine yet. Have in both eyes but macular pucker in left eye must be addressed first. Recheck end of January for possible eye surgery. Cataracts come next.

Which lenses did you get? I have been nearsighted whole life so don't want distance lenses. Either near or intermediate would be better for me. US medicare only pay for mono lenses

If you have lots of new suddenly occurring floaters or a new curtain effect in your vision, or the vision is rapidly changing you should go to eye casualty.

I agree you need to seek expert advice. First of all ( if you are in England where non urgent waits for ophthalmologist appointments can take months) see your optometrist who should be able to refer you on if required and check your spectacles are optimal for distance and reading.
If you needed quite strong distance spectacles before your surgery or the balance between the two eyes has changed a lot ( for instance if one eye saw more poorly than the other) before surgery it can take a while to get used to the change in vision- but a year is a long time to struggle on!

Jackypat, try to get an appointment with the hospital where the op was done, preferably with the surgeon concerned.

I have had no bother after my cataract removal, but I have a friend who has floaters like you. I do not know if the problem can be resolved or not, but don't hang about waiting for it to clear up. Get proper medical advice as soon as possible.