Laser "tune-up" years after cataract surgery

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncbill Hmmm...does prior LASIK surgery complicate treatment?

I can't see any likelihood of a complication. Different parts of the eyeball.

[W2R]

Good news! Just got back from the ophthalmologist. No YAG, no diabetic damage.... she says all I need is GLASSES!!! That's fine. I wore them for years, until ditching them after my 2015 cataract surgery.

Frank is making an appointment for me with my optometrist so I can get glasses.

[braumeister]

Isn't it funny how we always anticipate a worse situation than we actually have?

Glad it worked out well, now make sure you get some nice eyeglass frames you really like.

[eytonxav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Good news! Just got back from the ophthalmologist. No YAG, no diabetic damage.... she says all I need is GLASSES!!! That's fine. I wore them for years, until ditching them after my 2015 cataract surgery. Frank is making an appointment for me with my optometrist so I can get glasses.

Perhaps your astigmatism changed a bit and can easily be corrected with glasses.
I needed them after my cataract surgery, but lately feel I'm seeing clearer without them. What the heck does that mean?

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncbill Hmmm...does prior LASIK surgery complicate treatment? Had mine ~20 years ago to get rid of my -8 (both eyes) "coke bottle" glasses.

Having had LASIK does complicate cataract surgery as it is harder to decide what power you need. Also LASIK tends to lessen contrast so most surgeons won't do a true multifocal lens which also lessen contrast. On the other hand, I was able to have an extended focus lens (Vivity lens) which lets me see well from distance to intermediate distance with no glasses. My left had a light adjustable lens because I had had a macular pucker so I was further limited. The result was that I do need reading glasses some of the time. All of which is fine. But, if I had not had LASIK and had not had the macular pucker I probably would have gotten an multifocal lens.

[Koolau]

Short of changing the lens, is there any way to correct vision when the wrong lens was installed. Doc had tired to talk me into a reading lens in one eye and a driving lens in the other eye. I sad NO! Driving lens in both eyes and I'll use readers. BUT the blinking/blanking doc put in the reading lens anyway.

SO, when I go to DMV, they say - "gotta wear glasses" even though I'm 20:20 in one eye. I said "What if I only had one eye that was 20:20?" They admitted I wouldn't have to wear glasses to drive. BUT they're the DMV. They make (up) the rules though YMMV.

[Teacher Terry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau Short of changing the lens, is there any way to correct vision when the wrong lens was installed. Doc had tired to talk me into a reading lens in one eye and a driving lens in the other eye. I sad NO! Driving lens in both eyes and I'll use readers. BUT the blinking/blanking doc put in the reading lens anyway. SO, when I go to DMV, they say - "gotta wear glasses" even though I'm 20:20 in one eye. I said "What if I only had one eye that was 20:20?" They admitted I wouldn't have to wear glasses to drive. BUT they're the DMV. They make (up) the rules though YMMV.

That’s a terrible story. The doctor tried to talk me into the same but I said absolutely not as I was afraid it would be too disorienting. The reading lense is more expensive so did he charge you for it?

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry That’s a terrible story. The doctor tried to talk me into the same but I said absolutely not as I was afraid it would be too disorienting. The reading lense is more expensive so did he charge you for it?

I don't really know. In any case, it's been a real problem for me and I know of no way to correct it short of going under the knife again. I doubt any reputable doctor would redo a "perfectly good" lens - even though it causes me no end of issues. Yeah, it's a terrible story.

[Telly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau Short of changing the lens, is there any way to correct vision when the wrong lens was installed. Doc had tired to talk me into a reading lens in one eye and a driving lens in the other eye. I sad NO! Driving lens in both eyes and I'll use readers. BUT the blinking/blanking doc put in the reading lens anyway. SO, when I go to DMV, they say - "gotta wear glasses" even though I'm 20:20 in one eye. I said "What if I only had one eye that was 20:20?" They admitted I wouldn't have to wear glasses to drive. BUT they're the DMV. They make (up) the rules though YMMV.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau I don't really know. In any case, it's been a real problem for me and I know of no way to correct it short of going under the knife again. I doubt any reputable doctor would redo a "perfectly good" lens - even though it causes me no end of issues. Yeah, it's a terrible story.

Physics-wise, it might be fixable, externally. Glasses with a blank lens for the eye that has the distance IOL. And for the eye that has the reading IOL, a glasses lens that undoes most of what that reading IOL does.
Could talk to an Optometrist and explain the situation and possible solution, so he/she does the refraction themself, and not some minion who doesn't understand.
If the offending "reading" IOL was only a spherical correction lens, then it may just come down to what the external lens to undo looks like... is it of reasonable characteristics? Or will it be like a bottom-of-Coke-bottle lens?

Like what are you willing to accept glasses lens-wise, versus leaving it as it is now.

If you have astigmatism correction in that reading IOL, maybe, not sure, external correction may be very hard, or impossible to do.
A few minutes looking through the Phoropter, and the doc clicking lenses, will tell.

Sounds like it would be an interesting experiment.

Oh, and if you want a pair of Reading glasses, then a blank lens for the eye that has the reading IOL, and a prescription reading lens for the distance IOL eye.

I have read/heard that surgically REMOVING an existing IOL, to replace with another IOL has much greater risk than the initial cataract surgery/IOL placement. I don't think I'd go the re-surgery route for that!

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau Short of changing the lens, is there any way to correct vision when the wrong lens was installed. Doc had tired to talk me into a reading lens in one eye and a driving lens in the other eye. I sad NO! Driving lens in both eyes and I'll use readers. BUT the blinking/blanking doc put in the reading lens anyway. SO, when I go to DMV, they say - "gotta wear glasses" even though I'm 20:20 in one eye. I said "What if I only had one eye that was 20:20?" They admitted I wouldn't have to wear glasses to drive. BUT they're the DMV. They make (up) the rules though YMMV.

Within a certain period of time after cataract surgery they can take out the lens and put in another one. So if you raised with the original surgeon early enough that they put in the wrong lens, I think they may have been able to do that. On the other hand, I think there is a time period where they can do that easily and they may not be able to easily do it later.

Sometimes when the prescription is not quite right on the lens they can do LASIK on that eye to change the prescription. I don't much about that beyond the fact that a common way to handle prescription not being right is by doing LASIK. You could easily go for a consultation with good doctor who specializes in this area.

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow Within a certain period of time after cataract surgery they can take out the lens and put in another one. So if you raised with the original surgeon early enough that they put in the wrong lens, I think they may have been able to do that. On the other hand, I think there is a time period where they can do that easily and they may not be able to easily do it later. Sometimes when the prescription is not quite right on the lens they can do LASIK on that eye to change the prescription. I don't much about that beyond the fact that a common way to handle prescription not being right is by doing LASIK. You could easily go for a consultation with good doctor who specializes in this area.

The doc said he had followed my wishes and that it was just off by a "little" since there is no guarantee. When I got my next one done - by a different doctor, he agreed that there are no guarantees, but 20:40 vs 20:20 wasn't an error - it was willful. The new doc gave me 20:20, no problem. Now I'm stuck with two "independent" eyes. I need correction for distance and I need correction for reading. Bummer.

[W2R]

Well, the ophthalmologist said that my eyes are OK and I just need glasses! Wahoo. All that worry about nothing.

So, today I went to Lenscrafters. My old optometrist there was on vacation, so I got the "new guy" who seems to have all the credentials. He was pretty good and approved me for driving if I wear new glasses! Which, of course, Lenscrafters is happy to sell me. I brought along my old, very cute glasses from 2015 and they can not only use those frames, but the charge is $30 less.

Lenscrafters is never cheap but the eye exam was $99 and the glasses were $178.02, for a total of $277.02. I am happy because my (obviously unrealistic) expectation was a total of around $500. FINALLY something that costs less than I thought it would, despite inflation. Glory Hallelujah!

I'll get the glasses in a week or two. I don't remember the deadline to get my driver's license renewed, but hopefully this will be soon enough.

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Well, the ophthalmologist said that my eyes are OK and I just need glasses! Wahoo. All that worry about nothing. So, today I went to Lenscrafters. My old optometrist there was on vacation, so I got the "new guy" who seems to have all the credentials. He was pretty good and approved me for driving if I wear new glasses! Which, of course, Lenscrafters is happy to sell me. I brought along my old, very cute glasses from 2015 and they can not only use those frames, but the charge is $30 less. Lenscrafters is never cheap but the eye exam was $99 and the glasses were $178.02, for a total of $277.02. I am happy because my (obviously unrealistic) expectation was a total of around $500. FINALLY something that costs less than I thought it would, despite inflation. Glory Hallelujah! I'll get the glasses in a week or two. I don't remember the deadline to get my driver's license renewed, but hopefully this will be soon enough.

Woo Hoo! So glad you are are in good shape. Glad too that your glasses are a "bargain" to you. Hope you get your DL soon. Aloha

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau The doc said he had followed my wishes and that it was just off by a "little" since there is no guarantee. When I got my next one done - by a different doctor, he agreed that there are no guarantees, but 20:40 vs 20:20 wasn't an error - it was willful. The new doc gave me 20:20, no problem. Now I'm stuck with two "independent" eyes. I need correction for distance and I need correction for reading. Bummer.

Theoretically you might be able to get the left eye corrected by LASIK. Although since it is not off that much I don't know if it is possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Well, the ophthalmologist said that my eyes are OK and I just need glasses! Wahoo. All that worry about nothing.

W2R - Did you ask why you had a vision change that required glasses? I mean, your lens is artificial now and so it won't change. Vision doesn't generally change after cataract surgery unless there is some new problem.

Some of those are retina problems or other eye diseases. I would want my ophthalmologist to do a thorough scan of my eye (the kind retina doctors do) to make sure there is not something else going on. If the ophthalmologist didn't give a reason for your vision change I think I would be asking.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow W2R - Did you ask why you had a vision change that required glasses? I mean, your lens is artificial now and so it won't change. Vision doesn't generally change after cataract surgery unless there is some new problem.

Yes, the opthalmologist that I saw earlier this week said that although the lens is artificial now, the rest of the eye is not and changes to those parts of the eye can affect the vision, too.

The optometrist said that he thinks I am getting some clouding over my right eye, and he said I should see my real opthalmologist when he gets back from vacation (not the substitute ophthalmologist that I saw earlier this week, who saw no clouding), and have him take a look sometime in the next few months.

Earlier, the substitute ophthalmologist said she wants me to see a macular degeneration specialist sometime in the next few months, and gave me his business card.

I had thought, like you, that vision doesn't generally change after cataract surgery. This is why I stopped having my eyes checked regularly to see if I needed glasses or not, from 2015-2023. But, this week I have been told that this is not true.

[Teacher Terry]

I had cataract surgery 3 years ago but booked an appointment to make sure I didn’t have any eye disease developing. Glad you will be driving soon.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R I had thought, like you, that vision doesn't generally change after cataract surgery. This is why I stopped having my eyes checked regularly to see if I needed glasses or not, from 2015-2023. But, this week I have been told that this is not true.

I knew it could change due to other changes problems in the eye. That is, the vision in the lens doesn't change but there can be other changes. My retina doctor (I had a macular pucker before cataract surgery) says I need a retinal exam every year. I agree that having your regular doctor look at is a good idea and if there is any hint of macular degeneration see a retina doctor.