Eye Color after Cataract Surgery

Question: When you have cataract surgery does your eye color change or remain the same? I've seen some people's eyes darken or lighten.

Answer: There really should be no change in eye color after cataract surgery unless there is either a complication changing the iris shape or significant inflammation or other complication.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Allergic to Lens Implant Material

Question: My wife has cataracts and needs to have them taken care of, however she is allergic to acrylics and is afraid to have that done for fear that her body will not accept the lens implants. 

Answer: The acrylic materials used in lens implants are typically highly biocompatible and non reactive as they are carefully tested and there is virtually no residual monomer, however there are indeed reports of low grade inflammation in rare patients that are allergic to acrylics. That aside, your wife's cataract surgeon could consult with the lens implant manufacturer and subject her to a test by exposing her to the material perhaps on an underarm area taped for some time or better yet the cataract surgeon could simply use an alternative lens implant material, for example a silicone material or a collagen-silicone material. The best thing to do is to discuss this with the cataract surgeon.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Playing Oboe after Cataract Surgery

Question: Since I play oboe, which requires a rather extreme amount of pressure to blow, would it be advisable to not play for a while after cataract surgery, and how long a time would you think would be advisable?

Answer: The best answer to your question about playing the oboe after cataract surgery really should come from your cataract surgeon as he or she knows the exact course of your surgery, incision status or any potential complications that might have occurred during your cataract operation. That said, the general opinion of cataract surgeons is that waiting a week after an uncomplicated cataract and lens implant surgery should be sufficient to resume your oboe activities.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Cataract Surgery While Pregnant

Question: I am 36 years old and have lost my vision in my right eye due to a cataract. My left eye is becoming more blurry daily. I am 19 weeks pregnant and have been told I cannot have the eye surgery until after my pregnancy from my OB-GYN. I am concerned because I don't want to cause more damage to my eyes by waiting, besides I cannot see. Does this type of surgeryhave risks for the baby?

Answer: Most cataract surgeons would prefer to wait until after the pregnancy to perform cataract surgery. The risks of cataract surgery to the baby are minimal especially if the surgery is performed with eye drop anesthesia and probably even with local anesthesia. Still, there is always risk during surgery and for that reason it is preferable to wait. That said, you do not identify why you have cataracts-and a progressive cataract, and this is more alarming if it is related to your pregnancy and overall health. If you are a high risk pregnancy or have other medical problems, if you not have already done so, you can at least schedule a consultation with a cataract surgeon in your area and allow them to follow your eye health.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Retinal Detachment Risk after Cataract Surgery with High Myopia

Question: I am a 49 year-old male, have had cataracts in my right eye for 7 years which is also extremely myopic with a -12.00 correction. Fortunately, my left eye vision has held up, and I have been able to function normally with my left eye vision for many years. Starting last year, my left eye started to develop cataracts.  I have been myopic my whole life, and my left eye has gone from about -6.5 before I developed cataracts to -7.5 now.  With correction, I used to see 20/20 in both eyes. Now with cataracts, my vision is 20/30 in the left, and almost blind with my right.  I have also developed presbyopia so I need reading glasses in both eyes.

Because I am relatively young and myopic, my ophthalmologists have told me that I am in the high risk category for retinal detachment after cataract surgery. Therefore, I have delayed my cataract surgery for as long as possible. Given that my left eye is getting blurry and my right eye cataract is are getting dense, increasing the cataracts surgery risks, I have decided to get cataract surgery soon.  Given that my left eye is still functional, I have decided to get a cataract surgery in my right eye first, with no plans on the left eye surgery, hopefully until many years later.

I was told that I am left eye dominant, so even with near-blindness in my right eye, I have lived a normal life. If I correct the right eye vision for distance thru the cataract surgery, I was told that I would have to wear contacts on my left eye to balance out the vision. 

My question is as follows:  If I don't wear contacts, but rather wear glasses such that the left eye correction is around -3 (versus full correction of -7.5), and right eye would have no correction (except for reading glasses), would I be able to function for reading and distance?  In other words, given that I am left eye dominant, but after the cataract surgery on the right eye, I will have distance vision on the right eye and partial correction on the left eye through glasses, would my brain be able to function or will I be too dizzy?  I'm just trying to see if I can avoid wearing contacts everyday and still function. Thank you so much for your advice!

Answer: It sounds like you are getting careful consideration from your ophthalmologists who know your situation the best. The decision to have the cataract surgery in the right eye first sounds like a good idea-BUT-you may want to have a thorough evaluation of your retina by a retinal specialist if you have not already done so in order to be sure the retina will withstand the cataract operation and to determine whether any prophylactic treatments of holes, tears, weakening or degeneration might help to reduce your risk of retinal detachment. After clearance by a retinal specialist you can be more confident that you have taken any necessary precautions. Regarding the -3.00 D difference after surgery, it is likely to cause headaches and possibly dizziness if you don’t wear a contact lens. You need to know that the best result is when both eyes have had the cataract surgery and thus while delaying the left eye surgery might seem prudent, it does make things even more risky surgically the longer you delay. Of course this is up to you and your cataract surgeon. You can try the eyeglasses with the -3.00 D difference and see if you tolerate it but it is questionable.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Light Flashes & Floaters after Cataract Surgery

Question: I had cataract surgery 5 months ago on my right eye and am still bothered by flashes of light and floaters. I had been sensitive to sunlight and problems with night driving and my ophthalmologist suggested that I have cataract surgery to correct my distance vision.  I took his advice, he did the surgery and I have regretted ever since. My distance vision of course has improved but the flashing and fluttering that I am experiencing in the outer corner of my eye causes me much frustration. I also am experiencing more floaters than I previously had.  I have returned to his office and have been examined as recent as a month ago but he informs me that I have astigmatism and this is as good as I can expect. The eye examination was done without dilation.  My vision was so much better 5 months ago.  Please inform as to what my recourse is. 

Answer: You do not state whether your cataract surgery was uncomplicated or whether there were cataract surgery complications during your surgery that may have predisposed you to the ongoing flashes of light, floaters or fluttering. Assuming that it was an uneventful cataract operation it is not uncommon for many patients-perhaps 30-50%-who have cataract surgery, to experience a condensation, shrinkage and even a detachment of the vitreous gel, which does often cause the symptoms you describe. In almost all instances these symptoms pass after several months and become unnoticeable. These particular symptoms are not likely to be related to the astigmatism. In addition some patients experience some “light effects’ as they adapt to the vision with a lens implant. For you own satisfaction it might be worth considering getting a second opinion on the status of your vision with a top cataract surgeon in your area.   

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Maine Cataract Surgeons Launch New Web Site for Seniors

Eyecare MedicalGroup has launched a new web site with important patient information to help patients learn about eye diseases and surgery and in particular includes information about advances in technology, treatment and procedures that are especially helpful for senior eye problems. “The EyecareMedical Group cataract surgeons all felt strongly that we needed to use our web site to share information with patients who are at risk of suffering vision loss from cataracts. By understanding more about cataract surgery and lensimplants, we believe seniors will be able to make more informed decisions about their eye health and  not allow vision loss from a cataract to interfere with their daily activities, driving, mobility and overall quality of life,” commented Bruce Cassidy, M.D., a Cataract& Refractive Surgeon. “Further, as the choices of advanced technology lens implants have become more extensive, they have also become more confusing for seniors having cataract surgery. So, we wanted to provide them with easy to understand options," explained Robert Daly, M.D., a Cataract Surgeon &Glaucoma Specialist at EMG in Portland, ME. “As a group, we are quite dedicated to helping patients get the information and education they need. This is especially important when we consider age related eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration,” summarized Cataract Surgeon& Glaucoma Specialist Samuel Solish, M.D.

To learn more about Eyecare Medical Group inPortland Maine, cataracts, cataract surgery or lens implants, you may visit the new web site at www.eyecaremed.com.