Blurry Vision with Toric Lens Implant

Question:  I had cataract surgery & toric lens implants for astigmatism. My right eye is now 20/25 distance vision.  But my left eye is 20/80 distance vision & glasses can only correct it to 20/60. My cataract surgeon suggests leaving it that way or removing toric lens in left eye & implant a basic lens implant, then use glasses for distance and reading. Are there other options? I paid an additional $3500 total for toric lens and going to a normal lens implant seems a rip-off. The normal lens is paid for by insurance. But really if I can get better sight in my left eye I want care about the cost. Suggestions please. Thanks.

Answer: If your left eye is 20/80 with a best correctable vision of 20/60 with glasses, then you need to immediately find out why, as it is entirely possible that there is a reason that has nothing to do with the lens implant. You do not state how long ago your cataract surgery was. But, do you have posterior capsular opacification-which could be causing the blur. Do you have residual corneal swelling? Do you have macular edema? Do you have age related macular degeneration? Or one of many other possible reasons that need to be identified. You need to find out the cause of the 20/60 best correctable vision BEFORE making decisions about the lens implant exchange. Ask your cataract surgeon to identify and explain this to you and then make the decision. If he or she is unable to do so, get a second opinion.

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.

Laser Cataract Surgery with High Myopia

Question: I have very high myopia, greater than 15 diopters of correction, and need cataract surgery. My plan is to have retina treatment prior to the cataract surgery. My question is does laser cataract surgery provide significant improvement in my case over conventional cataract surgery?

Answer:  First, the fact that you are proactively addressing any retina issues prior to your cataract surgery is a good, conservative plan. Once you are cleared for cataract surgery and in experienced hands, then your outcome should be good whether done with conventional cataract surgery or by laser cataract surgery. What we know is that laser cataract surgery offers greater precision and allows the surgeon to use lower power settings when actually removing the cataract by phacoemulsification. Thus, laser cataract surgery tends to be “gentler” on the eye overall. In consideration of this, IF you have the option of laser cataract surgery-OR any options to refine the outcome and deliver the procedure in a gentler manner, you should strongly consider taking advantage of these options.

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.

Discomfort after Lens Implants

Question:  Two months ago I had an AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL, Model: SN6AT3-power 26.0D implanted in my left eye after removing cataracts.  According to the doctor all is good, BUT my eye feels heavy, at the bottom edge it feels like there is an eyelash or something in there and it gets blood shot very easily as well as it seems to blur over and I have to blink. In fact I am blinking a lot more than usual. I had same lens implant in my right eye with power: 22.5 D and there is no problem. Do you have any suggestions?  I appreciate your help.

Answer: Without a clinical exam it is impossible to tell why you are symptomatic. However, the types of symptoms you relay suggest that you have a dry eye problem. Typically we would see dry eyes in BOTH eyes but it is possible that due to the anatomy of your eyelids in the left eye or some temporary interference with the corneal nerves from the cataract surgery in left eye, this is the one that bothers you. You best next step is to visit your cataract surgeon and express the discomfort as you have done here. If he or she is not able to offer any help then seek a second opinion.

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.