Cataract surgery with Rezoom/Restor lenses

[confused kate]

I was told by my optometrist that I've cataract. So I went to see  opthalmologists. I saw three opthalmologists. First one says my cataract has not developed fully so he can't perform surgery. Second one based on the examination and Q&A about my vision can schedule my surgery and will implant Rezoom lens in my dominant eye and Restor lens in the other eye. Third one says my cataract is not that bad but if I want surgery he can do it.He will implant Restor lens in both the eyes.  Can someone please tell me their experiences with Rezoom/Restor or Restor/Restore combinations?I am so confused. Anyone who has been in similar kind of situation, please respond to me. Optometrists comments are welcome too.
I don't think my vision is extremely bad. I can get away with it. Are there any advantages or disadvantages if I should go ahead with the surgery or wait. By the way I've slight astigmatism ,0.75 diopter, and he says it can be corrected with cataract surgery.
I would also appreciate if someone recommends opthalmologists in Central New Jersey or Middlesex County in New Jersey. I live around Old Bridge/South River/East Brunswick area.
Thank you all,
Confused Kate  

[Forum-OD-MP]

get ready for the flood.  many, many patients here with rezoom/restor successes and failures, and many threads here on this.  in fact, this subject seems to dominate these boards.

there are lots of advantages and disadvantages to waiting vs having the surgery now.  take some of the 'horror' stories that are about to be posted here with a grain of salt...this is where patients who are UNhappy with the procedure usually come to get more information/support.  so IMO the opinions here on multifocal implants are a little skewed towards the negative.  in the end you and your docs will have to decide whats right for you.

good luck

[aimee37]

Thank you for responding..Can you tell me the advantages/disadvantages of having cataract surgery now v. waiting for a while.
Could you recommend opthalmologists in New Jersey? Mainly in Middlesex county.

[aimee37]

Here is a website as to when to seek treatment:

http://www.eyesurgeryeducation.com/Cataract_Seek_Treatment.html

You need to carefully consider whether the procedure is going to solve problems you are having or possibly just create new problems you don't need yet. This forum does have a high representation of patients who have had eye issues, so as Dr. Prince says, a grain of salt does apply when reading here, but the threads do contain a wealth of information as to what others have experienced.  

I would ask doctors and nurses in your locality who they would recommend for cataract surgery or consult http://www.castleconnolly.com/ for a referral.

[aimee37]

Hi Kate, thought I'd chip in with my experience - not sure how helpful it will be.
I was diagnosed with psc cataracts last year - I'm 35. Was pretty myopic before (off top of my head left eye -6.5, cyl 1.5 right eye -7.5 cyl .75) I'm in the UK. Was referred up to hospital where surgeon recommended surgery. At that point my corrected vision was 6/12 but noticably worsening and I was starting to struggle to see in poor light.

Surgeon recommended rezoom in left eye and tecnis multifocal in right eye. I feel very privileged to be offered these lenses on the nhs.

I'm four weeks post op on the rezoom lens and 2 weeks post op on the tecnis lens. In good light my distance is excellent 6/5 or better depending on lighting. Outside vision in daylight is stunning. Also I can read the smallest writing on the page of writing I was given to read. (not sure how that would be designated it said 67% next to the paragraph) That is easier with my tecnis eye.

The downsides at the moment is my intermediate vision isnt great. Rezoom is not bad, can comfortably read the computer with it now, tecnis is not as good but improving. Twilight/night vision is quite poor with the rezoom, tecnis has much more contrast. There is definitely some adapting to do at the moment. Under these conditions I notice a lag between when I look at things and when they come into focus. The registrar said that is my brain learning which image to concentrate on.

The other downside are halos and also on the telly some ghosting of bright images. In general they don't bother me but carlights are a bit overwhelming at the moment.

It is very early days for me yet. I am hopeful that the downsides will improve loads, already things that were difficult are becoming easier. I definitely under most circumstances have much better vision than I did with the cataracts and personally feel things are going very well.

[aimee37]

Thanks for the websites. I sure will visit them.

[aimee37]

Good news is that you've excellent near vision. I think it's too early in the game to know what kind of vision you'll have down the road. It looks like you are doing good. Does tecnis multifocal help with intermediate vision? Wish you all the best. Please keep me posted as to how your vision is progressing.
Good Luck,
Confused Kate

[aimee37]

I had ReStor lenses implanted in mid 2005. Initially my vision was pretty disappointing. I've had Lasik surgery twice on both eyes since then. My distance vision is good. Inetrmediate is great. I can read the smallest print without glasses in good light. I still have some ghosting (only when reading) and  find that cheap reading glasses work just fine for extended reading. I did have serious light sensitivity that took more than a year to resolve and terrible halos that are cotinuing to improve albeit very slowly. All in all I'm liking the results better as time passes and remain optimistic.

[aimee37]

Hi Kate,
At the moment I'm finding the tecnis is not as good for intermediate as the rezoom  lens but they are both slowly improving so who knows where I'll end up. I did talk to the registrar about some temporary glasses for intermediate but he suggested waiting for a couple of months if I could manage to try and get my brain working on seeing clearly at that range. As its not affecting me too badly I'm happy to do that.
will keep you posted :)

[aimee37]

Can you tell me what the difference is between a Rezoom and a Tecnis Multifocal lens? As far as I know, they are both made by the same company AMO and Rezoom is a multifocal.

[aimee37]

I'm not confused kate but... the tecnis multifocal is only available in europe at the moment as far as I know. Rezoom is refractive and tecnis is diffractive and also is aspheric. It seems to give better contrast, especially in dim light. Its also not pupil size dependent for different lighting conditions. They seem to both have their own strengths and weaknesses and I have found that to be the case.

[aimee37]

Kate, I had Restor lenses implanted last March and November. Most people believe that the same lens should be implanted in both eyes because they work better in tandem. The reports of halos, ghosts and glare that you hear are all to some degree valid, BUT in my case they are all diminishing over time. I live in East Brunswick and used the Princeton eye group. They have offices in Monroe, Somerset and Princeton. I was operated on by Drs. Lui and Wong. Both are very capable and pay extreme attention to all of the minor details. The surgery is a piece of cake. From the time I was wheeled into the operating room till I was wheeled out was under 10 minutes. There was no pain or discomfort and once the eye drops wore off, (2 days) vision was greatly improved. They operate in the Central New Jersey surgical center on RT. 1 in North Brunswick. I wore glasses from age 6 until now at 65. I only wear $1.00 readers to read in poor light. A funny result is that I still reach to take off my imaginary glasses when I go to bed at night. Oh yes one more thing, No more fogging glasses when you come indoors in the winter.
Best of luck.

[aimee37]

Kate. I had a Rezoom implanted in my dominant ( left ), eye 04/05/07. Nightmare! I know its only been 3 days, but, I'm experiencing extreme ghosting, ( shadowing around images ), severe glare while driving at night,
( large, bright star burst flares around oncoming headlights ). I'm now
dependent on new Wally World reading glasses to type this out. My surgeon had explained that there was a 2%  ( one in 50 ) chance of a complication. On operation day, patients were cued up like an assembly line. The procedure took 10 to 15 min. So I figure if the doc did 4 or 5 an hour. for 8 hours, then he could knock out 50 a day. 49 happy campers. and me. Rezoom literature warned about the possibility of halos that would probably diminish with time, but there was nada about ghosting. If my condition improves 75%, it'll still be unbearable. To my knowledge cataracts are not a threat to eye health. I lived with mine for years  ( I'm 55 ). My regular eye doc said that as long as I could tolerate them, no problem. Yours will probably worsen. but you'll know when its time to act. Remember the large majority of  Rezoom recipients are very satisfied. If you are comfortable with your vision its OK to wait. See if a regular ophthalmologist doesn't agree. ( one that doesn't have a stake in the process ). I was to have Restore done to my right, but now I'm thinking explant then mono lenses, ( I already got the reading glasses! )

[aimee37]

Are you sure, your pupil isn't dilated anymore? It took me almost four days for the pupil to go back to normal. When that happened the ghosting disappeared, but not the starbursts.

[aimee37]

Hi Kate,  I had a rezoom in my right dominant eye and a restor is my left non dominant eye.  Wow... I see perfectly at all levels.  Yes, occasionally I have to focus, and at night there a very very minor halos that do not bother me.  I have almost forgotten I had the surgery.  I have great intermediate vision and good and in good light great reading ability.  Distance is wonderful.  Do your homework, read about the combination.  They work beautifully together and TIME is needed.  At least 8 months to become totally adjusted.  

[aimee37]

Occupant. During my post op follow up check, ( 2nd morning ), my surgeon said that my dilation was normal. Its now 4 days, no improvement. I see fine in bright sun, but anywhere else, pitiful.

[aimee37]

I'm glad that your lenses are working really good for you. With Restor in both the eyes, do you have excellent distant and  intermediate vision? And a good reading vision in bright light? Thank you very much for info. on Princeton eye group. Did you get several opinions from other opthalmologists on your surgery before choosing Princeton Eye Group? If yes, can you please let me know who else did you see? By the way we live in the same town.
I really want to learn as much as possible from everybodys experiences before I go for surgery. You're one of the luckiest one to be very happy with Restor lenses.

[aimee37]

I feel so sorry that you're having such terrible time with Rezoom lenses.By reading the threads I understand that it takes number of months before you see perfectly and some says after the second eye implant vision gets better. Did you ask your doctor in the placement of the lense is okay?
My opthalmologist suggested same for me Rezoom/Restor  combination. My vision is okay now. I'll wait for a while.
I hope your vision improve. Good luck to you.

[aimee37]

Did you have astigmatism? Does your doctor have a group practice or a solo practice?
Lucky you, you were in good hands.

[aimee37]

My surgeon indicated the lens was perfectly centered during my post op check up. I wasn't using the terms, extreme and severe, lightly.
While perusing other forums of this type, I discovered others with my same complaints.
Most conveyed that time brought little or no improvements. As I stated, I'm in the small minority.

[aimee37]

I had ReStor lenses implanted in each eye in Nov 2006.  I have been very unhappy with them.  The doc told me I'd be able to be without glasses for both near and far vision but it hasn't worked out that way.  I have decent far vision but everything less than about 9 feet is blurry.  None of my four pairs of glasses is entirely satisfactory.  There is considerable ghosting.  Faces are blurry.  The food on my dinner plate is blurry.  
Reading is easy only in bright light.  In average or dim light, I struggle and often just can't make out the words.  Contrast is poor, that is, when the print color and the background color are not black and white, it's particularly hard to read.  I've been using one pair of reading glasses for reading, another strength for card playing and a third in supermarkets.  I am now getting large print books and still need reading glasses to be comfortable.  
My cataract was mild and was in one eye only but the doc insisted that ReStor has to be put in both eyes to be effective.  I consider falling for the ReStor lens propaganda (at great expense by the way) was one of the worst things that has ever happened to me.  My quality of life has deteriorated terribly.  My advice - DON'T LET THEM IMPLANT ReStor LENSES!

[aimee37]

I hear your misery with Restor lenses. On this thread BxBinky had Restor lenses in both the eyes in March and November of 2006. She is very happy with them. I think everybody's eyes/brain adapt to these lenses differently. May be with time your vision will improve.
What does your doctor say? Is prescription and placement of the lenses okay?
May be you should go see another doctor.
Good luck to you

[aimee37]

i had a Restor lens implanted on 4-2. My vision was blurry especially in low light & especially right after getting up in the morning.  it took 1-2 hours before I could read. my Dr assured me I would see better with 2 Restor lens.  i had the 2nd lens implanted on 4-16, & first day i thought he was right.  Now i'm seeing double or ghost images, worse at distance.  (i see 2 stop signs, 2 street signs, 2 of any medium-sized object until quite close.  it seems to be getting no better.  am i being impatient?  should i be concerned at this point about misalignment of the lens? could the double vision be caused by swelling?  my surgeon told me my vision could be "tweaked" with lasik surgery.  Has anyone else be told this or tried this?  i'm not going to be satisfied if i end up wearing glasses (other than perhaps for reading), since that was the point in paying extra for the multi-focus lens!  In fact i have much better reading vision after the second surgery.

[aimee37]

Hi X Nite Driver ... I had ReZoom in my dominant eye 5 days ago and my vision has improved 1000% since the first few days.  My pupil was massive and I had the concentric rings on day 1.  Day 2 was significant ghosting and just one or two rings.  Day 5 and I have very little ghosting (if any), no rings, and very little halo at night (just one ring around oncoming lights).  

Hopefully since its been several weeks, your vision has improved and you're more happy with the results.

[aimee37]

Hi cad2.  Since this thread is so old, I hope its OK to deviate from answering Kates questions. To recap. Rezoom left eye, April 5th, ( dominant and least affected by cataract ). Right cataract so bad, that eye was useless. I was told to come back for my right eye ( Restor ) operation May 10th. I went to my regular eye doctor, complained about my predicament, and inquired about an explant, with a switch to monovision. He said that he should talk to the surgeon first. My surgeon called the next night. He informed that I wouldn't see any improvement until I had my Restor implant. Then he asked why I scheduled my 2nd procedure May 10th. I answered, that it wasn't my idea.
Next he wanted to know that if he could get me in the next week, would I agree to stay the course. I said "wellll... OK". Had the Restor done April 20th. After a couple of days, the ghosting started to diminish. Its funny how the brain works. When I read, then, close my right eye, the ghosting creeps back.
Open the right, it fades away. The star burst problem in the left is still as bad. I see pretty bad glare from headlights in my right eye, but not overwhelming like the left. Yep, I was well aware beforehand that the adjustment could take months. So I'm going to sweat it out. As I've stated before, I see fine in
outside daylight, and my problems are very atypical for people going through these procedures.

[aimee37]

I am 39 and have a cataract in my right eye.  I have also had lasik in both eyes about 7 years ago.  I need the surgery for sure.  I also am developing a cataract in my left eye, but for now does not require any surgery.  My eye doctor has suggested the Restor or Crystalens.  I have done so much reading to the point where I am so confused right now.  I know the positives and negatives for both.  I do alot of reading and computer work and am pretty active outside with sports.  Has anyone been in similar situation having had lasik prior to development of cataract?

[loulabell2]

A related discussion, cataracts in under 40's was started.