postop conditions from rezoom cataract surgery

[jamesf]

Hello,
I am a 37 year old healthy male with congenital cataracts. I had cataract surgery on my left eye on May 22, 2006. I had the rezoom lens implanted. I am scheduled to have the right eye done on June 15. I am deciding between the rezoom lens or the crystalens for this eye. (I am leaning towards the rezoom)

Questions:
1. The first six days after surgery my vision out of my left eye was impressively clear and focused. On day 7 my vision became blurry especially at distance. The doc says everything looks good. Is it strange to go from very clear to blurry vision. What could be causing this?

2. The nighttime halos are very prevalent and disturbing to think that these might be there for the rest of my life. What is the truth about these halos:
After some period of time will they not be present at all and I will not see them?,
or after some period of time they will be present and I see them but they just won't bother me anymore?,
or after some period of time they will be present but my 'brain' will learn to ignore them and I won't 'see' them anymore?
I know that everyone's experience may be different but what about the majority of people's experience.

3. Should I be concerned about having my right eye done when my left eye hasn't fully cleared up yet?

4. Doctor's claim that once you have the second eye done then the first eye will improve also, why does this happen?

5. If I can already see small print out of my right eye now, what will be the odds that I will be able to see small print out of this eye after a rezoom implantation?

thanks jim

[Eagle eyes]

Most likely a little astigmatism or a little bit of near-sightedness or far-sightedness. Ask him next what your refraction is, then we can discuss here. I am assuming this was your first eye? If so, it should also get better with time and after 2nd eye is beign done, assuming you are having 2nd eye done. It is a very, very positive sign that is cleared up when he did what he did!!!

[mk57]

Had a Rezoom lens implanted in right eye 6/27.  Distance vision would be very good if it weren't for ghosting.  Also, near and intermediate vision not very good at this point and very much affected by the severe ghosting.  I know surgery was only a few days ago, and I knew ahead of time this would be a process.  Was expecting haloing, but wasn't expecting the ghosting.  Is this a part of the process, and will it go away over time?  I did tell the doctor about it at the follow-up appointment, and he switched something on the machine he was using which cleared it right up.  Thanks for any input!

[Eagle eyes]

It varies from person to person. On the average, 3 months, some 6 months. Most people state that the more time that goes by the better and better it gets. This is believed to be because as the brain gets more and more accustomed to the new simulateous vision, it gets better. Also, better have 2nd eye is done (when there is a cataract in each eye.) Be patient, I know it is easier said than done. You already have improvement and I am confident it will continue to get better, as time goes by.

[ICanSee]

After seeing a pattern, I think I may have figured out the twitching/flickering. It seems to happen most when I'm inside. Somewhere on my left is a window or bright light. I think the eye is responding somehow to that brighter light because if I turn my head slightly to get more or less of the brighter light the flickering stops. If this is all it is then I'm relieved. I'm still experimenting when it occurs...

At my 1 week checkup my vision had improved to 20/25. I am still reading better than I expected and computer work is great. No improvement on the distance vision when I'm inside, or outside when it is getting dark. Someone said theirs began to improve after 3 months, so I hope mine does. Is there any rule of thumb for how long it normally takes the eye to adjust or learn how to work with the ReZoom lens?

[Eagle eyes]

Twitching/flickering...I am assuming it is a "feeling" more than something you are seeing..
Normal.....it usually is a sign of tired, stressed, not enough rest, or overusing...As your eye is healing it can overtire easily. Don't worry you can't harm your vision, but you can get this twitching.......Get some rest and relax....
If you had shoulder surgery, you wouldn't pitch a baseball the next 2 weeks...think of your eye surgery the same way.....

Sounds like you are doing great! Keep us posted :)

[Eagle eyes]

Twitching/flickering...I am assuming it is a "feeling" more than something you are

[eyecu]

For having surgery on 6/12 and today being the 15th you are doing great. You have had major surgery and you are already ahead of the curve based on what you are saying. The cornea probably has some edema or swelling which will subside with your drops and healing and that should clear up the blurry vision.

[ICanSee]

I am 48 and have cataracts in both eyes and my vision is close to 20/750 in each with a slight astigmatism in the left eye (not worth correcting I was told). I had a ReZoom lens put in my left eye on Monday (6/12) and am planning on ReZoom for my right eye the end of July. When I was rechecked on Tuesday my vision was 20/30. Unbelievable. I can read a book with average text fairly well at about 12 inches. I can use a computer with no trouble at all. The distance was great on Monday, poor on Tuesday, better yesterday and today. I know it will fluctuate a while. That is OK.

When I picked ReZoom I was aware of the halo/glare issues. I have some halos now but they are smaller and really don't bother me. What I am surprised about is how well I see outside or in bright light and how poorly I see in the dark, at dusk or in doors I also have had some twitching or flickering in my left eye the last 2 days, which comes and goes. The Dr. said my lens was perfectly centered and the surgery went great. I am concerned getting the 2nd eye done as to whether I will be able to see well enough at night to drive, not because of the halos but because of the blurred vision. I got a distance contact lens for the right eye in the interim. The right eye with the cataract is how I was able to drive home tonight. When I wake up in the morning in the dark, the 2-inch numbers on my alarm clock are blurry as is the rest of the room. Is poor vision in dim/no lighting common and has anyone else had the twitching/flickering? I am hoping these will go away with time, but any ideas about how long is normal? Do you know what causes the twiching/flickering?

Thanks

[Eagle eyes]

As for reading small print with right eye after surgery...Most likely you are near-sighted now in the right eye if you are reading small print very well.. if the target is hit then you should still be able to read small print.l (easier to hit target on 2nd eye because you see where you landed on 1st eye) Just make sure you tell your Doc that you really want to be able to read with right eye after surgery. He can shoot for that in the selection of the IOL. Halos definitely get better after both eyes are done and as brain adjusts. They don't really go away, your brain just learns to ignore them. (like hearing planes at airport when in the neighborhood, but you learn to tune them out over time)

Good Luck!

[eyecu]

At 37 years old, you should adapt rather quickly. The younger patients seem to adapt quicker and the fact that you are already reading without correction sets you on the right course with your second eye. 3 weeks is usually a stable post-op refraction and the odds for infection and problems are minimal. If you are happy with the first eye. the second eye should bring things in even better.

[jamesf]

Thanks for everyone's comments.

To caudco, I did not wear glasses before my first cataract surgery, so I will not be wearing them while waiting to get my second eye down. I am only waiting the minimum of three weeks between eyes anyway.

To fcsmd: Although the 'posterior capsule opacity post op' is a possibility, my vision seems to have some moments of clarity in between the moments of blurriness. At times, it can be especially clear when I walk outside but not always. Not sure if the above condition would produce this result or not.

to cataract49: I hope that my halos diminish as yours did. Thanks for the comments.

[cataract49]

Sorry, I wanted to add that I do have a very small amount of night time halo effect. The first month or so I did have a night time halo light show that quickly diminished.

If I am in a room with direct spot light type lights directly overhead, then I do gets some reflective bounce. By simply tilting my head down slightly, the effect goes away. This is not really an issue, more of an observation.

[cataract49]

I had ReZoom surgery in one eye in Jan 2006. I am fortunate in that I have been a suucessful contact wearer for over 35 years.

I have not scheduled the second eye yet as I am doing so well with one ReZoom and wearing one Multifocal contact.

I can tell you that wearing glasses (one lens removed) does not work for me as I am -7 in the uncorrected eye. The power difference causes an imbalance with glasses for me.

When my second cataract gets worse, I plan on installing the ReZoom. I do have a very minor night time halo with my ReZoom eye but it does not bother me at all.

If I were considering a mix of lens technology (I am not), I would look into monofocal's that promise better night time contrast sensitivity. Not that my ReZoom eye is very contrast different than my uncorrected eye, but it is noticable at night if I think about it.

Let me know if you have any other questions that I may be able to help with.

[fcsmd]

You most likely have developed a posterior capsule opacity post op. Please see following website for more info:

http://www.eyemdlink.com/EyeProcedure.asp?EyeProcedureID=24

Also- If you are planning on a combo for your second eye, make sure you are complimenting for any deficiencies in the the 1st Please see   http://www.harvardeye.com/cataract/lens-implants.html      for an excellent comparison

[caudco]

I'm having the ReZoom placed in my left eye in July. I'm trying to decide if I want the same placed in my right eye within the year, or go with ReStor. I've heard good and bad on both options. I was wondering if you wore glasses before this, and if so, what are you doing between the surgeries? My doc. told me that I'll probably have the 2nd surgery with in a year, but didn't sound like it would be really soon. Of course, my left eye was pretty good until a couple of weeks ago when I suddenly lost almost all vision in it. My doc. says I have a type of cataract that can do that. So anyway, since I don't know how long I have between surgeries, the glasses are an issue I'm concerned about. What is the standard procedure? I can't wear a contact because my eyes get too dry and are very sensitive.
Debi

[Forum-OD-MP]

there ahs not been enough time since your surgery to "judge" the vision of your rezoom lens at any distance.  please dont worry about the vision at distance yet.  why could that have happened?  many, many reasons...most of them benign and will self resolve.

halos...the answer is a mix of some of all of that.  they will get better, but probably not go totally away.  but then also after a few weeks you'll learn to kind of "ignore" them and "get used to them".  so yes, all of those will likely occur.

no, you should not be concerned about having the 2nd eye done when the 1st eye is not totally clear at all distances yet.

yes, after the 2nd eye is done the 1st eye "gets better".  the short version of why this happens is you cannot focus one eye w/o focusing the other.  if you have only one implant like you do now, your brain has to kind of "choose" which one if fucuses thru.  after you kind of "even them out" with a second implant you wont have that problem.

i cannot predict "odds" of what distances you will or will not be able to see well out of any particular eye...thats really, really hard to predict.