Aa
Black crescents
I am SO Sorry that I ever had cataract surgery. My distance vision is great, but I can't even see a computer screen w/o glasses to chart. It also left me with severe dry eye syndrome. My eyes tear up so bad that I can't even focus. I've been using eye drops but it's been 4 months!! Also when I focus on the computer screen I see black crescents (like my hair is hanging in my eyes) on the outside of my eyes. My doctor says he's never heard of that...REALLY?? I'm about ready to quit my job over this...so sad.
This discussion is related to Trouble after Cataract Surgery.
This discussion is related to Trouble after Cataract Surgery.
Thank you. The Link about Dysphotopsia (positive & negative) was very helpful in that now I know it "may or may not" resolve or get worse, or that I "may or may not" adapt, but if it worsens an exchange of IOL "may or may not" be the solution, so I am happy that at east it's a "wait and see" and not an emergency. I had reported at my one-day followup, that I had experienced excruciating pain that morning when I turned on the light but after the Declofenac drops took effect the pain stopped by the time I got on the freeway so I was then able to open the eye to oncoming headlights. there was no comment about it, til I phoned my surgeon's this morning about the new aberration and was told she never heard of Dysphotopsia but if it gets worse, to call again, otherwise "wait & see." If an exchange of IOL is in my future, I would hope that the Rx focus could also be changed from -1.50 to -1.75 as my current Mini-Monovision was based on distance to computer only (while standing instead of sitting closer) in more conservative inches-to-diopter decision and am waiting for healing to know the "final focus" for reading without glasses as hoped for. My surgeon's colleague states that laser (Lasik) touch up can also add closer focus, not just distance. But I understand there are so many "Catch-22" (risk vs. benefit) decisions for both surgeon and patient and "if it ain't broke" one should be cautious about "fixing" it. Thanx again for helping give patients peace of mind and/or direction.
This does indeed sound like "temporal darkness" or "negative dysphotopsia" Use the search feature and archives as it has been discussed here before. This is a slide presentation on the problem http://www.slideshare.net/laxmieyeinstitute/dysphotopsia And this is a paper http://www.ophthalmologymanagement.com/articleviewer.aspx?articleID=106604 Not all ophthalmologists are capable of taking care of this problem if it doesn't go away over 3-6 months. One of the foremost experts is Sam Masket MD from Los Angeles this is a link to his practice http://www.advancedvisioncare.com/physicians/samuel-masket-m-d
re: "Sorry that I ever had cataract surgery"
Unfortunately cataracts only get worse, so if you hadn't had cataract surgery you'd eventually have gone blind, you would have found yourself worse off than whatever you are suffering through now.
Unfortunately dry eye can be a side effect of surgery, though it often (not always) goes away over time. There are a lot of different eye drops out there for dry eye and some work better than others, but which one works best depends on the details of the issue so it varies by person. There are also many treatments out there for dry eye beyond merely eye drops, some non-prescription if you search the net and some prescription you can talk to your doctor about. If the doctor isn't helpful, try another one since dry eyes in general are a common problem so many doctors are used to treating it.
The black crescent sounds like the descriptions I've seen of "negative dysphotopsia" (the phrase to search for), though what someone means by that vague description can vary. Most people don't get them, but they are common enough they talked about widely in the cataract literature so it is very surprising your doctor hasn't seen the issue (unless as I say your description of it its exact details doesn't match the issue). I'm guessing your surgeon may not be very experienced and that you should consider consulting another. Most people eventually see such issues go away as their brain learns to tune them out (and how long that takes is unpredictable, it might take some more months), but not all. If it doesn't resolve itself, there are potential surgical treatments for the issue like a piggy back lens or an exchange to a different kind of lens, which a good surgeon can talk to you about (or they can refer you to a surgeon who specializes in the issue).
When some people first wear glasses they may be aware of the frame and the area outside the frame where vision is blurry, but eventually they just focus on seeing through the lens where vision is clear. Similarly, unfortunately the main thing someone with a dysphotopsia can do to see it go away is to try not to think about it, to focus on the part of your vision that is good, hard though that is, so the brain can try to tune out the problem. Some people stop noticing dysphotopsias and no longer see them even if they try to. However others no longer find them a problem, but if they try to see the issue they still can see it, but it doesn't matter since they usually tune it out.
Unfortunately cataracts only get worse, so if you hadn't had cataract surgery you'd eventually have gone blind, you would have found yourself worse off than whatever you are suffering through now.
Unfortunately dry eye can be a side effect of surgery, though it often (not always) goes away over time. There are a lot of different eye drops out there for dry eye and some work better than others, but which one works best depends on the details of the issue so it varies by person. There are also many treatments out there for dry eye beyond merely eye drops, some non-prescription if you search the net and some prescription you can talk to your doctor about. If the doctor isn't helpful, try another one since dry eyes in general are a common problem so many doctors are used to treating it.
The black crescent sounds like the descriptions I've seen of "negative dysphotopsia" (the phrase to search for), though what someone means by that vague description can vary. Most people don't get them, but they are common enough they talked about widely in the cataract literature so it is very surprising your doctor hasn't seen the issue (unless as I say your description of it its exact details doesn't match the issue). I'm guessing your surgeon may not be very experienced and that you should consider consulting another. Most people eventually see such issues go away as their brain learns to tune them out (and how long that takes is unpredictable, it might take some more months), but not all. If it doesn't resolve itself, there are potential surgical treatments for the issue like a piggy back lens or an exchange to a different kind of lens, which a good surgeon can talk to you about (or they can refer you to a surgeon who specializes in the issue).
When some people first wear glasses they may be aware of the frame and the area outside the frame where vision is blurry, but eventually they just focus on seeing through the lens where vision is clear. Similarly, unfortunately the main thing someone with a dysphotopsia can do to see it go away is to try not to think about it, to focus on the part of your vision that is good, hard though that is, so the brain can try to tune out the problem. Some people stop noticing dysphotopsias and no longer see them even if they try to. However others no longer find them a problem, but if they try to see the issue they still can see it, but it doesn't matter since they usually tune it out.
Have you heard of anyone seeing a BLACK streak like a wide tipped marker pen would make, or seeming like a straight lock of black hair or black "crescent" (as Jackthedog1a) and I are experiencing after IOL implant? My aberration doesn't seem "crescent" shaped like his--Mine seems straight, but I liken it to a quick eclipse of the sun and moon, as if something either de-centered or drops in and then out. Although I do use computer a lot, it doesn't occur while on computer as it does with jackthedog1a. Mine appears suddenly at the far Left peripheral of my left eye when I'm looking straight ahead. This eve I caught it as I changed my focus from straight ahead at the TV to looking slightly south. It is gone just as quickly as I automatically look for it to the Left. It's happened only a few times, since Oct. 20 when that eye had an Alcon SB60WF with -1.50 correction for Mini-Monovision with no other problem (after same kind of IOL in Right eye July 29 IOL, for distance at -.25 with no problem). My one week follow-up for the Left one was fine. Am using Declofenac drops for the swelling. I've tried to reproduce it by quickly looking in all directions, but it doesn't appear "on demand." I had regular blade surgeries, no laser assist. I assume floaters are not this sporadic, and the floaters I do have are just a pinpoint size in the Left and light "cobweb" floaters in the Right eye and probably the Left but hardly notice them now. If the IOL or the haptics are trying to "de-center, what would it look like? Would it produce this 1-seond "eclipse" effect? Or would it be constant? Should I report this to my surgeon now, or wait til my 6-week followup if it doesn't worsen?
I, too, have (a couple times, very briefly) seen what I thought for a second was long black hair hanging at the peripheral side of one eye. But I don't have black hair. And when I quickly looked for it, it was gone. Does your Black crescent stay all the time? Get a copy of your complete pre-op, post-op and surgery records. Find out from those records what target Diopter correction focus was planned, then check the post-op record for what the result was. For instance, mine was to be -.50D in the Distance eye but the result was -.25D and so far only 1.00 for the other eye, but it's only been 1 week since the second surgery and they tell me the final focus is not known til fully healed in 6 weeks. Or just when you look at the computer. I had both eyes implanted with Alcon SN60WF for Mini-Monofocus -- one is focused for extreme distance, the other for Distance with some Near focus -- No problem with the first eye, and no continuing problem with the second one, just that the morning after surgery when I turn on a light, it caused an excruciating eye -- I immediately used the eye drops intended to control swelling and within minutes I could open my eye to lights with no pain. I mentioned the temporary reaction to light but the surgeon made no comment. I know a lot of of visual sensations are normal during the healing period but If you've had the black crescent aberration 4 months, you need a second opinion as to the cause and what to do about it. What are the eye drops for? Antibiotic or for swelling? Or both? In case it's the drops, try a process of elimination by not using the drops for a day or so to see what happens. And, stay away from the computer screen a few days, no matter how hard that may be, to see if the Back Crescent may be from light sensitivity.
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