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Cataract Surgery Results

Hello,

Prior to cataract surgery I was myopic at -5.00 in both eyes and barely 20/40 with correction. After surgery I am – 1.75 in both eyes and 20/30 in my right eye and 20/60 in my left eye which is amblyopic. As a result of the surgery I have astigmatism in my right eye which makes my vision seem less than 20/30. Therefore, I still need distance glasses. Also, now I require reading glasses. Prior to surgery I had them but really didn’t need to use them unless I was doing a lot of heavy reading because my distance glasses worked ok for reading. Would this be considered a good result when the goal was 20/20 in the right eye? Would the results indicate a significant biometric miscalculation? Personally, I am very disappointed in the results. Where my expectations too high?

I assume the astigmatism could be corrected and the vision in my right eye could be corrected close to 20/20 but I am not sure I am a candidate for Lasik with the amblyopia. I read that many surgeons will not perform the operation on amblyopic patients because the risk of infection could lead to blindness in the good eye. Would the amblyopia disqualify me from Lasik surgery? If so please explain why since I took the same risk in having the cataract surgery.

Thank you very much.

Raven
3 Responses
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Avatar universal
I do not have diabetes or any health related issues. Not sure why I developed cataracts at such a young age. My goal was 20/20 and I expected to need glasses for reading. Even though I am still near sighted, I do not have very good intermediate vision and especially fine print.

I would like to pursue an enhancement such as Lasik or IOL exchange but wonder about how much risk would be involved. Does one pose more risk than the otter? Would the amblypia be an issue?

Helpful - 0
284078 tn?1282616698
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It all depends on what you discussed with your surgeon before surgery.  If a nearly 20/20 correction for distance was intended then you are certainly far off from that.  If you had gotten that, however, you would have had terrible near and intermediate vision.  Since you had cataract surgery at such a young age, I wonder if ypu might be a diabetic or have other health issues.  In the end, this is not in itself a bad result but I get the feeling that your expectation and intent was to be much better for distance being accepting of the fact that your reading vision would be much, much, more dependant on reading glasses after surgery.  As you are, you should be able to read fairly well for general use, should need readers for very small print only, and will of course need glasses for distance use like driving.  The good news is that you can now be corrected to 20/20 with glasses so that is a major improvement.  Choices now are to live with it (which is OK) possible have lasik in one eye or an IOL exchange -which is best done in the first month or so post operatively.

MJK MD

MJK MD
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Avatar universal
I forgot to mention I am 43 years old.
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