Cataract surgery in with both eyes now yet, I still have vision that is not optimal

[Phillie0068]

Hi Dr.  I wrote to you about 5-6 months ago describing my issues.  I had cataract surgery on right eye which I never really could see clearly from for many years (25). There was a scar laing behind my year for years and years and no one knew what it was.  This glaucoma specialist used the "Omni system" for drainage hince IOP pressure has been stable since.   I had various issues from first surgery with definite visual changes in the unoperated left eye during my recovery.  The doctor never could explain why my issues were occuring with the right eye.  The left eye had constant high and low IOP.  The highest about in mid 45 After the first cataract surgery my vision was so unbalanced and I had like a terrible distoration of images in perphial view of the left eye.  I was told this was amphyboia (sp is not correct   sorry) The surgeon  Did a procedure in office about four days after surgery had to take pills too.  However, as you indicated in your reply he saved my sight in that eye.  Yet I could only get him to take the pressure in the left unoperated eye once and it was like 31.  I started having severe blurring in both eyes which had me in a constant state of terror of going blind.  I continued to take eye drops for both eyes during this time and afterwards.  I was told I had glaucoma, which before I was told I was glaucoma suspect with high IOP for over 12 years.  I set out to find another surgeon to peform the second surgery on the left eye going thru the recommendations of doctors at Northwestern Hospital which is a teaching institute.  Because of the backlog of patients I was to wait months on end to see these physicians.  I decided to interview two other well know specialist in Chicago with good reputations.  One doctor said I do not have glaucoma only high IOP.  Everything looked good and just removing the other cataract would get my vision back on track.  But I felt uneasy with his diagnosis so I cont to another surgeon.  He took the time to ask if I was a premature..Said in his experience with the huge visual error found mainly in pre mature babies.  I am not a premature baby.  He in turn though I should see a retina specialist before going forward.  I did that which took another month and after that visit retina doctor informed me he highly suspected I had retina pigmentosa, referred me to Univ of Ill.  I saw the specialist there and his remark was that I at that time had a good size cataract that needed to be removed first.  He wants me to return after I heal from that surgery to do a couple of test to confirm or make any diagnosis.  This I will do in a couple of months.  However, he stated it would be no problem for me to go ahead and get the surgery done on the left eye.  His initial analysis was that scar behind the right eye in which I could not see well from appeared  to encase pigments that were now being dispersed affecting the left eye. The right eye had sight yet no visual acuity.  
I am at home, still worried.  I do not have the cataract in my eye.  However the i-stent the current cataract  surgeon  was going to use in left eye could not be performed.  Per this physician I had "too much blood behind the eye and it was hindering both areas (mesh) where the stent had to be place"  He continued If I forced that stent into the mesh in the eye you would have had an eye full of blood"  Also  "there would be a great chance you would not be seeing for some months afterward, he felt he had to make a decision in behalf of me not to place the stent in that eye"  I would have to be hospitalized and the blood would have to be drained from eye.  Afterwards it takes patients months to regain any sight later.  I was glad he made that decision because I would have had a breakdown.  when it was time to talk about the lenses in eye, I said I want to read , drive and go about my way pretty much as before.  My glasses were definitetly used driving but not necessarily reading.  However, he stated he had to get the error ratio so that the off balance I was feeling wouold be under contol.  So I have  near sighted lenes in both my eyes.  He stated it would not work well for me at all if he placed a far sighted lens along with the near sighted one in the other.  The presecription glasses would clear up all issues once they were made.  He even had me look thru a lens with a prescription close to what I would be getting.  Ir looked great.. But I do not know yet.  Its hard to tell a doctor that I just want near sighted for one eye and far sighted for the other.  IMO they will always try to discourage you to get what they feel will be a more comfortable fit.  I felt like a fish out of water/..I felt like I was going thru pure hell this year.  I am at home healing and the left eye still is unbalanced but not as bad.  The eye feels like its shaking, I have some pain, and I wake up with a foggy film over the left lens.  I have seen my doctor since surgery three times.  He has examined me and can only say it has to be the fact I do have glaucoma, the eye pressure at first week was 31 its now 19.  Is this how it feels to have glaucoma?  The surgeon did remark that the RM may be the culprit here but have to waith until that can be determined  So I now have a definite prognosis of Glaucoma and being RP suspect.  I have preprehial  vision and I can see just not crispy clear.  There are ftimes my vision  it seems to wave and shakes , like double vision.  Also I cannot read small print.  This is not what I wanted but it seems like I am stuck.  
My surgeon did move quickly to get me in to be seen by a glaucoma specialist in two weeks.  Guess I will see what happens next.  
Please help me with any other questions I need to be asking?  After reading about the IOL lenses should I have gotten the far sighted on one eye and near sighted in my stronger left eye?  I was also informed I am myoptic in both eyes.  
I hope I am not rambling on too much.  Its just I did try to follow your advise word for word its just hard to get the specialist visits in any timely manner.  

Best
Lenore Brown  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I am sorry but I will not be able to help you. It is not possible for me to weave a coherent picture of your problems and thus i can not suggest questions.