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ERM / Vitrectomy / lens replacement: immediate recovery

I'm signed up for VR and ERM with replacement of the lens which will leave my right eye approximately as myopic as the (untreated) left - to optimize binocularity.  My right eye is currently -10.00 D and is planned to change to -6.00  D.  Surgery is planned for mid November 2012.

So I will need new glasses to see anything with the right eye after the procedure!

Can anyone tell me how quickly my eye will "settle down" immediately after the procedure?  I am not thinking of the long-term improvement sought by the procedure, but more the easing of any short-term surgically-induced side effects.

Clearly it will not be worth taking an eye test / buying new specs until things are stabilized.

I am also considering having specs made up in advance to my left-eye current exact prescription and my right-eye planned -6.00 D.

Any help would be appreciated.  It may be worth my saying that I am UK based.  Thanks in advance.
Best Answer
233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Clear vision immediately or within a day or two is NOT the norm. -6.00 is an approximation.

I suggest you use the search feature and archives and read about ERM stripping, macular puckers and vitrectomies. The posts of JodieJ are especially helpful as she has had the surgery and eloquently and informatively shares her experience over many posts.

Best of luck
JCH MD
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233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks
JCH MD
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Avatar universal
Thank you.  I did that and found it helpful.  Both JodieJ's comments and your own, in the same 5 or 6 question=reply streams.

Today my surgeon recommended waiting until post-op before bothering about new specs.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for your comments on the proposed correction to my right eye.  I've been -6 / -10 or thereabouts for many years and so don't see much of an issue with being -6 / -6 and this has the advantage of only one eye being treated.  I'll ask the surgeon about this when I see him 7 days pre-op.

But that will be a bit late to get specs made in advance.  I understand your comment that everyone heals differently but you need to understand the depths of my ignorance!  I have no idea if I will be able to see at all with my right eye in the days post-op!  Or if the target -6 is just a rough guide to what the outcome will be.  Or if my refractive error will be immediately stable, stabilize in days - or weeks - or months.

Any comments on these points would be helpful, and will be read in the context that everyone is different.
Helpful - 0
233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Everyone heals differently so it can't be generalized your post op healing. I would rethink the whole plan on your post op refractive error. -6.00 is more than twice the desirable amount of myopia.

Generally I've found it works well to reduce the myopia to about -2.50 to -3.00 and on the other eye have LASIK or refractive procedure and reduce to -1.75 (mini-monovision near bias).

Of course if the other eye has a cataract a cataract removal can be done with IOL put in to shoot for -1.75

Your solution is not a good choice for most people.

Few people want to be left with a -6.00 refractive error when it could be 0.00 to -3.00

JCH MD
Helpful - 0
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