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Foreign body sensation after cataract surgery

Please help.  I had cataract surgery 5 weeks ago.  I finished post op drops one week ago and since then I have become acutely aware of a foreign body sensation in my operated eye.  It feels like there is something in it, especially under the lid.  It is very irritating and making me feel quite low emotionally. I know this can be a symptom of dry eye, I am also experiencing jaggy sensations with intermittent burning/nipping/ watering etc.  Prior to the op, my optician said I had poor tear film production in both eyes but this feeling of something in the operated eye is much worse and really debilitating at times.  I am using Celluvisc drops which have helped with the dry feelings but not the something inside the eye feeling.  My vision is unaffected, I have no infection, discharge or redness.

Are these sensations part of the healing process ?  Will this sensation go away?  Or will I have this forever?      
4 Responses
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284078 tn?1282616698
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This is not a normal part of cataract surgery and is fairly  unusual.  It appears that you may have some type of dry eye problem and/or possibly a subtle corneal problem like map dot drystropy or possible some lid margin disease.  Celluvisc is a GREAT drop for this situation.  You may also need to consider punctum plugs, oral flaxseed oil supplements and possibly restasis drops.  Make sure your doctor tests you for dry eyes and also checks for lid margin disease which can also play a role in irritated eyes.

MJK MD
Helpful - 2
517208 tn?1211640866
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear Slimgyms,

I would recommend that you seek the care of your eyeMD.  This may be a result of inflammation inside the eye, a loose suture, or dryness of the eye.

Dr. Feldman

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California

Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Hi, thankyou for your reply.  I visited my eye surgeon today who diagnosed dry eyes.

However, he also diagnosed slight clouding of the lens following my cataract surgery. I am not aware of this affecting my vision.  I am 5 and a half weeks post op.

Can you tell me, in your opinion, if:

1.  does this condition always deteriorate or could it remain as a constant slight clouding?

2.  is it a gradual decrease in vision or does the blur come and go intermittently?

3.  is the clouding visible to the naked eye ie. can I see it by looking in my eye if it worsened?

4.  is there anything else I need to know?  

I know about YAG but hope I do not need it, as I know it carries risks and the risks of the cataract surgery per se were so much for me to deal with.

Thankyou for your help.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thankyou for taking the trouble to reply. I am relieved that you think it is not associated with cataract surgery, as I was beginning to regret it.  I only have vision in one eye so obviously this is very important to me.  I think myself that it is probably severe dry eye and is possibly inflamed, as I only became acutely aware of it when I had stopped the anti - inflammatory drops Pred Forte at four weeks post op.  Do you think I could be right? I am a 35 year old womean who is otherwise in escellent health.

During the night the foreign body sensation worsened greatly and felt like a very sharp stone.  I considered going to A and E but want to see my own surgeon and not an A and E doctor.

Thankfully I go back to see my surgeon tomorrow afternoon.

Thankyou
Helpful - 0

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