Incorrect IOL cataract surgery

[ria997]

I am one week out from cataract surgery.  I have mono-vision and the eye that was operated on was to have been my far vision eye.  Currently I have no far vision in this eye and think the incorrect lens was implanted.  My vision is now worse that before the surgery and both eye now have near vision.  Has anyone else experienced this and what is my recourse ?  The doctor has said lasik would fix the problem because it is less invasive then replacing the lens with the correct one.  Is ligitation recommended, should I not pay for the surgery at all ?  I am at a loss to know what to do.

thanks

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

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[peakhope]

I'm sorry to hear that your results so far are disappointing. Hopefully they will improve at least somewhat. I am not a doctor.

As Dr. Hagan suggests, you have a couple options, plus the one he didn't mention: You could wear glasses for distance. If you read this forum, you'll find that many IOL users would be thrilled to have clear vision at any distance, with the ability to correct it with glasses. IOL's are still an imperfect technology.

Perhaps you could persuade your doctor to at least give you a discount on the Lasik/PRK if you need it. Before I had my procedure, my doctor offered a specific discount on any follow-up laser work that might be needed, which was a nice touch. I ended up not needing it.

If your doctor truly used the "wrong" lens, you might have a case for getting some compensation (like free lasik). I'm thinking where he copied the wrong number down, or didn't double-check that the lens company sent the correct lens. Those are less likely than the calculations simply not being optimal for your eye.

So my advice is to work cooperatively with your doctor to try to accomplish the best outcome. If you lose faith in this doctor, find one that you trust and can work with.

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

Hey you got informed consent. Medicine and surgery never will be risk free. Its too early to determine your final result. If you eye ends up clear at near but not far you could make the other eye for distance or you could as the surgeon said have lasik which is safer than IOL exchange.

Use the search feature and read about how the tests to determine what IOL to put in the eye are not always right especially in long or short eyes.

Your frame of mind certainly indicates that all the trial lawyer TV, telephone book and newspaper ads that say if your are the least little bit unhappy with some aspect of your medical care sue the doctor, hospital, drug manufacturer, nurses.  AND PEOPLE WONDER ABOUT THE HIGH COST OF MEDICINE IN THE USA. AS MUCH AS 20-30% of medical care costs can be attributed to defensive medicine and people like you that can't wait to get to the lawyers office.

JCH MD