Macular Degeneration after Cataract Surgery

[gerry111]

Dear Dr,

I have Cateracts in both eyes and had surgery three weeks ago with Crystalens implanted in right eye.

Apart from one hour after surgery when my sight in the right eye appeared wonderful I have been unable to see properly. All detail is blurred;  I can see my outline three feet from a mirror but no detailed features; straight lines are distorted; (ie door frames picture frames etc) and vision from this eye appears to be via a green glass window.

After the first week I had further lazer treatment to remove cloudiness but my eye sight remained exactly the same with the same symptons and distortions.

Yesterday I was diagnosed with Macular degeneration (wet) and given an Avastin injection in the eye and advised that it could take several months for me too see from this eye.

Iam a male 66 years old and very worried, particularly as I also have untreated cateracts in my left eye. I have also lost confidence in the surgeon in view of the change in diagnosis and the failure of the original surgery.

Any help or advice as to what has happened and why, and how I shoulf proceed from here would be very much appreciated.

Geoff

[gerry111]

sorry to hear of your problems. I understand the frustration you are experiencing.

Since my first post things have changed.

I have been to see a top consultant in London Moorfields eye hospital.  I do NOT have macular degeneration.  Major cells were damaged during the cataract operation leading to permanent damage to my right eye. Fortunately the cataracts in my left eye are not severe and after an interval of about one year to allow both eyes to adjust and work together, cataract surgery in my left eye will enable a major improvement in my sight.

I strongly recommend anyone who has had a problem with eye surgery to seek a second opinion from a top specialist if they can.

I hope thid helps

[jrocco58]

Gerry this also happened to me this year.  I had the right eye done first.  I  was a minus 16 before the implant.  Now i am a plus power and need glasses.  On the left eye the implant was almost perfect vision but then the deterioration stated.  The tell me it's myopic degeneration, but it's the same as age related as far as seeing.  My left eye is gone in the center and the right eye is just off center, about the ten o'clock position.  I can see three fourths of a persons face, the left eye and above is a gray dark area.

It has affected my day to day live dramatically t.  I am self employed and this has made it much harder to work.  For me getting the cataract off was a bad decision  Hopefully there will be a cure in the very near future. .

[gerry111]

Thank you for your prompt reply. Can you please tell me what an OCT is?

Geoff

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

This occurs occasionally at no fault of the surgeon.  Did you have a OCT prior to your surgery?  Many ophthalmologist who implant these premium lenses check with OCT to make sure there are no subtle macular changes such as early macular degeneration.

Avastin can be very effective.  However, it may require monthly shots.

Dr. O.