Crystalens HD

[NB101]

One week ago I had a Crystalens HD implant in my left eye.  My distance vision is not good but close up is beautiful and I can read very small print easily.  I had lasik four years ago and it complicates getting the implant exactly right.  The doctor said he guessed wrong on the strength and I know he feels very bad about it.  I'm having my right eye done Tuesday and hoping for better results on distance vision.  He said the options are to remove the lens and he could get much closer on the rx replacement lens, or the right eye might be able to compensate and I would have a sort of monovision.  The last option is to do a lasik tweak later.  He has done hundreds of Crystalens implants with very good results so I'm not sure if he has removed any implants but will ask next week.  How difficult/dangerous is it to remove the implant.  I know it works with the eye muscle so it seems to me it would be hard to remove without problems.

[NB101]

The distance vision in my left eye was not too good after Crystalens HD implant.  I had my right eye done one week ago and the distance in that eye is good.  My eyes are working together pretty well now with monovision and I am pleased with the overall result.  My reading vision with my left eye is amazing - the smallest print is easy to read so I don't think I will do any correction for distance since distance in my right eye is pretty good.  Good luck  - hope you will be happy with your results.

[jazzydog]

I had the same problem with my Crystalens implant in my left eye which was done on April 28.  My distance vision is very poor although I have good near vision.  I have opted to have a laser procedure to adjust it.  This was the recommendation of my doctor and also a Bauch & Lomb technician.  Unfortunately I have to to wait another 5 or 6 weeks for the adjustment.  I've heard the laser adjustments work very well, maybe even better than removing and replacing the Crystalens.  I am not having the second eye done until after the first one is fixed.  The Bauch & Lomb tech told me the lens that was implanted was too strong and the doctor should be able to make adjustments the next time to avoid the same outcome.  In the meantime, I've been fitted with glasses to help with the distance vision.  The Bauch & Lomb tech told me the distance vision would most likely not get any better until after the laser correction.

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

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[NB101]

Thanks for your input.  I'm hoping for that result.  I'm having my right eye done tomorrow and I believe he will be able to get good distance on that eye, which will help tremendously.  I can read the smallest of print easily with my left eye so hoping to have a good range between the two.  

[NB101]

Now that you mention it, it did worsen after dilation.  Basically exactly what you said from the slight "I wonder what it is" to "I can't see out of this eye"

[NeLso]

I noticed in your post how you mentioned that your cataract worsten quickly within days.

Did your sight deteriorate significantly right after your eyes were dialated?

I had no issues with  cloudiness of vision until I had my eye dialated.  Once dialated, the effect was immediate.  the cloudiness was only slight, but never went away.  (this doctor missed the cataract)  A few months later, it got worse so I went in for a 2nd opinion.  Dilation once again but this time the impact was huge, huge, huge.  It went from a slight "I wonder what it is" to a "whoa, my vision is cloudy!".  Needless to say, I was cursing myself for the next 3 days and the full time sunglasses went on immediately and stayed on.

From my unprofessional opinion, it appears that dilation is harmless for healthy eyes, but in even the most slightly compromized eyes, dilation seems to speed the formation of cataracts.  This is just my observation.  I am not a doctor, so I can't say one way or another.

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

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[JodieJ]

I can only offer a nonprofessional opinion from someone (me) with monofocal IOLs.  Hopefully, your surgeon can make adjustments in your power calculations based on the outcome of your first eye so that your second eye will have good distance vision.  In this case, take some time to evaluate your post-surgery vision with both eyes.  You might be very pleased with your range of focus.  If not, then consider a LASIK touch-up.  Dr. Oyakawa has stated elsewhere on this forum that the Crystalens does not work as well after it has been explanted and replaced.  

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

Its your call.

A cataract operation is rarely an emergency.

JCH MD

[NB101]

I would love to wait to do the second eye but the cataracts developed on so fast that I was forced to do this quickly.  My right eye has gotten so much worse over the last two days that I have very little vision out of it.  The same thing happened with my left eye.  The blurry vision problem started in March and progressed rapidly.  

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

You know I have a philosophy that has worked well for a long time. Don't do the second eye till you're happy with the first eye. You might want to consider the same.


You have lots of discussions on your problem which you can access with the search and archives features.

JCH MD