ReStor IOL

More than 2 years ago I had a ReStor IOL implanted in my right eye after cataract removal. From day 1 there has been a fine haze over the visual field. Later, the eye was treated with YAG laser, but the haze remained. If opacification is caused by the growth of epithelial cells, can I assume that my haze has a different cause? Now I have to make a decision about the cataract in the left eye and whether or not to chance another ReStor IOL.  Any suggestions you have for the resolution of the right eye problem and a plan for the left eye would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks, Aileen

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

Only a real eye by an Eye MD could tell but its likely especially ifyou have no other eye disease that the ReStor IOL is causing the problem and that it's so called "vaseline" vision. You can use the archives and search feature to read more about that plus Google the term.

You likely have the "Old" Restor. There is a new one out now that is aspheric.  In any case given a similiar situation I would advise me patient NOT to have another ReStor or a ReZoom IOL and would suggest first monofocal aspheric IOL, if you don't feel strongly about waxy vision in the other eye then you might consider the Crystalens HD IOL.

JCH MD

[EllsworthT]

I am extremely disappointed by the ReSTOR lens and would have rather kept my cataract.

I am 38 years old. I, too, had a cataract removed from my right (dominant) eye and a ReSTOR lens implanted. Before the surgery, which was eight months ago, I was near-sighted in both eyes. My left eye was fine, but the effect of the cataract (in my right eye) made the world slightly dimmer and my distance vision blurrier.

I chose the ReSTOR lens because the doctor and his staff told me it was the only lens that enabled near vision. (They told me the ReSTOR lens would enable distance vision too, but the trade-off would be poor mid-range vision--the ReZoom lens, they said, would conversely enable mid-range vision but not near vision.) I explained that I worked with computers for a living and when I wasn't, my head was in a book. I had worn glasses (for distance) for nearly 20 years and wasn't too interested in improving my distance vision.

Surgery for either the ReSTOR or ReZoom lens was around $5,000; a distance-only IOL was about half.

With the ReSTOR lens, eight months later, my vision is hazy and my near vision is worse than ever. If I stare long enough, eventually I can make out individual letter in the words on a printed page. This is enough to pass the doctor's test, but this isn't reading. Viewing the computer is painful, especially with dark text on a bright background. I distinctly remember for a few weeks after surgery seeing a halo around white text on a dark background but being able to read the text. Now it's a blur. My eye-sight undoubtedly got worse, not better.

As I've read so many times in these forums, I was told to "wait-and-see, wait-and-see". Sadly, optometry is much more of an art than a science.

I finally went to another doctor a few weeks ago, who told me the position of the lens was slightly off--but not more than was clinically acceptable. He thought the positioning might explain the lousy near vision. When he dilated my eyes, we discovered I had a very bad after-image--for example, if I held my hand up at arms length, I could see my hand and a shadowy, translucent hand about an inch next to it.

I have read all of the great stories about the ReSTOR lens. However, I caution anyone who considers his world to be not more than a few feet from his head. Most of the time I want to rip my eye out. I'll stop now because even as I type this, my ReSTOR lens is driving me nuts.

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

Lerbea is the President of the "I'm so unhappy with ReStor IOL club" perhaps you can be Vice-President. Nothing you said hasn't been said here before many many times. You do have my sympathies

JCH MD

[conniecat]

I had ReStor IOL put in about two years ago.  My biggest complaint is night vision.  The bright lights are unbelievable.  Do you know of an excellent surgeon in Virginia I could see for a second opinion?

[Chr38]

I had Restor lens implanted in March, 2010, approximately 1 month now.  I am 72, had slight cataracts and decided to go with the Restor lens and right now I am loving them.  The one problem so far is small print in dim light.  My computer screen at home is large, the screen at work is smaller and that is sometimes difficult to read but am hoping that it gets better.  No matter how small the print in bright light I can read it.  Night vision reminds me of when I wore contacts, with the halos, the doc tells me that this will improve.  When I had contacts I wore sunglasses at night so might try that.

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

I do not know anyone personally in VA. You can go to www.aao.org and find an Am Acad of Ophthal Fellow near you.

JCH MD