"Second" cataract after Restor surgery

[RoseGraham]

I have read many of the Oct. 2009 posts about Restor lens since my recent cataract surgery (9-20-10).  The day after surgery I could see teensy tiny numbers (as a CPA this is very important to me) without glasses.  A week later I could not read them.  My ophthalmologist said a membrane ( a "Second" cataract, which were "leftover cells from the cloudy lens)  had started growing over my new Restor lens.  She said she had to wait 3 months after the original surgery to remove the "membrane".  Has anyone else experienced this problem?  
She told me to ask my optician to remove the lens from my glasses and replace it with a "blank" a month later. I can no longer wear my transition lens glasses or my "computer" glasses either with no lens or the "blank" as I see distorted images.  I can wear reading glasses with both lens without distortion.  Also, I no longer see the long streams of light at night from car and street lights I have seen for decades.  I do see small "starbursts", which block my view at night less.  (Thank goodness i do not see haze or have pain as many of the writers do/did.)  Has anyone else had the distorted vision while wearing glasses with only one corrective lens.

I plan to have cataract surgery on my right eye later and want to be more informed before then.

[londonbridge]

You probably need a Yag lazer procedure to clear the membrane but it is a good idea to wait until you are sure that the Restor is satisfactory. You will have trouble as you described with only one prescription lens in your glasses especially if your eyes are more than 3 diopters apart as the brain can't adjust to the difference.  If you need glasses one thing I did  was have Pearle Vision put a blurred out lens in one eye it was called a Mirage Anti Reflective lens and it blurred out the lens but still looked like a transparent lens to those looking at it.  That was less distracting than having a blank glass.
Hope that helps...good luck.
londonbridge

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear RoseGraham,

It is possible that the symptoms you observe may be related to a disparity in prescription between your two eyes.  I would recommend that you seek care and speak with your eyeMD about the symptoms you notice.

Dr. Feldman

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