IOL Restore lens nightmare

[ladymail08]

Hello, I went to an eye dr for a consultation for a lasik eval.  I had been wearing monovision gas perm contacts for 25 years I told the eye Dr.   She examined me and said she saw a beginning of a cataract and ins would cover the surgery and they could put a lens in that would let me see near and far perfectly with no glasses.  I told her I had been advised years ago that my pupils were very large and I would not be a good candidate for lasik, so would this lens work for me?  she said absolutely it is the best choice.   However it would cost me $5000 just for the Restor lens.    I had always had large floaters and didnt know any different.  Wearing contacts since I was 16 and now at the age of 55, halos have always been part of my vision.   I asked her if they could put in monovision lens and she said no the Restor was the way to go.

I explained that my world was up close, I did medical records for a living and a part time coder.  She said it would be great.

So I bit the financial bullet and let them do this (what I now know was unnecessary surgery)..
I had double vision, I could not see my hands or face or the counter, I lost all near and mid vision.  I could no longer keep my $26.00 an hour part time job (which was awesome pay).   I could not see to clean my house, the floor or the counter.  I could not see to put on makeup or the face of my grandbabies.  I cried every day and went in weekly to tell the doctors that I am blind,  I can only see to drive bur cannot read a single thing.

They said to use drops, the eyes may be dry.  compresses, drops, pupil shrinking drops for glaucoma, nothing worked and weekly they would tell my I had 20/40 vision.   But my world was a blur.   tHEY SUGGESTED DOING THE YAG laser to correct a wrinkle in the lens, but that was even more money and not really a fix to my situation.

After 4 months I consulted a renouned eye surgeon and he said the lens needed to come out immediately before scarring took place, which was beginning.  

He did a lens implant, MONOVISION,  after a year of eye surgeries and two lasic treatments to fine tune my very critical vision, I can see.  the year 2011 was a scary and horribly expensive year.  

QUESTION:   would you put in a Restor lens in a monovision pt with extremely large pupils?   How does that lens work? -  ladymail08

[ladymail08]

YES  I understand most patients here are ones with poor results, however, I find it very interesting that so many have the same problems and these are not discussed properly in advance with the patient .  It is very encouraging to know that I am not alone in my experience and this is a place where others can come for a more INFORMED consent before they choose this lens.

My eye surgeon made me feel like i was the only one with a bad outcome and could not understand why this lens did not work.   All they had to offer was drops for dry eyes.

My question to you is this, WOULD YOU ADVISE THIS LENS FOR SOMEONE WHOSE PUPILS NEVER NARROW ENOUGH TO CAPTURE ALL THE RINGS FOR VISION.... ONLY THE FAR VISION WORKED FOR ME.    ONE DAY 3 MONTHS AFTER THE SURGERY I WENT OUT OF MY OFFICE IN BRIGHT SUNSHINE AND HANDED A FORM TO A UPS MAN AND I CRIED CUS I COULD SEE THE PRINT.... that was my first clue to the real problem....ANSWER PLEASE?  THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY.

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

Use the search feature and archives and read the many stories about ReStor IOLs.  Remember also that these internet forums attract unhappy and unscuccessful patients. Those happy with ReStor generally don't come here to  post they success.

JCH MD