Bad Cataract Surgery

[Tripledrum]

I'm 5 months post-op from cataract surgery in my right eye and I'm still having issues.  The Dr. pitched me on the ReStor lens because I'm young (40) and I thought the $2500 premium meant I was getting a great lens.  The experience has been anything but great.  My eye is very blurry from close to about 4 ft.  Slightly blurry +4ft and just blury from a distance.  Dr. said that the sight is off by .50  Contact helps but doesn't help close up. I had the Yag Laser about 4 weeks ago. My major issue today is really dark detailed floaters that come and also the difference in vision between both eyes is making it difficult to adjust.  I was prescribed .50 contact for the right eye and a bifocal(?) contact between 1.50 and 2.00 for the left.  Unfortunately it's not helping.  My Dr. doesn't seem to have a solution at this point which makes me very upset.  I had a second opinion a few weeks ago and the Dr. seem to think that the ReStor Lens is not for everyone.

So now I'm frequently visiting this Dr. for "band-aid fixes", I've had the YAG so complications could happen if I try to remove the ReStor Len (?) and I'm felling like I was robbed of $2500 (out of pocket) not to mention the money my insurance has paid to date which is a considerable amount.  

Please help with any suggestions.  Not sure what to do at this stage.

Thank you very much in advance.....

[Tripledrum]

Really appreciate the link AntonReiser - thanks

[Tripledrum]

Thanks again JodieJ.

[AntonReiser]

There's a book about Premium IOLs:
Mastering Refractive IOLS, ISBN: 978-1-55642-859-3
to be read - not completely - on Google Books:
http://books.google.com/books?id=R3lYDUkoxYoC

[JodieJ]

Other cataract surgeons know who the "superstar" specialists are.  Have one of the surgeons you've already seen make the referral for you.  This should get you a much sooner appointment than if you called yourself.  IOLs can be explanted after a YAG.  

[Tripledrum]

btw - is there a hotlink to some of your papers on the Premiun IO market?  can I find them online?  

[Tripledrum]

JodieJ - thank you for your recommendation.  I do live in a large metro area and someone did suggest that I go to a "well known" university eye center to see if we can pursue options so your advise is greatly appreciated.

[Tripledrum]

Dr. Hagen - thank you so much for your reponse. I look forward to reading your papers regarding premium lenses - only wish I read it prior to surgery.  Next steps for me is a solution so I went to get prescription bifocal lenses for my glasses yesterday and nearly cried when I put them on. I couldn't believe it made the situation worse. So I will move forward in search of an answer.  Thank you again.

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

Premium means (in the USA) that you pay out of pocket money over and above what Medicare or private insurance pays.  These include: toric IOLs like Alcon, and refractive and accommodating IOLs ReZoom (avoid this like the plague, I'm trying to get it taken off the market), ReStor, Crystalens and the newely approved Technis.  All of these lens cost extra.

JCH MD

[rvmeush]

Dr. Hagan - could you please describe what  you consider to be a premium lens?  I have seen good reports on the Tecnis 1-piece lens and was wondering if this was also a premium lens.  Thanks.

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

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[JodieJ]

Your situation does sound awful.  If you live in a large metro area, ask your surgeon for a referral to the local "superstar" cataract surgeon who specializes in fixing difficult cases.  If you're not in a big city, then consider traveling to one to consult a top cataract/explant specialist.

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

Dr Kutryb and I have published several medical papers about the problems with so called "Premium " IOLS.

This is a summation:
1. Live with your situation and accept wearing glasses most of the time or all of the time.
2. Get a third opinion and be sure you understand the risks of IOL exchange with an open capsule.

Neither are what you hoped for.

JCH MD