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Avatar universal

Can you NOT be a candidate for Restor Lenses???

I had these lenses put in in 10/2010.  Within the first three months I noticed that my vision was slipping, and still slipping after a total of nine months.  On both visits to my doctor/surgeon, he said that everything looked fine. My distance vision has declined so much that now I need glasses again for driving as I can no longer read street/highway signs.  Only drive at night rarely and short distances. I also use the over the counter readers.  I have worn glasses since I was 9 yrs old and went through hard contacts, soft contacts, bifocals, trifocals, lasik in 2000.  I am still making payments for the $4,400.00 restor lenses and am having a hard time accepting that they only were pretty good immediately after the surgery.  I am having a hard time accepting that I have to get distance glasses so soon exspecially since I still am making payments for the restor.  I WONDER IF THAT MAYBE, BASED ON MY PREVIOUS EYE HISTORY , IF I SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CANDIDATE FOR THESE LENSES IN THE FIRST PLACE.  I do understand that each case is different but I would still like to  get some answers.  Thanks for your thoughts.    
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your response.  I think I could have used MUCH more discussion with my Dr. prior to taking on the the risk  based on previous eye problems. The lenses were pitched to be the end all and I understand they don't work for everyone but I trusted him to steer me right.  Am preparing to take on additional expense of driving/reading glasses while still paying off the Restor..
Very frustrating.
Thanks again  
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Avatar universal
Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I have an appointment with the specialist on Friday.
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1731421 tn?1358823371
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I agree with much of what achillea mentioned. Also, LASIK tends to induce higher order aberrations in the cornea. It's difficult, not impossible, to get a good matching ReStor lens with corneas that have too much higher order aberration. Typically, and I've mentioned this in other posts, there are 3 reasons after ReStor IOL for unhappy results: 1. Dry eye or eye surface problems, 2. Remaining astigmatism and/or near/farsightedness, and 3. Early opacification (even very minimal) of the posterior capsular membrane. Address 1 and 2 first, then finally 3. Hopefully 1 and 2 will do it. Good luck and specifically ask your doctor these questions.
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Avatar universal
Some people are better candidates than others for the reStor.  For example, I had developed extremely troublesome cataracts in both eyes, and my surgeon described me as a very good candidate for the reStor D1 for these reasons:

I. I had been 'far-sighted' all my life, with what is called a 'short' eyeball, but even knowing that, my surgeon made a lot of various types of internal measurements and assessments of my eyes before making his choice.

2.  I had virtually no astigmatism.

3.  I had realistic expectations.  Having worn readers for a long time due to age-related changes of my natural lens (apart from the blankety-blank cataracts), I was used to them and didn't mind the idea of having to wear reading glasses after the surgery, if it turned out to be necessary.  I wasn't counting on being glasses-free; I just wanted reasonably good vision again, whatever it took!

It worked out excellently for me.  I don't need reading glasses, as it turns out.  Two years after the surgeries, I have the vision of a kid for both near and far vision. I could not be more pleased.

When I thanked my surgeon, he modestly said it was a matter of matching the patient to the right lens.  But I believe he may have put more thought into it than some doctors do.
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