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Crystalens distance blurry update

My first Crystalens has been in for almost two weeks now, and I went to my doctor yesterday as post-op visit. My distance vision has now degraded to 20/100 (intermediate and reading is okay). It was 20/40 the day after surgery. The doctor knows there is a problem now and was trying to decide whether to implant a new lens or do the YAG laser treatment (in a few weeks) on this one, as he feels that it may have clouded up early, which would explain the deterioration.

My question: If it is a problem the YAG laser procedure could solve, could the cloudiness just be messing up my distance and not close range vision?

I'm hoping my doctor will go ahead with the second eye in 9 days, which would at least give me better distance than I have now (assuming I don't become the "exception" again).

He did take me off the Zymar drops and cut back on the Acular. I do believe he is doing all he can and will eventually get my eyes in good shape, but in the meantime, there is a lot of discomfort and anxiety when one's vision suddenly becomes restricted. I'm just trying to keep my hopes up.

Thanks,
jefields
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233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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Avatar universal
My entire life revolved around my eye problems after surgery ... I had severe nerve pain, drooping eyelid, and dryness in 1st eye and the flashing/edge glare in both, which was unbearable both during the day and night. Plus the major difference between the two eyes was almost too much for me to take. I really nearly lost it, but these forums helped keep me sane.

My flashing/edge glare is somewhat better now (after 3-1/2 months) and the pain finally was better after about 2-1/2 months in the one eye (the other was fine). And through a series of contact lens trials, plus with the Crystalens actually moving slightly to give me better distance, my eyes are much more balanced. So, I can actually live life again and hopefully in time your issues will be much better also.

If, by some chance, you do need an IOL exchange, it's so much harder to do after the YAG. Please don't rush into having that done. It's really possible that your first lens shifted to give you the near and if they do the 2nd lens for distance, you may actually like it if you give it a few weeks. If not, there's always Lasik or contacts/glasses to even them out. (Just my opinion, but I don't think the YAG would help your distance. Maybe why no refraction could help your distance is that you're still a little dilated???)
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233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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Avatar universal
Thanks a lot for the encouragement. No, I wasn't really wanting monovision either, and hope that's not what I end up with. Right now, my dominant eye (left) is the one without distance. Since I am an artist and a photographer, I really need at least reasonably good distance with the left eye. When the doc tested for refraction and no power took away the blurriness, I figured it is probably something the yag will fix (I hope). I'm just really hoping that the surgery on the right eye next week gives me some distance. Otherwise, I will not be able to see enough to drive until something starts working. :) I really do appreciate your saying that in time it does get better. Eye problems are just so "in your face".
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Avatar universal
Actually it was horrible for me getting used to having "monovision" with one eye set for distance and one for closeup (they originally were about 1.50 different). So I used a contact lens (-1.50) in the "near" eye to allow both eyes to have 20/20 distance, so I could drive. It was especially hard at night without the contact. But the "near" eye eventually has come into good distance focus so well that now I'm wearing a (-0.50) contact and the near is still good with that eye. They are both really good for distance now and I am going to try for slight nearsightedness in both (with contacts) to try to get my near vision to be good enough to get rid of the readers as much as possible. (That was my original goal and the only reason I had this surgery -- I didn't mind contacts and didn't have cataracts.)

Even if I have to sacrifice a little distance, I would be much happier with a little more near. Some people love the monovision and you might also. But I never had the chance to try it before the surgery and didn't know that's what I was getting -- SURPRISE! But after some time, things are definitely getting better and rest assured, it does take time ... if you are patient, yours will probably change quite a bit in the next few weeks also -- hopefully for the better. :o)
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233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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Avatar universal
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. You didn't mention the second implant, so I'm assuming that one works fine. I would much rather have had mine go according to the norm, but I guess exceptions is how we all (including doctors) learn about dealing with problems. My left eye is still dilated from the drop they used Monday morning, and it kinda feels like it's jittery a little. So I can't really notice any improvement. I keep hoping each day though.

Was it difficult getting used to seeing distance with one eye and close with the other?

Thanks for sharing!
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233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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Avatar universal
I had Crystalens implants and one was set for near vision, which was excellent, but my distance was 20/80 for the first 1-1/2 months. Now (at about 2-1/2) the near and intermediate are still good (just a little less than originally) and the distance is about 20/50. I think the IOL must have slightly shifted position so I lost just a slight bit of close and gained distance vision as the lens "settled in." My surgeon absolutely wanted to wait 3 months before doing YAG, and he now doesn't mention it at all, so maybe the cloudiness clears up somewhat after the first few weeks post-op.
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233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Let us know how this shakes out.

Hope it goes well.

JCH III MD
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Avatar universal
He did the refraction tests and there was no power that cleared the distance vision. I was just confused that PCO would affect distance vision, but not have nearly as much impact on near to intermediate vision. From what I can learn about PCO, the YAG procedure will clear it up almost instantly.

I verified that I am on schedule for having the right eye cataract removed in 9 days, so I'm hoping that will give me some better distance until the other eye problem can be worked out.

Thanks much,
jefields
Helpful - 0
233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Since yag capsulotomy makes doing a IOL exchange much more difficult and prone to complication you need to decide if you will need a lens exchange before doing a yag. If you intermediate and near are good then you could probably leave that eye as it is and put an IOL in the other eye that is primarily set for good distance vision.

One way to tell if the problem is IOL power or posterior capsular opacification is whether a refraction over your IOL improves your distance vision. If it does then the PCO is probably not a problem. If it doesn't then PCO may be a problem.

JCH III MD
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