Macula changes

[Batfrog]

What causes macula changes in pigment cells after surgery to implant a lens? I now have wavy lines and a gray spot in my vision. This is what was told to me the reason. I did not have these issues prior to surgery?

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

OCT is optical coherence tomography,  like a MRI except uses optical resonance so its quick, inexpensive relatively and shows whether there is swelling.

No it is not too late to treat if present.

When surgery is done inflammatory chemicals (prostaglandins) are released by the front of the eye and diffuse to the back of the eye where they allow fluid to leak into the macula.

JCH MD

[Batfrog]

Its been 3 months since my lens surgery? Is it too late to treat CME?

[Batfrog]

What is an OCT? How would swelling occur from just inserting a lens?

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

There are several possible reasons. 1. your macula was normal and the operation caused swelling of the macula (cystoid macular edema or CME)  2. You had a macular problem before surgery such as macular cyst, macular hole, macular degeneration, macular epiretinal membrane and the symptoms were covered up by the cataract which is now gone allowing this pre-existing pathology to become manifest.

I suggest you ask your surgeon to refer you to a retina Eye MD ophthalmologist for an evaluation to include a macular OCT.

JCH MD