eye drops and cataracts

[alsace39]

i am a candidate for cataract surgery but my eyesight has been almost perfect since i use eyedrops each night; my age is 75. i am a crohn's patient and i worry about cataract surgery and my crohn's.

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

Cataracts can cause variable vision but to vary as much as you note is unusual. Other considerations in the eye would be corneal disease (due to more edema or swelling in the AM) however the exam should have showed this.

Anytime there is marked variable vision the immediate thought is undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes. If you have diabetes in your family or you have other risk factors: obesity, on steroids, symptoms of increased thirst, urination, unexplained weight loss you might ask your FP or GP to order appropriate tests to rule it out and also have your blood pressure checked.

JCH MD

[ruby2zdy]

I've been diagnosed with cataracts (I'm 67).  They don't interfere with my daytime vision enough for me to risk the surgery yet, but they seem to change my vision throughout the day.  For example, 3 weeks ago I could see really well (unusual), but when I woke up today everything was very blurry.  Now, an hour later, I'm "just" more nearsighted than usual (usual = Rt -8, Lft - 10), except when using the computer, where I seem to be a little more farsighted.  Actually for the computer there's no really clear sight, although I can read what's on the screen.

In general, I now can hardly see at dusk (out in the yard, very low light -- can still drive at night -- get flares but can see the traffic), have to turn my glasses up to increase the power.  Ditto for cleaning housing w/o a lot of light.

My question is why is my vision so variable if the cataracts don't shift around (or DO they?).  

I want to tell you how much I (and I'm sure everyone else here) appreciate your being available to answer our questions about eye problems.  Thank you.

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

none for cataracts. The most common drops are artifical tears for dryness.

JCH MD

[alsace39]

Thanks, and are nightly eye drops beneficial to the eyes, including cataracts?

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

If you eyesight is almost perfect you don't need cataract surgery.

Chron's disease does not present a problem formodern cataract surgery.

JCH MD