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Problems with eyes after Cataract surgery
My distance vision is worse still 4 months after cataract and iStent surgery for glaucoma. Eyelids are swollen, crusting on eyelids upon waking up, distance vision is much worse, eyes feel heavy, flashing light when I wake up at night, some plastic, mainly those in eye glasses appear only to me as having a yellowish tint. I've had numerous follow-up visits with Ophthalmologist who says nothing is wrong with my eyes but cant't explain why my eyesight hasn't improved, says just give it more time. I saw a Retina Specialist who said retina is fine, can't explain flashing lights. What should I do next?
8 Answers
Thank you for an excellent question. Please allow me to answer each issue, individually. With glaucoma, the optic nerve is affected that can cause peripheral vision losses. So, I would want to know what your last visual field test looks like so that you know if there are any visual limitations in each eye. I would also want to know what your best corrected vision is in each eye after the cataract surgery and with the glaucoma. This will also provide you with the current standards of your eyes and if you should have any limitations in any activities such as driving at night. As far as the flashing lights are concerned, flashes of light are a concern to me because it may indicate that there may be vitreous or retinal issues. Sometimes the flashes can be accompanied with new floaters, clouds or curtains coming over your vision, and possibly decreased vision. Your glaucoma or retinal specialist should address these issues and do a full dilated retinal exam, eye pressure check, visual field tests on each eye, and visual acuity check, at the very least. The eyelids being swollen and the crusting on the eyelids may be an allergy, a conjunctivitis, or a dry eye problem which are all easily treated. Because ophthalmologists are great surgeons but do not do refractions, I would strongly suggest that you see an optometrist or a refracting optician in order to determine what your current eyeglass prescription should be. An optometrist should also be able to address the swollen eyelids and crusting problem. I did not understand your comment on some plastic, mainly those in eyeglasses appear only to me as having a yellowish tint. Do your lenses appear to be yellow?? Did you ask for a tint to be placed in your eyeglass lenses? Yellow tints are used to improve night vision and to reduce night glare from oncoming headlights. I understand that there are multiple issues that each need to be addressed with your current eye doctors or maybe someone new. And, yes, sometimes time does help improve vision issues. Good luck and best wishes.
The flashes may be caused by positive dysphotopsia
Posterior capsular opacity could have developed. Please get it checked.
This is a good question and cause for concern. If your treating physician and retina consultant are of no help, you should seek another opinion from a glaucoma/cataract specialist and possibly a different retina specialist to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
You may have ROSACEA, which is skin inflammation on the chick and around eyes. or you may have severe BLEPHARITIS. The worst scenario could be DEMODEX which is a bug living around the lashes root. All those conditions can be responsible for your eyes condition. I recommend you to see a CORNEA specialist.
A refraction with an optometrist may reveal residual uncorrected power. Have these errors corrected and see if your vision improves. Eyelid crusting can be treated with eyelid cleaning and using a warm compress. Yours is a complex operation treating cataract and glaucoma, hence a less ideal result.
Hi there,
Have you gone for a prescription check since the cataract surgery? I would probably start there and see if your vision can be improved with a prescription. Then, if not, also go for a second opinion by another cataract and retina specialist to look at the lens implants they put in and check your macula, respectively. Vision decrease can caused by multiple parts. Swollen lids and crust can be looked at by the general ophthalmologist and treated/managed separately. Depending on the place you went to they may have a team of specialist that may be able to tackle that for you. If you go in there telling them about your swollen lids they will focus on that for you.
How advanced is your Glaucoma? If very advanced, it can influence vision as well.
Sincerely,
Dr. C Li, OD
See another cataract surgeon for a second opinion.
Jeffrey D. Gold, MD