Update on cataract op and Flecainide

[Finvola]

I posted recently about a comment my surgeon made after my first cataract op when he said that Flecainide had made the first op slightly more awkward than normal.

Today I had my second review and asked him for more detail. He said that Flecainide makes the central black part of the eye 'floppy' and that care needs to be taken when the incision is made. He didn't see it as a problem but something he had to be aware of.

Both eyes are now 'done' successfully and the difference is stunning - colours, textures and clarity. The joy of sight and a good surgeon.

[jeanjeannie50]

That's interesting Finvola, not heard anything about that aspect of Flecainide before. I'm pleased to hear that you can see so much better now, that must be amazing.

Jean

[Finvola in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jean - I couldn't find any reference to it anywhere but will mention it to my cardiologist at my next review. I keep examining things and marvelling - leaves, the horizon, pine needles - it's great.

[BobD Volunteer]

So glad you are sorted now. The results sound similar to certain things we did in the 60 s. lol 😁

[Finvola in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob. I'm sure I don't know what you are referring to, having lived a very sheltered life.

😇😇😇

[Morzine in reply to BobD]

Grin

[RoyM]

I have experienced " floppy Iris syndrome" after taking medication for a medical condition not related to AF. I then had a cataract removal surgery which according to the surgeon was certainly problematic during surgery Luckily, after a few days my eye was stabilised and the sight was saved. I certainly didn't realise that Floppy Iris Syndrome was also an issue with AF medication....good heads up Finvola

[Finvola in reply to RoyM]

Thank you Roy for putting a name to the condition. I found this article which is four years old so knowledge has probably moved forward since then.

journals.lww.com/co-ophthal...

[secondtry]

Thanks Finvola, a lot of us are at or getting to the age where this sort of heads-up is valuable.

[Finvola in reply to secondtry]

I'd never heard of it secondtry but it seems to be fairly rare according to articles I can find.

[irene75359]

I had lens replacement (before AFib and anticoagulants) and afterwards the difference was amazing. Seeing myself and all my lines in the mirror took some getting used to! My procedure was to cure bad eyesight although the surgeon did say I had the beginning of cataracts. I remember my grandfather had his cataracts removed in the late sixties or early seventies and there was no lens replacement then, he wore thick pebbly glasses for the rest of his life.

[Finvola in reply to irene75359]

True - the sight of my thinned skin, lined face was a bit of a fright! Interesting that your grandfather's lenses were removed without replacement - how things have progressed.

[Desanthony]

Interesting. Glad you have had two successful ops now. My wife had two fast growing cataracts. Within a year she was practically blind. Went to her usual optician appointment in December and just small sign of cataract in one eye - got new glasses. By June she had almost lost sight in right eye. Opticians were shocked and by October she had had both cataracts sorted. The surgeon said that by the time the date of her first ope came around - about a month after first consultation and he was right. Just that first op made thing so different as you say, colours, textures, getting back peripheral vision etc - ended up watching TV with sunglasses on as it cut down the glare which obliterated most of the picture. How wonderful we live in times when this operation is generally so easy and commonplace.

[Finvola in reply to Desanthony]

Thank you Desanthony - I'm so grateful for the times we live in and for the skill of the man who did my ops. That was a difficult time that your wife went through and I'm happy that it had a successful outcome for her. Mine first appeared as 'small opacities' in my late twenties but got worse quite quickly a few years back.

[Visitingcat]

Thank you for posting this. So glad the ops have made such a difference to you.I’ve been told I have cataracts forming, my left eye is really bad, my right is just showing signs, I’m on flecainade and I get blurred vision for a couple of hours in a morning after taking it, (strangely not as bad since the last couple of boxes have been different brands) the optician said he’s not concerned as long as only for a short amount of time and I don’t drive so that’s not a problem.

It make me think I might be affected by this if I ever have the op done.

When I put my bifocals on it’s seems miraculous the difference they make.

I worry that by the time it’s so bad that the glasses cannot help any more that I’ll have a long wait for the op, did you have to wait for yours?

[Finvola in reply to Visitingcat]

Thanks Visitingcat - Flecainide didn't affect my sight at all, so I was unaware of anything until the surgeon told me after the first op that he had to spend a longer time because of a change which Flecainide had caused. He emphasised that it was not a vision problem but made his task a little slower. Yesterday he explained more about what I now know is Floppy Iris Syndrome - thanks to RoyM and I've been reading up what little there is about it.

The main thing I can find is that the ophthamologist needs to be made aware of drugs we are taking - or indeed in the case of alpha-blockers - have ever taken. Apparently Flecainide doesn't have the effect in every case.

Waiting times were I live (Northern Ireland's Western Trust) were 3 years plus before COVID and are now 4 to 5 years. As I couldn't drive at night at all and was 'just legal' during the day, I had the ops done privately. Have you tried to get surgery done? Don't wait until things are really bad - unfortunately, I didn't push enough in time and just put up with the poor vision.

Best wishes with your eyes.

[Visitingcat in reply to Finvola]

Thanks for your reply Finvola, my husband had one eye done about 15 years ago, he only waited around 4 or 5 weeks after he was referred. We were both really surprised how fast it was done but his eye was really bad, he was working and driving to work. I’m retired so no urgency I suppose. After listening to him on how stress free he found it I would not worry about having it done. He also had amazing results.

Next time I go to the optician again, I’ll push a bit more, I’ve had a very quick search on our local hospital and they are showing 44 weeks for 9 out of 10 patients which seems very short to me with the aftermath of Covid.

Loving your description of the buzzard, it must feel fabulous after struggling to see 😀

[Snowgirl65]

What an interesting bit of info regarding Flecainide and cataract surgery. My eyes, seemingly very suddenly, developed cataracts a few years ago which I attributed to Flecainide itself; I've since been switched to other meds. Regarding your surgery, I agree wholeheartedly that colors, texture, clarity -- and especially dimension of objects -- is absolutely stunning now!

[Finvola in reply to Snowgirl65]

Yes - it's a whole new world out there. This morning we had an enormous buzzard hovering and calling. Normally, I would have seen the shape only - today I could see his face looking down for prey and the different colours of his feathers!

[Snowgirl65 in reply to Finvola]

It must have been stunning! I live in the U.S., and had my cataract surgery(ies) in late 2016, just before a much awaited trip to Scotland. Oh my, it was the most spectacular trip -- not only because I waited 10 years for the opportunity, but because of how my eyesight was so perfect!

[Morzine]

Very informative thanks

[Cookie24]

Does Propafenone also affect the eyes?

[Finvola in reply to Cookie24]

I don't know Cookie but I intend to talk to my cardiologist - probably will be after Christmas - and ask about this effect and will certainly post anything I'm told. I suspect that it is a fairly new discovery as Flecainide is not one of the drugs listed which may cause it - certainly in the articles I can find.

[Visitingcat in reply to Cookie24]

Hi Cookie24I mentioned further up about getting blurring from flecainade in the mornings, I asked my gp about it, she contacted the EP and they tried me on propafenone. I changed back after about 10 weeks because it was worse than the flecainade, blurring on and off all day. The side effects listed on the info sheet are nearly the same!

[wilsond]

So pleased all went well for you.Interesting about Flecanide as well. My eyesight is definetly worse but had put it down to ageing!

Best wishes xx

[Finvola in reply to wilsond]

Thank you - I did the same as you, had other problems to deal with and just let it lie for too long. I changed my optician three years ago and when she heard that I had problems seeing well enough to drive at night, she said the cataracts needed to come out. Have been house cleaning like a lunatic as I can see the cobwebs etc clearly!

😀

[wilsond in reply to Finvola]

Haha!! Cobwebs do hide well when your eyes are a bit dodgy! I have glasses for long distance and forgot to take them off when I came back home...oh dear I thought house was quite clean like you !Take care xx