Eyesight following open heart surgery

[Dawes]

I had open heart surgery about 6 weeks ago to remove a large atrial myxoma (benign tumour). Since the op the vision in my left eye is not great. I wear contact lenses or glasses and my right eye is fine but the prescription for my left eye has changed. I googled this and apparently it could settle down after 12 weeks so you should not have eyes tested until after that. Had anyone else experienced this and did it correct itself with time?

[Midgeymoo17]

My prescription increased permanently- however, their may have been a second reason for this. In the year prior to surgery, I was a University student therefore doing a lot of close work which can accelerate short sightedness and I did not notice the change until I returned to University the September after Surgery when I needed to read the lecture boards. During the Summer, courtesy of recovery and revising for resit examinations I did not get out a lot and spent quite a lot of time reading and on my laptop which will not have helped. Ultimately, my optician felt the deterioration was too much to be explained solely by the close work but felt both contributed to the change. EDIT: There was bi-lateral deterioration but tit was much more pronounced in my left eye.

[Dawes in reply to Midgeymoo17]

Thanks. Weird unexpected side effect. I work as a GIS analyst on computer all day - I've been short sighted for years but I was originally a manual cartographer doing very close work which made me short sighted. If my eyesight is dodgy I can't really work properly - 6 weeks until I can go to optician so may be ready to return to work before then. Seeing my surgeon in a couple of weeks so will ask his opinion.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! This is causing you concern so don't sit in it - ring your optician in the morning to discuss. It may be appropriate to have an intermediate eye test to check that nothing else is going on (i.e. no new lenses). This should include visual acuity, pressures and a check of your retinas. Let us know what they say.

[Dawes in reply to MichaelJH]

I'm not really concerned - just curious to know if anyone else had experienced it and if it sorted itself out. My GP said wait until 12 weeks after op before having an eye test so I can put up with it for 6 more weeks. I only noticed the difference when I couldn't read subtitles on the tv very well!

[seasider18 in reply to Dawes]

Are you by chance taking Amiodarone ? That can have several effects on the eyes.

[Dawes in reply to seasider18]

No - I was sent home from hospital with nothing but 100 paracetamol. My problem was unusual in that it was a benign tumour and there was nothing else wrong with my heart/arteries so I didn't need anything else.

[Dawes]

So - 12 weeks after open heart surgery I had an eye test. Eyesight in my left eye had improved dramatically from -2.50 to -1.25 and my right eye had improved too from -2.50 to -2.25. Optician was mystified when I said I was told open heart surgery could change prescription - she had never heard of it happening before!

[Dimelza66]

Interesting! I had OHS 5 weeks ago. I wore glasses and lenses prior to surgery, but my prescription doesn't seem right anymore. I was going to buy new glasses, but thanks to your advice I think I'll wait a bit first to see if it calms down. I've also had photophobia since the op, but it's calming down now. I never considered the anaesthetic could be the issue, or possibly even the anticoagulants I'm taking for three months. Thanks!