Feeling despondent - cataract surgery after trab

[Calam1ty]

My partner developed steroid-induced glaucoma (another and long story) in his left eye and had trab surgery last December. He also developed a cataract while on this journey. Last Friday he had cataract surgery. The next day he could read the eye chart after having very little vision in that eye all this time. It felt so hopeful. However, the day after that he became upset telling me his vision was clear but 'tiny'. My heart sank really. So now he has one normal vision eye and one with only a small Central vision. He says he feels like his eyes won't sync, that it gives him headaches to see like this. I've looked it up and it seems this is normal glaucoma - I had so hoped it might improve as he healed. I've not told him what I've read - he's already very upset, saying he went into glaucoma surgery (his pressure was something like 60 so there was little choice) seeing and came out with hardly any vision. I'm not him and I can't see what he sees but this feels so awful and upsetting. I'd love some support and encouragement. He's 53 and healthy. There's so much more to this story but maybe the rest will come out eventually... Thanks for listening.

[Helen_GlaucomaUK Administrator]

Hi Calam1ty. I am sorry to hear, what your partner is experiencing with their vision. Hopefully they will be able to discuss this with their eye specialist to fully understand.It is hard for me to know but it could be that he feels his eyes aren't working well together because of the change of prescription in the new lens, which was implanted, during cataract surgery. It will take a while for the brain to adjust. Six weeks after the cataract operation, when he can get new glasses, this may help.

Again it is difficult for me to know, could it be that glaucoma had already affected his peripheral vision but he is more aware of it now, as he now has a clear lens, making it more obvious to him.

The only way to find out is to have a discussion with his eye specialist. I hope my suggestions help with questions to ask them.

You are obviously a great support to him and knowing exactly where he is with his vision, in time, will help him to gradually adjust.

[Calam1ty in reply to Helen_GlaucomaUK]

Thanks, Helen. He's always had 20/20 vision so we aren't sure about glasses. He feels it's the two different sizes of vision fields that are confusing his brain and reports double vision. I suppose we'll find out. I've had double vision my whole life and my doctor says my brain and body (I tilt my head) have long learned to compensate. It's early days and this is a painful time, physically and emotionally. Since he's a steroid responder whose steroid use and subsequent glaucoma and surgery precipitated cataract and severe psoriasis, it's not easy to shrug off more surgery and more steroid drops. Thanks again.

[Wales99]

Bless you I can feel your pain through your post. It’s a scary time. I had Trab surgery in June & have felt like I’m struggling to focus. I’ve been told by the optician that as I still have a stitch in, this is causing astigmatism and so it’s not worth getting new glasses yet even though my prescription has changed a lot. It may be that your partner’s eye is as Trish said & it’s just taking a while to settle. It is always worth speaking to the eye clinic and voice your concerns. Take care & keep us posted. 😊

[Spanieldoglover]

Hi Calam1ty, I don’t know if this will help at all, but I follow Glaucoma UK on Facebook and I noticed there was a webinar on today on Glaucoma and Cataracts. If you’re on FB you could look it up and can still play it if you think it might be helpful. Hopefully your partner will be able to speak to his eye specialist soon to discuss the issues he’s having.

[Walrus71]

Hi, you & your partner have all my sympathy. I have just turned 50 & I am now about 6 years into my glaucoma journey (in a nutshell.... 2 years of misdiagnosis & sight loss, failed Sclerectomy, failed needling, Baerveldt shunt which took a year to work, cataract surgery). During this time I have had some very low points as I came to terms with what was happening, and I know my poor husband has too! It has been very difficult to learn to be patient with the whole slow process of surgery, recovery and assessment. And also to learn that how you feel at the worst points is not how you will always feel.I find it helpful to try and remember the following. First, that the aim of the surgery is to maintain as much sight as possible for as long as possible, but that it sometimes involves some loss in the short term in order to achieve the benefits in the long term. Second, that if I keep losing sight then I will know that I tried everything I could to prevent it. Third, that it is possible to manage life very well with reduced sight. And finally, that my husband and sons would much rather have me around with whatever sight issues I have, than not have me at all!I do worry about what the future holds in terms of more surgery and sight loss, but I very much don't want to look back in 20 years time and realise that I let it spoil my life, or that of my family.

You sound like you are being a lovely supportive partner. Keep going. I wish you both all the very best xx

[Wales99 in reply to Walrus71]

Thank you so much for that positive post. It really cheered me up. Been feeling a bit low lately about my Glaucoma. Said to my husband that I love Christmas but I wonder how much longer I will be able to see it. His response was “ well then you’ll have to smell it” 🙄. He thinks he’s so funny but he does keep me going. Your post really helped put things in perspective. 😊