PGI Double Vision Post Surgery

[KirstyF28]

Hello everyone,

I’m new to the forum but was diagnosed with juvenile open angle glaucoma 21 years ago at the age of 13. PI had trabs in both eyes and a revision in my left as well as cataract surgery in both eyes and a host of other smaller surgeries like needling etc. I am registered blind and rely mainly on my left eye but have some vision remaining in my right.

Over the last year, scarring caused my bleb to fail in my left eye and drops were no longer controlling the pressure. After many atraemos at reducing the scarring with 5FU, I had a Paul Glaucoma Implant 6 weeks ago and had a post op bleed which obstructed my vision for 3 weeks.

Now that the bleed has cleared I am experiencing double vision when looking in the distance/watching TV etc. (I wear glasses for distance) and I feel quite dizzy when out and about. It seems that my eyes are not working together very well and my right eye makes everything seem higher than the left. Has anyone experienced double vision after a tube surgery and did it resolve for you? I have had many other eye surgeries in the past and never experienced this before so I am a bit worried as my quality of life has declined.

On top of this, my pupil has also changed shape and is now more oval shaped but I am told this should not affect my vision.

Thanks,

Kirsty 😊

[Astilbe]

Hi Kirsty, I had double vision after a trab surgery. It lasted a few months, gradually getting better. I didn't have double vision after my Presserflo shunt op though.You have had a hard time with your eyes, and I really sympathise with you.

About your pupil changing shape, one of mine got noticeably bigger than the other and has remained so. It still reacts to bright light so I was told that it was 'just one of those things' and nothing to be done about it.

[Sorshup]

Huge respect for you Kirsty, what a history! The securing of the eye by clamping or sometimes stitching can damage the muscles controlling eye movement. Usually temporary, but I had diplopia for several days after cataract surgery 10 years ago. Just check something: cover each eye, in turn, - is there still doubling? If yes, this is not true diplopia just a distortion of the vision in the one, or both, eyes. But from your account of things seeming higher with one eye it seems likely that there is some loss of control of eye movement. When vision is poor both doplopia and nystagmus become likely because the brain has reduced information to coordinate the two eyes. Hope you get some resolution !

[Rainyday2024]

Hello Kirsty,

I was very interested to read your message, especially as I had my Paul Tube implant 32 weeks ago today! I don’t know whether you may have read any of my posts about that type of surgery, but it doesn’t seem to be used that often - yet. I wonder why? I was not suited to a Trab. therefore my consultant/surgeon recommended a Paul as the best/safest option, given my various eye problems. At my last visit, he was very pleased with the result BUT I also sometimes experience double vision. It seems to come and go - and also varies according to the distance I am looking at! When I mentioned it to him, he said it was because my eyes were not working together - ie because the vision in my “bad/operated” eye has not got as good vision as my other eye. He did say the vision in the operated eye had improved slightly since my implant, but as you know with Glaucoma, once vision is lost it cannot be replaced. Although the double vision episodes can be a bit off-putting, I guess I’ve learnt to live with it, plus I no longer drive so that is something less to worry about! I’m just glad he managed to save what little sight I had left in my right eye.

I hope this reassures you somewhat and that you continue to make good progress after your Paul! Please feel free to ask me any more questions and I will help if I can.

Kind regards,

Gill

[Marg75]

I had double vision after cataract and am expecting some laser treatment but they don’t usually do this until a year after the op. New glasses helped in the interim