Cataract op

[shella]

Anyone else had a hard time with their cataract op..... can’t see feel dizzy bad tum and extremely tired ..... dreading second one!

[SnazzyD]

Hello,

When my father-in-law had his done, his sight didn’t unfuzz properly for a few weeks though it improved through that time. It made him dizzy and very tired, probably because the brain was having to work overtime to make sense of the blurred picture. Don’t know about your tum, but perhaps you’ve got a bug on top, which would make you feel really tired too. I hope things get better soon.

[shella in reply to SnazzyD]

I was beginning to think it was just me ... but quite unnerving....,,had it done last Thursday so got to be a patient patient!

Glad your father in law’s eyes finally sorted ... I think it’s my brain and eye complaining about too much change going on!! Thanks for sharing x

[Ruadh]

No, mine were a doddle, both of them. Suggest, seeing your ophtho consultant surgeon about this. Sometimes, though rarely, there are side effects. Please go have it checked out - take care dem eyes.

[shella in reply to Ruadh]

Yes everyone else seems to be plain sailing ..... seeing surgeon this week .... all bit worrying right now !

Thanks

[Zofitmogelijk]

Hallo Shella, I had both eyes done a few month ago, and I have the eyes of a young person now without any problems. I hope you are feeling well soon, and in the meantime please have it checked.

[shella]

Lucky thing ..... maybe it’s the brain not the eyes!

[Zofitmogelijk]

No my brain is like a lumberroom and it can take a while before I find what I was looking for. In 99% of the surgery all goes well, hold on to that.

[scats]

Had my first eye done 2 1/2 weeks ago. Op went well and see so clearly at first that I had to keep looking at new things to see what I had missed before. I could at last see the point of HDTV. This didn't last and though nothing sudden happened it is not as clear as it was. My eyeball still feels swollen and I'm hoping this may be the cause. I have post op in 10 days, I will see what happens.

[shella in reply to scats]

We are all so different .... had my ‘lazy’ eye done first .... the nurse did try to explain only half the job done but once both eyes done will be fine ..... sort of makes sense!

[shella in reply to scats]

Did you have monofocal lens fitted and I now understand you have a choice between long or short distance... I am completely confused ....wish I had taken someone with me!!

[scats in reply to shella]

It is monofocal for distance they said I would still need reading glasses

[shella in reply to scats]

Ahh thanks .... my long distance was fine it’s the short distance which was my problem .....think I have lots of questions this time .... confused.com

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi shella,

Would say most likely to be brain sorting itself out!

I noticed that early days after I’d lost right eye, I was dizzy, but hopefully yours won’t take as long - not quite so dramatic a change.

Have to say my cataract went smoothly, but then it didn’t have 2 sets of messages going to brain 🧐. It will soon settle.

Think the tum is something else, but might be worth mentioning to surgeon next time around, could be reaction to sedative or eye drops - unlikely, but one never knows

[shella]

Someone suggested a cheap pair of readers in between might help .....sensitive system so could be eye drops thanks will mention that.

Looking like Sherlock Holmes right now with large magnifying glass or patch over one eye to write or cyclops with one enlarged eye!

Will never take eyes for granted.

Find the most comfortable is just like our queen - sunglasses 😎 xx

[AndrewT]

Dear shella,

I developed cataracts, as a result of Medication, some years ago now. The Operations, I had both eyes done- about six months apart- were VERY easy. I'm wondering if either, you reacted to 'something', or Perhaps there was a Complication. I'm, extremely suppressed, that you had a problem. I know, and have met, quite a large number of others, who have had, this Operation. I have heard of, only one, other who had a problem and that was, longer term, Soreness.

Can you arrange to meet, and just 'Talk' to, your Consultant? If you explain, your fears, to him/her (s)he may, very well, be able to give you an explanation. Can you let us know, what (s)he says please?

Whatever the outcome, Good Luck.

AndrewT

[shella]

Hi Andrew

Thanks for your note. Maybe I am one of the unlucky ones - my optician told me his father took 1-2 weeks to settle. I am thankfully seeing the surgeon this week so will bare all my worries - maybe a few tears! I am due for my second one early August but feel it a bit soon - I was told once second one done all will be well! From past experience all opticians have made my prescription too strong - maybe that’s the problem?

Will keep you posted.👀

Shella 😎

[shella]

Did you have monofical lens fitted - were they for long or short distance - I realise now that I didn’t ask enough questions !!

[Ruadh]

- Mine were monofocal, distance. Being a horse rider, and, doing a lot of driving (car) I opted for distance. Simples to use specs for reading. Was fantastic. Surgeon exceptional - other ophthos have remarked he did a good job. That was 2006. Now, finding I need a 'tweak' for distance, no longer horse ride, so, have specs to cover near and far, plus middle distance for computer work. Vari-focal. Brilliant.

Tri-focal intraoptic lens (IOLs) are available, suit some people very well indeed, others have found 'halos'. Halo problems are being addressed.

But. Any perceived problems must be run past your surgeon, and, all yr questions. Write them all down in advance. Make a copy, give him one of the copies, then run through. Make notes - if poss, take someone with you. If you don't understand summat, tell him so, he can't eat you ! You need the info, he is qualified to give the info. End of. Go well. <smile>

[Annimac]

I had my cataracts done. Struggled after the first one but when both had been done I was very happy. After a while both eyes fogged up and I had to have my eyes lasered at the hospital. Now I'm ecstatic. I wore glasses for 58 years and it's so lovely to be free. Hope you get yours sorted out . It's wonderful when it works .

[shella in reply to Annimac]

So glad your all sorted .... how long did it take for eyes to fog up? Got large magnifying glass in every room right now!

[Annimac in reply to shella]

Hi Shella I'm not exactly sure . It was possibly two years. After I had the first one done I struggled with wearing glasses. It was suggested I take out the lens of the good eye but after falling up the pavement I decided to leave the glasses off altogether. Hope you get sorted soon x

[shella in reply to Annimac]

Oh dear ..... falling not good

it’s the tiredness too since getting them done .....now steroids upped slightly.....going to see local opticians to see if they can help temporarily.....at least maybe able to walk around without feeling like I about to fall!

Perhaps as one eye lazy brain hasn’t caught up yet! Surgeon says all well but sure doesn’t feel like yet!

Haven’t seen light end of tunnel yet glad you have!

[Cally55]

Had second one done last Saturday, first last December. Like you i didn't really understand what I'd chosen when i opted for distance for the first one although I'm short sighted. After the initial elation at being able to see something again, cataracts were very bad, I suffered problems with dizziness an balance for about 3 months. Then found it maddening to have to find reading glasses for the simplest thing, as I have GCA I feel glasses uncomfortable if worn for any length of time. So for the second eye I had a short sighted lens! So far so good as my brain has got used to the imbalance. The optician says I still need glasses for driving and I need readers for small print but daily life now seems o.k..

I too have worse gi problems than usual but I was on methotrexate,now abandoned,last dose last Thursday. I think I did have gut problems last time, I wondered if I might have swallowed some of the drops? Or maybe it was just the stress of it all.

I do think that a bit more guidance from the eye hospital at the beginning might have been useful, but in our part of the world there is a sort of production line approach to cataract ops. I did have to hold my ground when asking for a different lens for the second eye, was warned I might have to come another day, but I said it would be worth it and fortunately they managed to recalculate there and then!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Cally55]

My MIL had the different lenses, it seemed to be standard at that hospital then - but insisted she couldn't manage to get used to them and had glasses. I used the monovision approach with contact lenses for many years and it was great - just had top up specs for driving which I never found a problem. Oh for cataracts - but there is no sign...

[shella]

Still struggling... now been 7 weeks for lazy eye and 4 weeks other cataract.... still dizzy..... blood tests all clear and consultant said lens in right place .....either dizzy or imbalance..... can’t wait for them to settle down!