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My 90-yr old mom had great vision but was told she had cataracts so she had the procedure in both eyes (within the last 2 years). She was supposed to have a special procedure in one of her eyes (to fix astigmatism) but she coughed during the procedure and then they couldn't finish it. After the surgeries she started having seemingly unrelated problems: one chelazion after another; blocked tear ducts/water pooling in eyes; and peripheral vision distortion (she sees multiple images out the sides of her eyes). She was worried that maybe one of the many post-surgery drops produced a reaction. Going back to her original cataract doc he gave her no answers and she felt he was either hiding that he screwed up or that she is being blown off due to her age. My mom is very active but the degraded vision is depressing her. We're going for a second opinion in August to a reputable cataract surgeon and will hopefully get some answers. Anyone else have this problem after surgery?

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Update: second opinion appt went great as doc said my mom's cataract surgery results were excellent and confirmed that her post-surgery eyeglass prescription was right on. Did discover that her vision issue seems to be the big difference in vision between her L and R eye, and that her brain is not adjusting to the difference (which it can overcome, like in mono vision correction, which I have).

He suggested we go to a contact lens specialist, put in a contact that corrects the R eye (with the worse vision) to bring it "closer" to the vision in her L to see if getting Lasik correction in that eye would help her (she would still need readers). So that is the next step. Feeling relieved that everything else looked fantastic, he also said that since my mom had paid for the "special" extra correction in the L eye that the R eye Lasik correction (if she does it) should be covered under that package. We would never have known this!

It was challenging to keep my 90-yo mom on track in discussing with today's doc as it was complicated to follow and I still don't really understand what caused the big difference, so just confirmation that we need to help our aging LOs get in to docs sooner rather than later for best info and outcomes. Feeling hopeful! Thanks for your info and support! Will follow-up on the Lasik path in near future. Blessings!
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Update 9-6-19: went to the contact lenses specialist today and she put a corrective lens in my mom's one eye. Then she put reading power glasses on her and sure enough my mom could read clearly! So we got our answer and now we have another pre-lasik consult with her original ophthalmologist/surgeon to move forward with surgical correction. Her vision will be good for driving (without correction) and will require readers for close-up stuff like reading and sewing, etc. My mom is on cloud 9 (and me too)! Thanks for your support, everyone!
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AlvaDeer Sep 2019
What wonderful news. So glad that you updated us. Love good news!!!!
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Cataract surgery usually goes very well, but not ALWAYS and my own Mom ended up with more problems after than before. Is she having increased problems with BOTH eyes? because that indeed would be unusual. I am glad you are seeking a second opinion and hope you will let us know. I myself am 77 and am putting off cataract surgery as long as I am able because I have already lost most of vision in right eye due to scarring after a vitreous separation. I am loathe to think I could meddle with one remaining eye and possibly come out worse. I am hoping for a visit from the grim reaper before I need to make the decision. Sorry she is going through this. If there is actual tearing problems you KNOW something is up here, you just don't know what.
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Geaton777 Jul 2019
Thanks AlvaDeer!
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From my research they can't do a successful cataract surgery in an eye with astigmatism. They blinded my dad in one eye by doing this surgery.

I would talk to a specialist about how to help her maintain her vision and possibly get her a little relief from those awful effects.

I get sick when I hear that another senior has been used as a guinea pig.

Best of luck.
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Geaton777 Jul 2019
Thanks, Isthisrealyreal. So sorry for your dad's outcome. I'm so disturbed because this was done at a reputable clinic. Didn't know this was such a low-success operation. Worst part is they wouldn't refund her money as she paid an extra $1100 for the privilege of having her vision screwed up.
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Did you go with your mother to the follow-up appointments?

How long ago were these procedures done, how far apart, and what follow-up care was provided?

Are both eyes so badly affected, or only one?

I think we might be getting the separate issues of correcting astigmatism and removing a cataract a bit tangled up. The first would be done by laser treatment on the very surface of the eye, the cornea, which in astigmatism is malformed. The second involves removing the eye's lens, and replacing it with an artificial one. They're not at all the same type of procedure, and although I don't know I would be very surprised if an ophthalmic surgeon would be happy to do both at the same time. Why in any case would your mother opt for astigmatism correction if she was perfectly happy with her vision before?

I must admit that even though my vision is shocking and I am helpless without my glasses, I have been very much put off the whole idea of laser correction by my sister's misfortune - long story short, corneal transplants and a HEAP of grief. The statistics will tell you that this minor surgery is very successful and highly rated by patients, but if you're one of the unfortunate tiny percentage you're going to be a sorry bunny. I just can't think it's worth it.

But cataract surgery is a different kettle of fish. As the lens becomes opaque, the person becomes functionally blind; so removing and replacing it is a little miracle. I gather from my optician and my mother's ophthalmic surgeon that it is important, though, to hold off surgery until the cataract is "ripe" because this makes removal easier and more satisfactory. Is it possible that your mother was hurried along, rather, by a commercial clinic? And then sold an awful lot of aftercare products, which have just aggravated one condition after another?
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cwillie Jul 2019
I've done a fair bit of reading on cataract surgery and waiting until the lens is "ripe" is old school. It used to be that the lens hardened as it "ripened" and this made it easier to be broken up and removed, modern surgery uses a different technique and the lens is removed differently, taking much less time and allowing for treatment long before the person is half blind from the cataract.
And I thought treating astigmatism had to do with the type of lens implanted? (it sounds a lot like needing special contact lenses)
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https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/cataracts/complications-cataract-surgery#1

"Dysphotopsia
This causes you to see visual effects, and there are two types:

Negative, which gives you a curved shadow at the edge of your vision
Positive, which you see as halos, starbursts, flashes, or streaks of light

Doctors don't know why it happens, and it often goes away on its own. It's more likely to last when it's the negative kind. Typically, you wait and see if it gets better. You might try eye drops or even glasses with thick rims so you don't notice the shadow as much.
If it goes on for months, your doctor may suggest surgery. You might get a new lens or try a second lens on top of the first."
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Geaton777 Jul 2019
She describes it not as a shadow but as multiples of the same images.
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My MIL was well into her 70s when she had cataract surgery.

Although the surgery was successful, it was determined that at some point previously she had had a minor stroke in the are of the brain that perceives visual images, so her vision didn’t improve.

This explanation was consistent with her previous history.
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Geaton777 Jul 2019
Thank you for your input! Many years ago my mom's older sister had it done. Eventually she developed triple vision and had to wear these weird looking lenses but they did help a lot. I didn't make the connection then but now I'm wondering if there was one...
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She is not the first person I've heard of whose cataract surgery was not successful, no doubt buried somewhere in all the prep for surgery was a warning that there are always risks and possible side effects, people usually ignore them. I hope something can be done to help her.
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Geaton777 Jul 2019
Yes, I work in med-tech so I'm familiar with all the warnings on everything. Just so ironic that we've literally known so many family, friends and neighbors who had no problems and my mom's vision was unusually good prior. Thanks for your support!
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There was a tv segment on Dr Oz about the lasik treatment causing problems for a larger percentage of people than reported by the surgeons. . Seems the numbers for success or failure are tallied very soon after the operation and before the problems set in. These weren’t cataract surgeries. As CM pointed out, it sounds like your mom had two procedures. I’ve attached the link in case it offers anything helpful for you.
My dad had to have emergency surgery after one cataract was removed. He was very hesitate to have the second one done but did and all went well. It was very frightening.
I hope your mom has great success with this new doctor. Let us know how it turns out.

https://www.doctoroz.com/article/hard-look-lasik-surgery
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Geaton777 Jul 2019
Thanks for the article!
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Does Mom have diabetes? My Dads one cataract surgery went well. The other didn't heal right. This was caused by his diabetes.

To be honest, if she was seeing OK why did the bother doing the surgery? I think going for a second opinion is good.
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Geaton777 Jul 2019
I don't think her vision was horrible, but you could definitely see the cloudiness in her pupils. I can't remember which eye was done first but she's having more problems in one than the other. I don't think chelazions are connected but they aren't helping. My mom was amazed at how much more color she saw post surgery. She had good vision briefly, then problems started.
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