Struggling a bit after cataract surgery

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I’m ‘only’ 51, but I had lens replacement surgery for cataracts last week. I’ve had one eye done so far, with the second scheduled for a couple of weeks’ time. I was very short sighted prior to the surgery and should have pretty much perfect vision once everything settles down.

I'm struggling a bit at the moment though. It’s hard to have one good eye and one v poor eye. I’ve also got a constant strobing effect with the surgery eye, which is making me a bit seasick.

Does anyone have experience of intra-ocular lens replacement and could offer any tips or advice?

Cant help over the seasick bit which must be horrid - I had replacement surgery at 46 - 20 + years ago. (and have little useful vision in other eye. Coloursd and edges of things were the most exciting result - I found the edges of my vision bubbled and bulged for about two weeks and then settled down to being slightly long sighted having always been very short sited. Hope you acclimatise soon - its so lovely to see clearly! Good luck!

I (57) had both done last November at the same time and a glaucoma stent in one of them. The first couple of weeks were hellish and I've ended up with one eye slightly short sighted and the other long sighted.
I hope you've sought medical advice on the strobing?
I can't advise on the feeling of lop-sidedness as I was a double eye surgery, but I can say it passes, you need to continue being mindful of the healing process in your 'done' eye, take it as easily as you can, plan for your next surgery by laying in good food, download podcasts and audio books to keep you occupied after your next surgery.
I can honestly say it's life changing. I was also extremely short sighted - I have really good distance vision now ( I opted for distance lenses) the main weirdness for me was being unable to read without glasses.

I can sympathise, I had this done a few years back. The time between was awful because the colours seen by each eye were different and it really confused my brain. The eye surgeon wasn't going to do the second eye until I insisted that I couldn't cope with it. Once both eyes were done it was better. It took about 6 months for the vision to settle, though. I had trouble using screens and still prefer a black background. The flashes have stopped now and I am happy with my vision but I do have glasses for driving.

I suffered discomfort and pain in my L eye for weeks post cataract surgery. I couldn’t bear sunlight and couldn’t sleep on my L side due to discomfort. It took weeks to settle.

The clinic staff and the surgeon were very conveyer belt minded. Lots of patients all stacked up going through the process. Made me stressed.

In light of this I waited 16 months before getting my R eye done. Went to a different clinic and OMG what a difference. A lovely calm empathetic team. No pain, settled fast and all good post op.

It’s not often folks suffer discomfort post cataract surgery but clearly some of us do. It’s reassuring to know it does settle and all turns out good.
Good luck OP. You’ll be fine but if you’re concerned, phone the clinic for advice.

Thank you for your responses, I really appreciate it. @Talltreesbythelake I only noticed the difference in colour perception between my eyes today and I feel this is a contributing factor to the weirdness I feel. My brain must be trying to make sense of it. I will be patient!
@Snapespeare I suspect I might need reading glasses too, which will be strange after years of taking my specs off to read!

DS has kerrataconus, had crosslinking done on one eye back in november, only got the lens a few weeks back. Needs the other eye done but on a waiting list and he said it makes him feel weird with the contacts in because one eye is perfect and the other isn’t.

I had mine done when I was 39 due to cataracts. I was short sighted (-10 and -10.5) and had trifocals lenses fitted. I still remember the awful week that I had between the surgery because I couldn’t wear contact lenses and had to take one lens out of my glasses, my kids were young and I had to take them somewhere by train and felt sea sick the whole time. I was so ready for the other eye to be done but once it was done the sea sickness went quickly and my sight was basically fine after a couple of days, although it did take a few weeks to feel just right.

I think it is just a matter of waiting for the next one and following the after care to the letter. Once your eyes adjust you will be amazed at the transformation. I still wake up in the morning - 8 years later- and am so grateful just to be able to see clearly. Before things were just shapes, if there was a person standing still in the room I wouldn’t know they were there unless they moved.

Good luck and it feels like forever but really in the grand scheme of things it is a short period, concentrate on the time when you won’t even have to think about it anymore, no more glasses and contacts!

Hi I'm on day 7. Yes I still have abit of strobing. This is my second eye. My brain is trying to comprehend what's going on. And at times I'm walking really odd. It's like wearing someone else's glasses. Everything is clear in that eye and I have good vision..except one eye is long-sighted and one is short.

@Reggiebo hope your vision settles soon. @Knickersinatwist36 thank you, I can relate to what you said and it’s good to know things will improve.

Thanks. Hope you improve too. It will be worth it in the end

https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/managing-dysphotopsias-from-cataract-surgery
article about the problems your describing with flashes. It’s common enough and settles in most people.

I hope things are settling for you OP.

I had bilateral cataract surgery a coupld of months ago. My surgeon was keen to do both eyes in the same procedure, he feels that for moderate to severe myopia it is the easiest route- for many of the reasons described in this thread.
Wishing you a swift recovery OP.

How are you all going now? I’m 40 and just been diagnosed with a cataract and optician said I can get both eyes done on NHS as my prescription is so strong (-10) I couldn’t have that much difference between my eyes.
I need to choose a clinic now (Sheffield area) but am unsure yet if I will have both eyes done at the same time. I’d also love to be glasses free so I want to ask about paying extra for toric/multifocal lenses. Does anyone have any experience of that?

I had mine done last year. But the strobing and technicolour settled down fairly quickly. (Sadly, I loved how bright everything was) My vision was "wobbly" iykwim for a while then it wasn't.EG if I walked over a textured floor, like cobbles, I felt like I was in a magic eye picture. I've found my depth perception is rubbish, so going up and down stairs can be tricky. But generally all those problems fade.

HopeWillTriumph once you choose your clinic/surgeon then you can discuss options.
I am no expert and I know every case is different, but I was offered an all -round lens, OK for most stuff, but still probably need glasses.
I was also offered a premium lens that would give me amazing far distance power and good intermediate ( lap top distance) or a lens that would give me precise near focus ( like sewing) and again good intermediate.

I have been pretty myopic for most of my life, so I opeted for the distance option.

I am a few months down the line after surgery and I am happy with my decision. I do need to use glasses for very close up, but tthat is literally 10 minutes a day.

I was implanted with the RayOne premium lens, both eyes done in the same procedure.
Again that was a choice I discussed with my surgeon, he prefers bilateral surgery, especially if you have a strong prescripton, as that intermediate waiting time before the second surgery can be hard, nausea, dizziness as the brain tries to calibrate itself, and possibly a new prescription for that time.

I am extremely happy with my new IOLs, I am still agog at the intensity of colour.
The surgery was much easier than I had anticipated, took an hour- zero pain, I did have IV sedation, but I was fully awake. Recovery was fairly easy too. I could see pretty well even by the next day, and was even back at yoga class within a week!

Thank you both that’s really helpful, I look forward to what the clinic says are my options

I had cataract surgery as I had narrow angles. Worst decision of my life. Right eye in January. Double images and a bright glaring pool of liquid effect in my vision below my pupil. Like having a blind area that's still with me 6 months later. No explanation. They said they'd hurry my other eye through as I had high prescription and struggled. I ended up waiting 4 months to get other eye done and that was fine, but made me realise something went really wrong with first eye. The blind area is still there, I can see my eyelashes top and bottom all the time as well as the edge of the lens which distorts my vision to the right. I have black,blind areas like an eyelid moving into my vision depending on where the light is. I have black areas that surround the outer parts of my eyes and take away about a third of my vision. I've been off work six months, back and forth to appointments. I've had to go on anti depressants as I can't bear it. I feel disabled and completely alone with this. I have to wear big sunglasses all the time to distract from the black areas but vision is blurred so it's hard to function. Surgeon insisted on me getting reaction varifocals but can't see those helping with the black areas. I get my glasses and see the surgeon next week. Sorry to go on but feel completely alone.

Garganey that sounds awful, you have my sympathy. Sounds like things didn't go to plan- are you having follow up appointments so the situation may be improved?
I am not disregarding the dreadful experience you have had, but the majority of cataract surgeries go well, with good results, and is the most commonly performed surgery in the world.

I just wanted to say that as we have some awaiting surgery on this thread, and I know that can be an anious time.

Thank you for your message, I really appreciate it. I do have two appointments next week so I hope the surgeon has a solution for me as I think 6 months is long enough to see if the problems resolve. So fingers crossed! For anyone about to have cataract surgery, it's nothing like you imagine. It was my first ever and I really worried about it beforehand but it was nothing like I expected. I couldn't imagine not seeing what they're doing, but you can't, and you can't feel anything either. Your face is covered and all I saw was the bright light above me and some swirly light shapes.