Can you help me get successful replacement lens surgery?

[loveyouradvice]

Hi

I've got cataracts in both eyes, am very short-sighted (-8/9) and in my 50s.

I'm going to have lens replacement surgery - which is both exciting and terrifying.

I want to see really well and not wear glasses

Is this possible?

What are your thoughts and experiences?
Especially about good surgeons and varifocal or mono focal lenses?

ps Ive also posted in AIBU, but know I will get wiser answers here

Hi OP, I assume you are going private? Have had both eyes lens replaced (caused by other eye ops) first aged 39, second aged 42. Both single vision no option for varifocal (NHS) Very short sighted from age 9, -9.5/-14.5 both implants after detachments. Very odd from being very short sighted bringing book so so close to then having to hold it at arm’s length. Contact lenses for one eye (blind now in the other) reading glasses needed would have loved varifocal option. If paying privately I would pay extra for it definitely.

I used a local family run optician that took in private eye surgeons once a month. I did google the surgeon to make sure he was experienced ( he was, UK trained worked both NHS and private and had 20,000 operations under his belt).
I was about £8k from memory as I got accommodating Crystal lens which , in theory, mean I can see distance and near . First operation my eye swelled like a balloon for the first day which was worrying but not a problem. Second eye no reaction.
I’ve been left slightly long sighted so I use cheap reading glasses (0.5) for close work although I can manage without if I squint.
I do have poor night vision which is common. I also get halos at night but I had that before.
Like any operation there are risks of infection and you will have a higher risk of retinal detachment.
I’m very pleased, after years of being unable to do anything without very strong glasses/lenses, I can drive, swim, do anything, now.
Also be aware, no bungy jumping or rollercoasters or anything that will put your eyes under any kind of G force, ever again.
Good luck.

Wow .... no G force ever???

I'd no idea... and was still fantasising that I might parachute out of an airplane one day....

Well guess sight is more important....

Did I reply on the other thread?

It's not possible for most people to have absolutely perfect distance and near vision in all light conditions with any IOL (intra-ocular lens)

You get a reduction in night vision with extra glare in multifocal IOLs, I also found the majority of my patients needed a cheap pair of readers for very small tasks in poor light conditions. They can take time for the vision to settle.
With ordinary IOLs you require reading glasses or extra glasses for driving at night.

What do you do in contact lenses at the moment? Have you tried varifocal contact lenses or mono vision (which is one eye for distance and one for near/computer distance).

thanks underneath Yes I wear one distance and one nearer lenses which works well and reading glasses on top

Then I would do exactly the same when you have the surgery done.

If you're still unsure, I'd ask your optometrist if you can try some multifocal contact lenses. They work in a similar way to IOL multifocals and may make your decision easier.

If i were having this done id have it done at an NHS specialist centre such as Manchester Royal Eye hospital in Manchester or Moorfields in London, both of which also have private suites. From my research the general consensus seems to be to opt for single vision lenses as although many advances have been made in multifocal lenses, they are still a bit of a compromise ?

My mum went from being nearly blind to not needing glasses except for reading small print with just the standard treatment for her cataracts & she was 76 when she had them done. I would wait & see how your eyes turn out first. If you are anywhere near Sheffield, the Hallamshire Hospital is a centre of excellence for eye surgery, they also do all the vision improvement surgery privately as well.

@Nat6999 Great story about your mum. It must have been an incredible experience for her to see so well again after such a time with cataracts

I had cataracts operated on in my mid 50s. I was very short sighted (-13 and -14). I wore mono vision contact lenses, one for far and one for near. My lens implants did the same. My near vision one is slightly too weak. At my level of sight it is difficult to get it accurate. My eyes together pass the driving test.
After a year I decided I. Pups do with glasses for driving at night. Otherwise I manage perfectly. It’s like a miracle.
If near London contact moorfields.

I. Pups = I could

Hows your distant vision lazymum?

Distance vision is good. Right eye is perfect. I just decided I was more confident if left eye was a bit stronger when driving at night.
However, I often forget my glasses and I can still drive. I’m well within the driving test sight test.

My DD(24) had a similar prescription to you OP and had lens replacement last summer.

She has better than 20 20 vision now, though will need glasses for close work when she is older, just like anyone else. It’s been amazing for her; she loves swimming and the beach and sporty stuff and she feels so much more confident with it all now.

Not going to lie, I was very worried about the whole thing but everyone at Manchester eye hospital was excellent and it all went smoothly.

Cost about £6k.

Just be aware of the risk of posterior capsule opacification.

This has been a huge problem for 2 people I know.

Thanks all... really helpful

Still terrifying!!

And posterior capsule opacification - is there anything you can do to prevent it DickD?

My mum had her cataracts done and lenses replaced at the same time - she was 70 and had -11 myopia in both eyes. She never needed glasses again. She said it was amazing!

Meant to add my mum had hers done on the NHS at the Norfolk and Norwich - her cataracts were so bad they needed doing for that reason.

Re the no G force ever- if you are highly myopic (-6 plus) this is the same advice whether you’ve had lens surgery or not. Being highly myopic increases the risk of retinal detachment just in itself as the retina is so stretched.

@DickyDewy didnt a single laser zapping session fix the PCO issues..?

There’s nothing you can do to prevent PCO.

Yag laser sorts it very quickly. But both women I know who had it (more common in women, apparently) had to wait several weeks for the procedure on the NHS, during which time they were barely able to see.

And it’s very expensive to have fixed privately.

But this is rare and lens replacement surgery is a fantastic thing.

Did the yag make a permanent fix with good results?

Yes 100%

Not always for yag, had one eye done in may made no difference for me, my bad eye and was hoping for some return of vision. Having to have lense replaced as they think it’s sitting out of position but every further op risk of further detachment.

@carrielou2007 It's exceptionally unlikely not to work for PCO. Could you have anterior phimosis instead?