Eye laser/lens surgery gone wrong

[Devonyogamum]

Firstly don’t use Optical Express.

I had lens replacement surgery in Jan 2025. It’s been an awful awful recovery and I now have much worse vision than before.

My eyes and brain have not adapted to the new multifocal lens at all. My vision is one big blur and I have halos and glare and ghosting all of the time. I am not very depressed from this as I cannot see clearly at all. I only wore reading glasses before and I am a young late 40’s single mum.

This is a possible side effect only it’s rare. I seem to be the rare case.

My question is this, where do I go for the very very best surgeon in the UK to get this fixed?

I seriously don’t care how much money anymore I need to see again.

thanks

@faeriesandelves thank you, what are they like for driving in the dark, do u get "halos"
I am considering enhanced monofocals, it's all such a minefield not knowing what they will be for real...

Are enhanced monofocals the same as extended depth of focus lenses?? I'm getting those. I'm a little bit terrified of the whole thing !

@Ihad2Strokes you will get more answers with a new thread of your own.

However a long term eye condition can rapidly rack up the costs if you are self paying looks at DH
It's not like a one off operation for a cataract.
Also some of the treatments are incredibly expensive, especially for macular degeneration. If you don't have £££££ to spend on this, the NHS is the way to go.

'Anna'. Thank you for your reply.

i will stick to the NHS for now, at this stage it's just being monitored. The 'next step' if it gets worse (currently not changing, but they've offered injections - but I've put that firmly in hold, as there doesn't SEEM to be any downside if waiting (????) but if there is any talk of surgery I'll start my own thread & hopefully get some advice on whether to use NHS or if I should get a loan to go to moorfields.

thank you for your reply!

@Devonyogamum

im so sorry to read about you losing your husband last year, it's hard when you're on your own and have a child/children relying in you.

It's scary going through these things alone.

how are things with your eyes now?

@Ihad2Strokes have you seen the cost of the injections! My neighbour has them on the NHS and was blown away, it's about £600 a pop just for the drug.

It's not a condition I know much about but I do know that if your vision goes, treatment is not bringing it back. DH's vision wasn't changing until it did, terribly.

So if they recommend starting the injections, start.

Apparently enhanced mono are not the same as EDOF (which can get "halos" and I am trying to avoid because I already get that in one eye due to the cataract).

Spoke to a couple of people who had the more expensive private surgery and although their vision is better generally speaking, they do get "halos" from lights at night and are not comfortable driving in the dark.

So difficult to know so I am still researching but I need the cataracts surgery so want to be informed.

Well I'm not too bothered about light halos as I don't drive at night if I can help it.
Getting my first EDOF lens exchange this week. Unless I cancel due to panic !

Eek, no I hadn't looked into the cost - ouch!

Did your DH's issue have anything to do with maculopathy?

id like to speak to someone about the injections. The first consultant was good, the others have been less so. I have n appointment at the beginning of Dec, to see if it has changed or not, so if the person isn't very helpful (like the last couple) I'll try to email the lead consultant & ask her what she suggests

Bear in mind I am no expert, still researching it all, such a big decision and I am rather prone to mishaps.

Hope all goes well for you 🤞🤞🤞do come back to say how it went 🤞

That's for a different condition - not cataracts!

OK, had the lens exchange last Thursday. So far so good, the vision is improving every day and I can read text on the tv screen now! Out of one eye anyway. But it still feels like there is something in my eye and that I can see the edge of the new lens in my peripheral vision on one side of they eye. It's like when you get an eyelash stuck on your eyeball, you can just about see it there and feel it too. I hope this is normal enough but not sure. Flickering lessening but I've had a couple of small flashes that scared the life out of me and had me googling retinal detachment. But I've no black floaters or curtain so I think it's ok.

@Greysowhat thank you for coming back. Glad things are improving, I would like to be able to read words on tv screen.

I am still at a research stage and have ordered test contact lenses to try monos with a slightly different distance options in each eye to see how that might work.

When are you doing the other eye, is it in about 2 weeks?

How long do u have to be careful, ie no bending or lifting?

Second eye is next Thursday. I was told not to run or do anything strenuous for 4 weeks after the surgery, I think that includes bending over. But I think the bending over is having your head below your hips. Basically don't do anything that causes pressure on the eye, no rubbing or scrunching up your eyes either.

I'm being super careful and got a swimming mask for a hair wash tomorrow! I must check when it's ok to wash face properly, I miss my cold water splashing which I do instead of using a toner.

I'm prone to mishaps too so a bit of nervous wreck over this lens exchange business. I'll be glad to have this first eye checked next week.

Hi same here, had mine done in Dec 24, exactly the same symptoms now they have advise that I go to NHS to sort out!! just trying to find someone who can sort out these issues! local to Manchester area.

Check out Mr Merino. He did mine and my husbands lens replacements 10 yrs ago. No problems. They were very thorough.