My husband had laser treatment in 2003 in both eyes because he hates wearing glasses. Last year he had to have cataracts removed from both eyes and this has left him with blurred vision and the need to wear glasses all the time. He feels it has been a total failure and is very depressed about it. He is 75 years young and very active. He has been to the opticians and they said this was normal! Is this right? Any ideas? Many thanks
Diane
Hi Diane: I have had my cataracts removed about one month, the second eye within a few weeks.
As my doctor explained it to me, because of my astigmatism I had to have incisions made around my corneas (that is my description) so that I would not have blurry vision. Aside from a few symptoms which are v. gradually clearing up, I have totally focused vision. The woman operated after me, so that by coincidence I have seen her at our followup exams, has blurry vision and our doctor told her she needed additional work on her corneas. I don't know if that is what is wrong with your husband but I how depressing these things with vision can be. I hope this might be something you ask the doctor about. Good luck.
Thank you Vera, I will get him to make an appointment with his Doctor as I think he ought to go back to the hospital for a check up.
Best wishes
Diane
Feel for your husband ..I have only one cataract done ..in march takes a few months I believe to heal completely ..my sight in op eye is 90 percent but still need glasses
i had double vision for a while. As lense in glasses on other side was not right.
He will need reading glasses as I do ..once cataract is done vision in that eye improves but not reading ...you probably know this
good luck x
Diane
It is absolutely not normal. I had my cataracts done at the end of last year by two different surgeons, one eye is fine, the other is blurry. It is extremely tiring and very depressing, the hospital doesn't really want to know, said they would send me an appointment, have never heard from them. I have an appointment to be seen by another hospital in 2 weeks, I have a horrible feeling they are not going to be able to do anything, other than tell you to use the drops. I have also been left with 'dry eye' which is painful. I feel my life is ruined. I am interested to know how wearing glasses stops the blurriness?
I have heard that the blurriness can be caused by 'condensation' in the lens and that it can be cured by a laser procedure.
After trying two of three differnt eye drops one eventually stopped the dryness in the first eye I had done.
Consider how your vision would have slowy got worse if
you had not had the operation.
I get the "dry eye" junk every time I get into a discussion with the tech in my doctor's office who considers herself equal to a retinal specialist. I could get that information from any drug store or on the Internet. Most of what I know is from the Internet. Going to see my retinal specialist today to ask questions I should have asked when I was in his office, but I was shocked at his change of protocol. Was not prepared to suddenly be told that he was not going to give me a shot of Avastin every month. I had had one. Instead he is going to wait and see. ? In the meantime, my vision is getting worse.
Cataract surgery did me no good at all. I still cannot read street signs until I'm right on top of them.
Presumably as you are on Avastin you have macular degeneration and that is the root of your problem
Yes, I do. There is no telling how long I've had this. Unfortunately I have a doctor who thinks explaining macular degeneration is helpful. The first time I saw him, a young lady handed me a copy of the Amsler Grid. I saw a huge blank round space in the center, but one asked me what I saw or didn't see. Instead, the doctor rattled on about Drusen, etc. I'd heard about Drusen before. What I was interested in was why was have that grid missing? When I left, I told me daughter, "I think he said I have macular degeneration." She replied, "NO HE DID NOT!" I will see him this afternoon and ask him the questions I was too stunned to ask when he completely changed what the first doctor said about treatment. He decided not to give me a shot every month. He would "wait and see what happens." Not looking forward to hearing a speech on what "this" is. Trying to figure out questions to ask that only demand a yes or no answer.
Good luck with that.
A friend in America has macular degeneration and has done well with Avastin.
One neighbour here gets it as well privately at great cost.
Thanks for that information. I pray I don't have any of the many side effects. They are very scary. I know--all medications have side effects, but I'm that one in a thousand who gets one. I'm not convinced this maculara degeneration isn't a side effect of the tamoxifen I took for five years. I was diagnosed with mac during the third year, but nothing was said to me about the fact it could be a side effect of tamoxifen and as far as I know, nothing was said to my oncologist.
Avastin was approved for metastatic breast cancer, then approval was withdrawn because it was too risky and wasn't working. It shocked me to learn that study was for metastatic cancer patients. I was asked to be part of that study, but declined.
That is strange--at great cost. It's much cheaper here in America than Lucentis. In fact, my doctors are writing off the cost. Lucentis, I hear, costs $2,000/shot.
From a list side effects."Tamoxifen has been reported to cause cataracts and other eye problems. Discuss these possible effects with your Doctor"
This is all I remember reading about a connection between Tamoxifen and Age-related macular degeneration. I printed out an article that states breast cancer patients should have a base-line eye exam within the first year of treatment including an examination of the macula and testing of central and color vision.....most bc patients on tamoxifen should be followed every four to six months....any sign of symptomatic ocular conditions should prompt a discussion with the patient as well as her oncologist. I never got that. My retinal doc said my Age-related macular degeneration was NOT caused by tamoxifen. Really? How does he know this? I no longer see my oncologist. I "graduated" this past December after 7 years.
Sorry neighbour is on Lucentis at £600 asession.
Hi Carol, My name is Ruben Gamarra, I am contacting you because we have a similar bad experience, I had two surgeries so far, the first one on July 8th and I believe was a succes on my left eye, my vision was perfect almost righht away after my eye patch was removed, I had my other surgery tis past Wednesday 12th with a different resulst, my vision is still blury, the doctor is saying it wil go away in few days but I am very worry now, any commnets?
Ruben
It is early days and once the trauma of the operation subsides I feel sure you find an improvement, mine seemed to clear once I stopped using the drops. It is difficult, one has such an expectation after having the first one done and when the second doesn't go to plan it is very hard to deal with. Good Luck.
Hi Carol and thank you, I agree with you, by the way my vision on my right eye is getting better now, still a bit out focus but wil see, hope for the best, I am also experiencing the same effect of the drops, to the point that I dont feel using them any more because irritates my eyes instate of helping, so may be I do the same as you, not to use them, I also noticed misstypos on my previous message, well no secrets here of why.
Take care.
Ruben
Hi Nanulance 
I read your post where you are saying that your had a double vision for a while. Can you tell me for how long and did it clear completly?
that is not a consolation. nobody goes to a doctor to get a half ways results