well after reading a lot of everyone's issue I see I am NOT alone. Had my R eye done June 14 2017 and 2 weeks later needed the laser surgery then developed HUGE floaters and many. ... After things I thought was better was ready to have L eye done. there also developed issues and needed laser surgery on it a month later. Since May 31, 2017 I have seen the eye doctors around 45 times to this date 1/10/2018. I am currently seeing a cornea specialist because my dr and his associates are stump. I have used over 12 different types of eyes drops and as many as 19 in a day for abut a month. I have halos and bursting and night driving can be a nightmare. I don't go out any more than I have to. In fact for 53 days I didn't drive at all for fear of hitting something or someone. I had to depend on others to take me anywhere I needed or wanted to go. I have been diagnosed with Excessive Dry Eyes. Map Dot fingerprinting Dystropy. Never having this much trouble with my eyes till having the cataract and laser surgery which later found out they both cause drying of the eyes and scarring. I just this pass Monday had plugs put into my tear ducts hoping this will help my excessive dry eyes. I am loss for words, frustrated and have spent about $1000.00 out of my pocket for the multi-function lens.---thinking I wouldn't need glasses. Everything is worse. Sorry I will have to finish this later have to get my grand-daughter. Also abut $500.00 on drops which Medicare doesn't cover.
Do you know exactly which lens you got? Many people have problems with multifocal IOLs.
Okay I am back ---sorry about the leave. I am just wanting to see clear----anything of distance is a BLUR and I have to have reader for close up. I am so ready to go back to bifocal lens glasses, but I've been told I would be wasting my money because my eyes will clear up, but don't know when. My glasses previous to cataract surgery cost about 450 dollars -- so it would be a waste IF and when I get clear vision back. I am trying to do what the Dr recommends. This not knowing what is happening just seems so unreal. I know at least 10-12 other friends who have had cataract surgery since mine and they had NO ISSUES and see great. I tell them they are BLESSED and I am happy for them. So the current eye drops now are called Alphagan P0.1% which is for glaucoma and I don't have but it also is to help with the halos and bursting!
I have to admit I was shocked to see so many others with problems, so I realize I am not alone. Just want answers like everyone else and some results.
I have always been happy with my eye doctor and since I am currently seeing a Cornea Specialist he has been treating me well.
In later November 2017 he had put amniotic membrane on my R eye and a hard contact on for 3 weeks--no change in my vision. Then Dec 13 he did the same with my L eye and within 2 day -- Dec 15 I could actually see clearly DISTANCE with my left eye; clear as can be. Closeness no change, still needing readers. He will try to do my R eye again at a later date because sometimes it needs more than one treatment. I go back Feb 2 so until then I am patiently waiting to see if the plugs for my tear ducts help and work. Has anyone else had the Amniotic membrane done? (also called the band-aid for eye)
I am praying for each and everyone one of you also, because I do believe in prayers and I have gotten some results with my L eye. Wanting the same for my R eye.
Just seems like forever since I have seen clearly.
I don't understand why Medicare can not cover more of these cost and why does eye drops have to be so expensive?
thanks for listening.
Yes looking at my card: Alcon ACRY sof IQ Restor Multicocal IOL +2.5
I wish I would have know there were issues with this, because my dr said he has used in on many others. I wished I would have ask for names to call them and ask how it went, but too late now.
Alphagan P eyedrops makes your eye pupil smaller, so that can help with some of the night vision issues like halos and starbursts. People with pupils that get larger than typical in dark conditions, can get the night vision artifacts more than those with smaller pupils.
With my right eye with a toric monofocal IOL outside at night when my eye's pupil is at its maximum size (about 5+mm diameter) I can see a half circle arc above some bright lights. If my eye's pupil is even larger after an eye exam where they use eyedrops that over-dilates your eye, I see full circles around lights even indoors. Its suspected thats because with the pupil open big enough light can reflect off the IOL's edge to give that effect. Probably my pupil can just barely get big enough on a dark night so only the top edge of the IOL gets light reflections visible, probably because the IOL may be positioned very slightly off center relative to the pupil's center, very slightly low.
But if my pupil is very slightly smaller by staring at say a flashlight for a second, the half circles disappear. As one ages your pupil max size gets smaller, so I suspect this will go away completely for me in the near future and even now its not a major issue since there is usually enough background light while driving at night from other cars, etc to keep my pupil a little smaller than its max size. But for those with a pupil larger than mine (such as younger patients under age 50) the Alphagen P is often prescribed to reduce your pupil size for a few hours when needed.
Check with your eye doctor to see if there is a generic version of the Alphagan P eyedrops that would be lower cost.
brimonidine tartrate cash I can get for 122.71 regular price is 141.57 = savings of 18.86
decisions decisions...Just would like to know if they will help. I always ask for samples first since I have so many reactions to Medicines and even eye drops finding out now. thank you
Hi Charlene - don’t know where you live but in Canada our Medicare system will subsidize drug plans. I didn’t opt for that as I have a medical plan I pay premiums for that covered my drops. Sometimes doctors will give patients free samples of these that they get from manufacturers. Got my first bottle of Systane drops (which are non prescription anyways so have to pay out of pocket for those).
Keep faith - wishing some relief for you. Sounds like there is a lot going on that might be impacting your vision. Perhaps once dry eye under control and healing takes place vision will improve.
For dry eye you might want to consider taking flaxseed oil capsules or omega 3. I take them daily. Natural way to deal with dry eye.
I don't know anything about using amniotic membranes after cataract surgery, but I read they also do it after PRK and other surface ablation eye surgeries like that. Did you have any other surgeries like PRK or something else?
When you say you needed laser surgery, what type of laser surgery do you mean exactly and what was it for?
There is no type of laser surgery that is mandatory after cataract surgery except for maybe YAG laser if PCO develops. It doesn't sound like that's what you had though, is it? If you had PRK or something like that, Medicare doesn't pay for that since you can just wear glasses instead.
I looked it up since I never heard of what you have. It's also called Epithelial Basement Membrane Dystrophy (EBMD).
I am sending you a private message.
Hi Sue,
I live in Missouri in USA -- I would love to go to Canada, beautiful country. When we were stationed in Alaska while my husband was in the service we drove down the Alcan Highway to the lower states---beautiful country.
I do also have a Supplement D plan for prescriptions,but I am in a lower tier,to get these RX I would have to pay a much higher monthly, which hoping this is still going to be a temporary RX and not permanent. My pay for the year is $1500.00 before it helps out ---
I do take Omega 3 daily. I haven't heard of the flaxseed oil capsules. Maybe you can send me information on this or I can try looking on line. I have dealt with other things in the pass where I try to go natural over drugs. thanks Sue
I had the YAG laser surgery because of the all the SCAR TISSUE, and then after that is when I had all the issues with the floaters-----many and they were huge and in time they did stop. I have also heard sometimes the laser surgery also can cause scar tissue or dry eyes. I was just trusting my doctor since this is his business and has been great all the years I've been seeing him. I know several others that have used him over the years and successful cataract surgery. Thanks again Nina
Yes another lady I meant on line through a friend has this and that is what she calls it: EBMD. which the first time she told me I was totally loss. We talked on the phone the other day about our conditions for almost an hour. learned a lot about each other, I felt bad for her though because she is so Young (45) I am 69. I know and believe in time I thing my eyes will improve,just had no idea when I first did this I would still not see correctly after 6 1/2 months. thanks again Nina
You are welcome Charlene. I know it must be frustrating and a long recovery. I came on these forums looking for advice prior to my surgeries July & August 2017. It was bad enough dealing with the anxiety and nerves - can’t imagine dealing with what you are dealing with.
I think the Omega 3 capsules should help same as flaxseed oil capsules. I got mine at a natural path’s place locally here. Sounds like you have doctors willing to work with you through this which in itself is a blessing. Have they said what went wrong with your cataract surgery? Although it seems like this forum is full of stories of things going wrong that is mainly due to the fact that when something goes wrong people google to find answers and wind up finding this forum. I was just so shocked that I had cataracts (my parents still don’t have them) that I looked online and eventually found this site. It is nice to have support from others experiencing same journey.
Do wish you comfort and healing.
I too have never heard of this and reading more about it.
I had cataract surgery in both eyes 2 years ago and needed yag on both and have developed so many floaters as well. Also, I was diagnosed with epiretinal membrane in October which has made the vision in my right eye go from 20/20 to 20/50 and it cannot be corrected with glasses. I have read that trauma from the laser surgery can cause this and now I am looking at more surgery with a reinal specialist...
Hi Charlene,
Sorry to hear all you’ve been going through. I hope things get better for you. I totally understand your frustration having had multifocal implants myself. I will forever have halos, starbursts, and concentric circles at night or around artificial lights.
I wish the surgeons didn’t make the implant of multi focal lenses sound so perfect and without side effects. I started posting here in the hopes that even one person would question the possible side effects and have all the information before making the decision based solely on not needing glasses. As that is what happened to me. Stupidity and trusting that my surgeon had my interests in mind rather than just making money. The multifocal lenses are pure cash for them. I know many patients do not have these side effects, but a good percentage do.
Best of of luck to you. Do you have an appointment with a specialist? I’ve read many responses here that encourage time and healing to realize best results. I’m going on 14 weeks.... and being hopeful the halos and starbursts diminish. I will forever have the concentric circles. And although some say a lense change is an option, that also comes with huge risks concerning the retina.
Best of of luck to you and I hope you are able to obtain a perfect result.