My Symfony IOL results, 2018

Eye care
1

Hi,  

I wanted to post this thread to add to the discussion about Symfony IOLs.

So far I am very happy.

I had my right eye surgery yesterday, for a worsening cataract in my Right Eye which was effecting my vision enough to make me want to proceed. The plan is do also operate on my left eye next week to provide balanced vision since the left eye cataract is not that bad.

I am 53 and have worn glasses since I was about 10.  I am near sighted and now have presbyopia for which I have been using progressive lens for the past 5 years. I have a very mild astigmatism in my right eye, but not enough to require a Toric lens. 

Enough for a starter, since when I tried to start this thread yesterday it was blocked pending approval by the Moderator?   My post on The Full Moon and Effects of Radiation on eye surgery were posted immediately, so I don't understand why that thread is held up.

Mike

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Now on to specifics.

My prior vision had a correction in the Right eye of about -6 diopters and left eye about -5 and had a contact prescription for -5 left and -5.5 right (different from eye glasses).  My latest left eye contact prescription is -4.0.

My right eye implant is a Symfony ZXR00 +13.0D.

The first day my vision was Bright and Blurry as expected.  The process involved 4 rounds of eye drops in pre op hold, followed by a trip to the Laser Room. I was given a valium orally to start off and recall the laser room well. After that I had IV sedation so I recall nothing from the OR suite. 

The laser process involves centering your eye on the laser and applying a few drops and then the laser is butted against the eye with some mild pressure. The cutting took 20 seconds as the nurse counted it down in the background.  You see 5 bright lights with a red dot in the center.  Focused around the 5 dots of white light you'll see concentric circles as the laser cuts.  The process was painless and quick.

After surgery I could not focus with the right eye at all as expected.  By the time I got home it was time for a round of drops.   There is an anti-inflammatory drop, Ilevro, an antibiotic, Vigamox, and a steroid, Prednisolone.  The Ilevro is once daily for two weeks, the antibiotic is four times daily for one week (each eye) and the steroids are tapered  over 5 weeks.

By the evening I could begin to see ok through the right eye, noticing that colors were brighter, particularly blues and the whites were whiter.  I could about read the clock on the cable box and see the television 'ok' with my right eye.  My left eye (no operative eye) has a yellow cast which of course was 'normal' to me for years.

I deliberately looked at some lights and could see no concentric circles or a halo!  Or at least the halo effect was not much different around a bright light as my left eye.  I was happy with this.

This morning I could see much better. My close focus is about 18 inches unaided, its' not perfect but I can see the screen on my 11 inch Mac Air well enough to type without the progressive readers.  Certainly its much better with the readers.  With the left eye contact lens and restored binocular vision its getting pretty good!

Riding to the follow up appointment in daylight I was very happy with the right eye vision, and I know it will get better as the week goes by.  My pressures were ok, so no treatment for eye pressure was needed.

Camera use:  I can see the internal display on my camera very well unaided and am extremely pleases with this.  My understanding is that optically the display in the eye piece of a camera is set to be seen as though focusing your eye at 1 yard, thus I can see the image perfectly and see the numbers perfectly. Better than I have been able to for years.

Fifle Scope:  I can see the reticle in my Nikon rifle scope sharply as well as see the image (3.5 to 14 mag).  I also can see the holographic display in my EOTech site sharply. 

Car displays: Unaided by readers I can see the display in my cars well, even with the left eye not that my contact prescription is correct LOL.

I'll add more later, particular the night sky!

So far very happy with my decision.  

Mike

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Happy to hear your excellent result with the first eye.  Please report on your night-time vision as soon as you can.

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So very pleased for you.  This sounds pretty close to my experience within that 24 hour period.  Yes eyesight will get better with time as swelling goes down and healing takes place.  my surgeon didn’t test reading till 2nd eye was done.  I tried testing it myself and 18 inches sounds about what I got.  It was only after 2nd surgery reading was tested and both eyes together for that work amazingly better.  after 2nd eye I could read at 15 or 16 inches and even that had gotten better with time.

I too didn’t see any glare or concentric circles inside - I don’t think that is the ‘norm’ unless lens power is somehow off or there are other eye complications.  

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I didn’t have the laser process - sounds like it is quick and painless.  Were you awake for that or sedated too much?

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I was wide awake for the laser part, as I described, but once I moved on to the OR, I recall NOTHING and that is just how I like it!  Same thing with my thyroid surgery last year.  The Nurse Anesthetist made sure I recalled nothing for the thyroid surgery and the anesthesiologist for my eye surgery did the same. After all I have to work with them!

The laser I was told was essential to getting the Symfony implants because of the higher level of precision.  Perhaps that is hype.  But my understanding is that the laser devision of the cataract results in less post op inflammation. 

I'll take a ride in the car tonight to see the night issues!

Mike

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Lol nothing worse than working in medical field and having to have a procedure done.  I have good friend that works at the hospital.  She has some stories!  Hospital I was at is like an assembly line - have no clue how a surgeon can do so many in a day.  Guess one doesn’t want to go first or end of the day! 

I think we will eventually have the laser equipment for cataract surgery - they likely already do in bigger provinces.  Had mine done by Phacoemulsification.  Just glad I had a very skilled surgeon.

Is your plan still to go ahead with 2nd eye next week?  Are you having the lenses targeted both for plano?  

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Yes, next Monday, and yes to zero Diopter. 

Mike

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Just as an aside, I just tried my 'trial' bifocal contact lens in my left eye! WOW, I was shocked.close vision is pretty good, although distant is not as good as with monofocal contact lens.

Mike

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Did not drive yet, but since our house is located at a 'y' in the road, oncoming cars point right at my house. I stood out front and looked at oncoming cars (which usually have high beams on) and vision was fine!   

Mike

11

After an hour or so and looking outside, the distance vision with the bifocal is not that great and the trade off is too great for me. I put the monofocal lens back in, it’s much better……don’t mind wearing the readers.

12

That sounds like good news!

Outside was view at night same in both eyes?   Glare was bad for me in both eyes due to cataracts so I never could really compare.   Glare and starbursts from headlights was strong first 5 or 6 weeks but those subsided.  

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Night time driving. 

Tonight drove home from work well after dark.  Lots of traffic.   Lots of headlights. 

It’s not a problem so far.  What I have come to understand is that I have been seeing “halos” FOR YEARS.   

What I see now through my treated eye are halos that are a bit brighter and more radial than before but the vision is so much better that the halos are not a problem.  

Perhaps once my other eye is implanted I may be troubled? But I certainly see halos through my untreated eye too.  But those are yellowish and more granular.  The area preceived to make up the halo is a bit bigger seen through the treated eye but about the same as I saw before the surgery.  

The vision is so much better.  I can read license plates from three car lengths or more!!!

Very happy!!!

Mike

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I may have been the same.  Had a lot of glare with cataracts so the improvement is welcomed!  

Yes being able to read license plates again across several lanes is good.  Also to read the big green road signs is great too.

Glad your Symfony eye is working well for you.  Nice to hear something positive about them.

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Wow - sounds like you got an excellent result so far, congratulations!

You don't see any of the coencentric circles around some lights like car red brake lights at all that other Symfony IOL patients have reported?

 

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Back to work today. No issues.

Cannot use my surgical loops since those were setup for my old prescription, so I'll have to replace those.

Vision is GREAT!   Drove home again in the dark, no issues.

Mike

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Driving in Rain at Night!

I have had issues with driving at night in the rain for years. It's called life. LOL.   Well now with Right eye corrected it is better since vision is better. The halo's I had been seeing in the right eye have diminished and it's not even a week yet.   Driving in rain with wipers on, bright lights from cars and road signs etc, is not a problem for me. I am very pleased with this. I am having the left eye done Monday. 

I am hoping for better close vision after both eyes can work together.

Mike

18

Was wondering how you were doing.  The speed at which your eye is adapting especially at night amazes me.  I didn’t have laser assisted surgery so perhaps healing too longer.  I could see well say after surgery but the glare at night was difficult.  Took 6 weeks for that to diminish.  We are having quite the rain storm here too starting yesterday and was thinking to myself I have come a long way with being comfortable driving at night.

Yes you should be able to read much better after 2nd surgery.  My surgeon didn’t even test reading after first surgery - only did that 24 hours after 2nd surgery.  

I know some comments I read online suggested mini monovision with Symfony to get that little better close vision but my surgeon was not keen on that although that is usually what he did with monofocal lenses.  He was a believer that Symfony worked best when implanted in both eyes targeted for plano.   Who knows - I am pleased with the way mine turned out.

Best of luck to you Mike for Monday’s surgery.

19

Thank you!

Mike

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Had my second eye surgery this morning.   All went well but this time I can recall every moment so this anesthesiologist was a bit cheap with the meds!  They said, 'everyone remembers more the second time.'  No big deal it just hurt more this time as the surgeon operated. Or rather since I remember it all it is perceived as hurting more. 

My left eye vision is at about the same phase as my right eye was at 4 hours post op, bright and blurry!  But the left eye is not as blurry and Ic an actually read things at about 10 to 15 feet pretty well. LOL.

Colors are about the same eye to eye and the yellow haze is gone.

Halo's on the way to the hospital this morning were less in the right eye, but certainly present.  One eye vision (no contact in the left eye today) on the way in was ok, but can't wait to experience corrected binocular vision!

Mike