I recently had symphony lens' in both eyes - operations were 2 weeks apart with the second being 5 days ago. My reading vision is fine but starts to go into soft focus looking across the room and beyond. Walking down the street - most things are out of focus so driving is not possible. The surgeon made adjustments to the calculations after the first eye to give the second greater distance but it seems about the same. The surgeon said I had vey small eyes and so maybe that is why the refraction is out. I also had this procedure duet to closed angle glaucoma rate than cataract.
Has anyone else had this outcome and did it rectify itself as I appreciate it is still early days - or did you have further procedures?
Hi Brighten girl - I too have Symfony lenses in both eyes after diagnosed with cataracts and vision could no longer be corrected with glasses at 53. Young for cataracts but my surgeon did say that some medications with prolonged use like steroids can bring cataracts on and I have eczema for which I have used steroid creams and prednisone for years. Wish I had know the side effect of those.
I am wondering why your doctor would prescribe cataract surgery for closed angle glaucoma and specifically Symfony lenses vs monofocal IOLs.
Those with cataracts have already experienced deteriorating vision and contrast reduction but for those without cataracts the reduction in contrast and vision due to IOLs would be more noticeable.
Have you had prior lasik or PRK to fix your eyesight? It is much more difficult to calculate the power needed in the lenses if you’ve undergone those procedures even if the surgeon has your pre lasik measurements.
All that being said you are early days in healing process - for some they have clear crisp vision within 24 hours and for others it can take weeks. The drops you are on can affect vision and you may only start to see well once those are done. My own surgeries were 6 weeks apart to allow time for healing - I find 2 weeks apart not enough time. That IOL takes weeks to heal into place and during that process moves back and forth so your eyesight can be plus or minus .25 diopter from the target.
Does your near vision stay clear or does that come and go out of focus? How about computer distance is that clear? Have you ever had clear distance vision since surgeries? Normally with Symfony first eye is targeted for plano - but from your comments your first eye cannot see anything far? How is computer distance with first eye?
Do you have a scheduled visit with the surgeon at 1 week post op? I had one at 24 hours post op and at 6 weeks. If you don’t I suggest you call his or her office to make one. Write down all your questions and take them with you.
I had the Mono focal lens installed 10 weeks ago ,both eyes done,two days after surgery I developed blurriness in my right eye,after my follow-up two days later he said I would need YAG treatment to clear up the back of the lens.He scheduled a time frame to have it done in 4 weeks.In the meantime I had the left eye done 3 weeks after the right eye.
The following morning after surgery I noticed a black shadow/rim in the corner of my eye and got a flashing light image when moving my head from one side to the other.Two days after my surgery ,I saw the surgeon for my follow -up,at that time he said the black/rim and flashing light would go away in four months.I also have blurriness in this eye ,worst than the right eye was.He claims I should have the YAG treatment done on this eye also.Which I declined at this time.due to the fact it didn't improve the cloudiness on my right eye,with no improvement.
He told me to go back to my family eye doctor and upgrade my reading glasses to now full time glasses,which I did ,this was not what I expected,very disappointed in having the cataract procedure done.
Hi Sue
Thank you for your response.
The surgeon recommended this op because implant lens' are much thinner than human ones and so the space created allows the angles to relax and the risk of glaucoma removed permanently. I did wear glasses for both reading and distance and so symphony was recommended to give a good range of vision.
I had no previous procedures done on my eyes.
The near vision stays clear for both reading and computer for both eyes but slightly better in first eye.
I am due to see the surgeon 4 weeks after second one was done.
Many thanks
Hi Brighten girl - you may want to search glaucoma and cataract surgery - as far as I know from reading I did and brief conversation with my surgeon about further eye conditions after cataract surgery - cataract surgery does not take the risk permanently of developing glaucoma. One has nothing to do with the other but does complicate matters.
Did you have the option for Zeiss LARA IoLs and if so why didn't you opt for them over the Symfony lenses.
Hi Soks
No, only the symphony was offered or a monfocal. I went with the recommendation of the surgeon who said this would give a good range of vision - he is also a bit surprised at the results and thinks it is still early days and it might come good - or there are other options of laser surgery or fitting another lens on top - or wear glasses.
Sorry to learn the vision issues, which you are having.
Do you know what your eye prescription is and what your corrected vision is for each eye (corrected vision means the best you could see with the glasses) at the time of your eye examination after the cataract surgeries. Your eyes may have changed somewhat since then, but that is still a good starting point to try to understand what your vision issue may be.
Even if the doctor did not give you that information, that should be in your records and they should be able to give that to you (even on the phone)
I would guess you may have ended up a bit nearsighted from the target, though that can get better over the coming weeks - vision should be stable after a couple months after you can stop the Rx eyedrops.
Thanks Night-hawk. I'm hoping things improve and have fingers crossed.
Hi 201
Thanks for your comments.
I don't have a record of my prescriptions but the surgeon checked and re-checked the measurements and said it was coming out exactly right. The lens was also in the correct place and the eye itself healing well. If other people have had a similar experience it would be helpful to know if the vision did come good after a few weeks. I will be talking to the surgeon as I will need to figure out what/when I can use glasses as otherwise going back to work and generally getting around is difficult as everything over a couple of metres away is out of focus.
Many thanks
I had 2 Symfony lenses a year ago (first surgery) and could see well within 24 hours. I know healing varies from person to person but if you are able to see clearly at near/intermediate but blurry for distance I would too guess the power calculation is off and you could be more nearsighted than intended target. You could gain either way about .25 diopter as the IOL heals and shifts in healing process (about 6 weeks).
Thanks - what's disappointing is that the surgeon made adjustments for the second eye following the results of the first and yet I appear to have the same outcome - so far. Maybe it needed a much larger adjustment or maybe it will come good. I guess I just have to wait a few weeks and see what happens.
Thanks for your comments.
Hopefully it will clear up- if not some premium packages include lasik enhancement.
I had a 6 week wait between surgeries and do think surgeons should wait to know what exact prescription is in first eye before proceeding with 2nd surgery. Especially important with premium lenses as the expectation of a patient for these is to be glasses free (or at very least less dependant on them). Otherwise people wouldn’t spend the money and go with monofocals which expense is completely covered by NHS.
I just did my first eye with Symfony lens about 5 days ago. Im having similar issue. I can see great (with that eye) the near and intermediate but my distance is worse. But most of all , I have a slight blurriness on the side of the eye. It's just very annoying. Im just hoping that I need to heal longer. It kind of feels like I have something like dirt in my eye. Let me know how you are doing now. Did you do more surgery or did it go away.?
Thanks.
Hi Kaya,
My left eye, the second one that they made adjustments for, is better but I do need glasses for distance albeit a very weak prescription. The surgeon said to do nothing further for a year as it could improve slightly when my brain has worked out that my left eye has to be the dominant one now.
My eyes were gritty for a while and eventually it subsided and just happens occasionally now when my eyes get tired.
All in all I'm happy as I don't need glasses for reading or around the house and I had my eyes done for glaucoma which has completely gone and pressure reduced to normal.
I'm seeing the surgeon around May time after 9 months to review as he is interested where my vision eventually lands.
Hope this helps
All the best.
I live in Brighton and had Toric Symfony lenses in both eyes, done at the Nuffield. It has been an utter disaster in my view. Like you I was convinced by the consultant that there was "a good chance" of being free of glasses. I understood there was a risk but I didn't consider the consequences of the risk. Looking at all the studies they seem to talk about "managing without glasses" and "only use glasses for some situations". It really is all too vague and meaningless. I need to wear glasses all the time and my vision is worse than it has ever been because of other problems caused by the operation. Symfony lenses should be banned and NICE do not recommend them.
Hi Alan, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I also had my eyes done at the Nuffield inWoodingdean. I'm 54 and didn't have cateracts but had closed angle glaucoma which was the reason for the operation. I do need glasses for distance but they are a very weak prescription. I don't need them for reading or computer work or generally around the house. The glaucoma has gone and the pressure in my eyes is now normal and my eyes are healthy which is the main thing. The consultant said to do nothing for a year and then see where my vision ends up because any interventions carry risks. Do you need glasses for everything?