Did u have astigmatism correction w/cataract surgery? (implants, doctor, prescription)

['M']

Have searched these posts but my question isn't answered in older posts. Will have cataract surgery on right eye Wednesday. So busy with work, haven't done my homework for this surgery. Doc will use mono vision lense. Have astigmatism. Need some advice from you oldtimers. Dr. can correct the astigmatism if I want it, for $1,000. For those of you who have had your astigmatism corrected with your cataract surgery, how well did it turn out for you? Was it worth having it done? My glasses generally have astigmatism correction in them. Thoughts?

[leastprime]

Yes you can correct it in cataract surgery. Wife's astig. was corrected Procedure was start to finish ~20min. . Mine was mostly corrected in lasik, I still have a little bit remaining.

['M']

Hi, leastprime....how is your - and your wife's vision - now, post-surgery? Was it worth it?

[leastprime]

Mine , yes and part of the lasik 20+ years ago. US$1500/eye Canada. Hers, yes, and I don't know the cost 3 yrs ago.

['M']

Still don't have an answer for my question. If you have had cataract surgery with correction for astigmatism, how well did that turn out for you? Did you have any vision problems from the surgery? Do you have good sight now, today? How is your distance vision today? Overall, are you pleased with the vision in the eye - or both eyes - that had the cataract surgery? Thank you so much!

[Sunscape]

Had cataract surgery this past week, with correction for astigmatism. It was done with laser so I paid extra for it. So far I believe it has been successful. I am very pleased .

[pearl2014]

'M',

How did your surgery turn out? I am going tomorrow for my measurements for surgery in January on both eyes. I also have astigmatism and would like to know what you chose to do and how it worked out for you. I had some preliminary paperwork to fill out today. It asked if I had to choose glasses for one thing, which would I choose - distance, moderate, or close-up. I wasn't sure how to answer. How distant is distant? 20 feet, 50 feet? I will, of course, discuss with my doctor tomorrow, but I didn't expect these questions. I've worn glasses since I was 10 years old, and never expected to not wear them - but it would be great if I didn't have to. Thanks.

[terracore]

I had cataract surgery in October. I had astigmatism in one eye, bad nearsightedness in both eyes, and also needed reading glasses. I had progressive bifocals when I wore glasses and multi-focal contact lenses when I wasn't. Then the cataracts started. I had the PSC variety that come on very quickly.

I got the Alcon Panoptix trifocal lenses implanted, a regular one and one that corrects astigmatism for that eye.

As of my checkup last week vision was 20/20 in one eye and 20/25 in the other. Surgeon said the results were 'remarkable' and my vision should continue to improve over the next 3+ months.

I don't need reading glasses, or glasses of any kind anymore, in fact I was able to lower the font size on my phone to a super small setting so that text displays properly in a particular app that I use. I would say that my near and mid vision is "perfect". My distance vision is great in full light but I wish it was better at night. The surgeon says that will improve over the next few months.

I've had poor vision my whole life. I'm not using any kind of corrective lenses now. Two days after surgery I was driving without glasses for the first time in my life because I can see better than I could when I was 15.

The tri-focal implants were expensive because the insurance didn't cover any of it.

[Mary2014]

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes with correction for astigmatism in the past 13 months. I had all sorts of complications, but, most of the complications for both eyes were due to RK/AK surgery I had 27 years ago.

Prior to surgery I was using progressive lenses. The goal was to be able to see distance and just need reading glasses. It did not quite work out that way.

Surgery on my left eye with severe astigmatism in November 2019 resulted in one of my RK cuts from 1993 opening up during surgery. I ended up with close up vision and moderate astigmatism. It took four months for the eye to become stable enough to get a new prescription. The new prescription for both eyes caused double vision. Had to put my old lens for the right eye back in my glasses.

Between Covid19 delaying surgery on my right eye and an emergency room visit over the 4th of July weekend due to a Vitreous hemorrage in my left eye we had to delay the surgery on my right eye. By the time my doctor considered the vitreous hemoorage stable in my left eye the vision in my right eye had become much worse.

While the original plan from the beginning was to use a Toric IOL lens in the left eye to correct the astigmatism, we had originally planned to use a regular IOL for the right eye. (The RK/AK surgery 27 years ago had minimized the astigmatism in the right eye). However, by the time I was ready to have surgery on the right eye I had developed severe astigmatism in the right eye. Ended up needing a Toric IOL lens for the right eye as well. Had the surgery mid September 2020.

Surgery on my right eye had issues as well. It corrected my distance vision, but, over corrected for my astigmatism two days after surgery. All of this due to previous AK/RK surgery. Doctor was prepared to do another surgery to reposition the lens, but, wanted to wait two weeks to see if it would self correct. Two weeks later the eye was still not stable for one minute to the next. I could read one line on the eye chart and 5 minutes later I could not read it. So, he retested me after another 3 weeks. The astigmatism was showing a great deal of improvement. I go back in 6 weeks to get a refraction done to determine a prescription for new glasses.

Meanwhile, I now have mono vision. My left eye is good for computer work and reading. My right eye is good for distance. I can actually see better not using any glasses at all vs using my current glasses with just the left eye prescription and a blank lens for the right eye.

My brain is in the process of learning when to let my right eye dominate (i.e. when I am driving) for distance and when to allow my left eye to dominate for computer work or reading. Individually each eye needs a corrective lens, but, using both eyes together without glasses my vision is pretty darn good - so I haven't used my glasses at all for several weeks.

The only issue I have now is that in low light conditions my pupils expand and pick up the irregular eye surface of the old RK /AK cuts. It causes "ghost" images - so no driving at night. Of course I have not driven at night for the past 9 years even with progressive lenses that corrected for astigmatism.

My issues with cataract surgery and Toric IOL lenses is due to the irregular surface of my eyes due to previous RK/AK surgeries (precurser to Lasik). I was not expecting to be using eye drops 4 times a day for 15 to 18 months. I am that 1% exception who has complications - but, in the end I am expecting to have it turn out better than originally planned - with no need of glasses at all during daylight hours.

[pearl2014]

Thanks for the responses. I, too, had RK about 25 years ago, so when I met with my doctor he told me that based on his experience with RK patients, he would only use clear lenses for my implants and that I would just have to continue wearing glasses afterward. I actually felt a relieved to hear this because I had read about many cases where there were many complications for RK patients if they used Toric or other correcting implants. Mary, I was so sorry to hear about your many problems. Has your doctor ever suggested scleral lenses for your irregular eye surfaces. My husband also had RK (never should have happened - he had many eye problems), and he had very irregular surfaces. He has been wearing scleral lenses for about 8 years and his vision is about 20/25 and he is able to drive at night. My night vision started deteriorating early in 2020, but my doctor feels that the removal of my cataracts should correct that. Of course, it is not perfect - with RK one has starbursts as you well know, but we don't go out much at night, and our destinations are not more than 5 -15 minutes away when we do. Wishing you best luck and vision improvement.