Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Eye Care Archive (Expert Forum)
Cataract Experience
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Cataract Experience
by Tony12, Nov 16, 2006 12:00AM
I am a 56 year old diabetic and had both eyes done with multifocal iols, the right eye on October 31st followed by the left eye 2 weeks later on November 14th. The right eye had an advanced cataract but just a slight one in the left. After the first one was done I noticed a heaviness in that eye which I assumed was just the after effects from the surgery, but after a few days I noticed a shadowy arc shape at the outside edge and round the lower eye. Also a fuzzy sensation.
At the check up a week later the surgeon could find nothing wrong - he checked my retina as well. The following week I noticed that the heavy and fuzzy sensation would go away when I wore my old reading glasses, even when just balanced on the tip of my nose and looking into the distance but not through the lenses. When I removed the glasses the sensation would come back again after a few seconds. This really amazed me and I started to think my brain was just playing tricks on me. I found that the sensation would go away if I held a piece of card over my cheek or put my hand over my cheek.
When I had my left eye done 2 days ago I mentioned this to my doctor and he said it must be just light reflected back from my cheek and will go away with time. I don’t get this at all in my left eye now I’ve had that done.
Has anyone out there experienced anything similar to this and does it go away eventually. I can live with seeing a grey shadow (I can see my nose if I look at it but it never bothers me) but it’s the heavy pressure sensation that really bothers me.
At the check up a week later the surgeon could find nothing wrong - he checked my retina as well. The following week I noticed that the heavy and fuzzy sensation would go away when I wore my old reading glasses, even when just balanced on the tip of my nose and looking into the distance but not through the lenses. When I removed the glasses the sensation would come back again after a few seconds. This really amazed me and I started to think my brain was just playing tricks on me. I found that the sensation would go away if I held a piece of card over my cheek or put my hand over my cheek.
When I had my left eye done 2 days ago I mentioned this to my doctor and he said it must be just light reflected back from my cheek and will go away with time. I don’t get this at all in my left eye now I’ve had that done.
Has anyone out there experienced anything similar to this and does it go away eventually. I can live with seeing a grey shadow (I can see my nose if I look at it but it never bothers me) but it’s the heavy pressure sensation that really bothers me.
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-OD-MP, Nov 16, 2006 12:00AM
very specific and unique symptom. i doubt too many people here have that exact experience...
Example: Poor vison after surgery. After 3 months became perfect. Went 3 months thinking it was permanent.
Enormous glare. After many months, have very little glare now.
Debilitating psychedelic night show. After 8 months, that is actually improving to the point that I cannot believe it. Had I been told how many things are possible, and that time, even 8 months is necessary in some cases, it would have reduced my anxiety a great deal. Time changes so many aberration from the multifocal lens. But in the mean time, can be a big stressor. Best wishes. You are very early on.
Can you describe exactly the sensations you were getting from this? Did it go away when you put your hand over your cheek? How long did it take to go away? Did it go away gradually or suddenly?
Although it doesn’t affect my vision (in fact I now have excellent vision all round and no longer need glasses and no halos either) I am feeling a lot of pressure and strain in my right eye. Also I sense a fuzziness at the corner of my eye when looking directly ahead, but when I look across to the right there is nothing there. I also see a dark shadow which I presume is my cheek or lower eye lid, but this doesn’t bother me anymore and only notice it when I put my attention on it. It feels like my eye is still affected by the anaesthetic - heavy and tired. Also it is slightly better in the evening under electric light. Did you get all these symptoms – I’m dying to hear from you again!