Cataract Surgery Questions and Answers

Search: 

Question:

My wife is very near-sighted (-18) she has had both retina' re-attached and has significant thining of the retina. Her vision w/contacts is quite good,about 20/20, but when she needs to wear glasses it is a problem. It is very difficult to fit her w/glasses because of the required correction. The laser procedure sounds as if it may improve her ability to wear glasses (at least more normal ones). My concern is what potential negative issue may we be looking at because of the severity of her vision problem? She is 40 yrs old and her eyes are quite healthy, as is the rest of her. The retina surgury was about three years ago & she has had no difficulty since then.

Answer:

Your question is a good one, the -18.00 prescription is beyond the range of laser correction, which has it's maximum at -12 to -13 diopters. If she were treated, her residual correction would be approximately -6.00 diopters, a vast improvement over her current situation; but still fairly near sighted. One other option would be cataract extraction with a lens implant, if there was any trace of cataract formation (not uncommon after retinal surgery). A new lens implant would allow her to correct all of her nearsightedness. Lens implants (without cataract surgery) are still being investigated, but may be available in 2 years time. Please contact the office if you wish to schedule a consultation. Our phone number is 1-800-824-1073.

John D. Zdral, M.D.
Fullerton, CA

Question:

recently i had to have an operation to close a hole in my retina that was leaking fluid, can you please explain to me what causes this to happen ?? and could my previous cataract surgery could have caused this? Could this somehow have been caused by a mistake made during that surgery leading to the hole that was not there before. please take time to awnser my question as i am quite worried about this. thank you, MARY

Answer:

Dear Mary, I'm afraid you would need to re-direct your question to a "retinal Specialist". I personnally do only "laser vision correction". Sincerely, Dr. Alexandra Chebil M.D.

Question:

I am in my mid forties,and had cataract removals from both eyes several years ago. I had never worn glasses in my life, always having perfect eyesight. After the surgery I was left near sited in one eye, and far sited in the other. Also my pupils are set very small, and do not dialate. I feel the doctor that performed the surgery did not do it properly. My eyes look very strange now and I`m quite upset about it. I`d really appreciate your input on this. Thank You, Tim Chesworth

Answer:

Cataract surgery can change your prescription depending upon the lens implant. If the eyes are markedly different, and you notice an imbalance, one of the lenses (usually the farsighted eye) can be exchanged, to make the eyes more balanced. Contact lenses could be an option also. If you would like a second opinion, feel free to schedule an appointment by calling us at 1-800-824-1073.

John D. Zdral, M.D.
Fullerton, CA

Question:

Would you be able to tell me if there are any doctors performing excimer laser operations in the Netherlands? I suppose there are, but wouldn't know where to find them. I am a 47 year old female, wearing glasses/lenses since I was 7 (myope + astigmatic) and I would love to have the laser operation performed! Hope you can fill me in on this one. Thanks in advance, Naomi Koster Amstelveen The Netherlands

Answer:

Please try to contact the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS). Also, try isrs.org., the web site for the International Society of Refractive Surgery

Question:

My cataract operation was April 19, almost 5 months ago, and my eye has been burning ever since. My doctor calls it rosacea stemming from skin around the eye (though I had never had the problem before). He prescribed eye scrub and Noritate applied under the eye once/day. Two weeks ago dermatlogist was very indecisive about whether he was even seeing rosacea, but he prescribed tetracycline. Still have burning eye.Other possible diagnoses?

Answer:

Rosacea, blepharitis, and dry eye (tear dysfunction) could be part or all of the problem. You probably never noticed it. Then you were on anti inflammatory medication after cataract surgery. Now that you are off the medication you feel the difference which you had grown accoustomed to before.

Question:

I have extremely bad near-sighted vision. I've had one of my retna's tear due the the extreme myopia. My vision is about -17.5/-18. I was wondering what type of options I have. I'm 22 years old and I am afraid further complications like another torn retna will seriously harm my vision. I would love an opinion. Thank you very much for you time. Sincerely, Lyra

Answer:

Your myopia is indeed quite high Lyra. Currently the laser (LASIK) could correct about two-thirds of your prescription, but not all of it. A newer technology on the horizon is intra-ocular lens implants, also known as implantable contact lenses. These lenses are similar to the lens implants we use for cataract surgery patients, and they can correct very high degrees of myopia. These lenses are still considered investigational, and long term studies are not complete. One question is whether they may cause cataracts or glaucoma later in life. They will probably be approved in one years time, pending FDA approval. Check with us again next year to review your options. Sincerely, John D. Zdral, M.D.

John D. Zdral, M.D.
Fullerton, CA

Question:

My wife, 30 years of age, has recently been diagnosed with cataract. She is not diabetic and never used steroids. She has been healthy all her life. My question is how effective is Intra occular lens surgery in restoring normal vision. Also how long do these lenses last? thanks for your reply in advance.

Answer:

Small incisiion cataract surgery is very successful at restoring vision. The lens implant that is used is permanent and will never degrade. The healing is very rapid and your wife should expect excellent vision afterwards. For an evaluation in the office please call 714-879-7372. Thank you. Sincerely, John D. Zdral, M.D.

John D. Zdral, M.D.
Fullerton, CA

Question:

About three years ago I was diagnosed with post polar cateracts. I am 29 years old and can feel my eye sight slipping away. I cannot seem to get as much information about my condition as I would like. How rare is my condition and is surgery to correct my problem as risky as I am being told. What do I have to do ...go totally blind?

Answer:

Dear Jennifer: Cataracts are a treatable problem, with cataract surgery. To evaluate your condition further, I would need to evaluate you in the office, but when the cataracts reach a certain point, surgery should solve the problem. To schedule an appointment please call 714-879-7372. Thank you. Sincerely, John Zdral, M.D.

John D. Zdral, M.D.
Fullerton, CA

Question:

I was to have bilateral LASIK last Friday, however, after starting the first eye, the doctor stopped the procedure and said that the flap was irregular and she could not proceed. She did not lift the flap. She said that I would have to wait 3 months before surgery again. I have a very steep cornea and wonder if this could have been part of the problem. I asked the surgeon at an earlier visit what her experiece was and she said that she had performed about 50 LASIKs but several hundred PRKs, but that LASIK was easier since a computer did all the work. When I asked her about the problem at surgery, she said it had to do with the steepness of my cornea. Now I am concerned that I chose the wrong doctor and she is simply not experienced enough. The doctor is with an extremely highly regarded eye center that specializes in cataract surgery. Would you shop for another doctor in my situation? IS the three months waiting time appropriate? By the way, I have healed very well since the procedure. Thank you for any advice that you can give me as I am very upset with this turn of events.

Answer:

Your situation is a complex one, and needs to be reviewed in detail by a qualified physician. Factors that can be important are the steepness of the cornea, the experience of your surgeon and (very importantly) the equipment utilized. I highly recommend the 'Down-Up' LASIK procedure, as flap complications are quite rare, even with steeper corneas. This involved using one of the newest generation micro-keratomes, which we have used for the past two years without a single complication. If you would like a complimentary consultation please call Pam at 1-800-824-1073. Thank you. Sincerely, John Zdral, M.D.

John D. Zdral, M.D.
Fullerton, CA

Question:

Will this be a permanent change to my vision? Will my vision change back or get worse? Typically what will the surgery cost for both eyes with myself being nearsighted and having an astigmatism?

Answer:

Yes, but other factors (cataracts,etc.)can influence your sight in the future. LASIK typically costs around $4500. total for both eyes.

Question:

i have cataracts from excessive steroid use to bring ulcerative colits under control.i wear contacts -4.50. i recently started having trouble reading without holding papers at arms length, although without my contacts in, i can read (holding up close to my eyes). what are my options? i'm interested in the implanted contacts. do my cataracts limit this? i'm 44 and have resisted cataract surgery, but ive heard about a lens replacement that would restore my normal vision and take care of my nearsightedness. And it would be covered by my health insurance thanks for your time. eric nadeli haven't needed any steroid therapy for several years

Answer:

Depending on the extent of the cataracts you may have more than one option. if you choose cataract surgery you should consider the AMO Array lens. It ia multifocal and can give you good distance vision while providing some functional near vision without glasses.

Question:

Are there eye drops available to treat a cataract and which have no side effects such as lowering of the heart rate (which create dizziness), and which can be taken by an asthma sufferer and which does not cause suffering from severe day or night sweating. All these side effects are mentioned on leaflets inside the medicine package. I am asking this on behalf of my mother who is 78 and having taken these drops now for some time she is actually suffering from these side effects, and of course, the fear is if she stops taking these drops she may become blind very soon. She has been told that all drops against this eye disease have these side effects. Is this true or is there some other medicine she could take which may be more suitable for her? My mother lives in Germany and they call the disease

Answer:

Sounds like your mother is being treated for glaucoma. There are no drops to treat cataracts. However, we do use drops for a short while after cataract surgery. She should inform her physician of the side effects so an alternative medication can be considered.

Next Step

• Learn about Cataract Surgery in the Articles Section
• Ready for a consultation? See qualified LASIK - Laser Eye Surgery doctors in your area

Browse All Questions & Answers

Example searches: lasik costs, tummy tuck recovery

Search: