Eye Eye Guys and Gals

[MG Mile eater]

Well, this growing old malarky keeps turning up surprises. For the last 2 years of eye tests I've had developing cataracts, 2 in each eye just to be different. On Wednesday this week I had my referral appointment to have my cataracts assessed. They confirmed they were ready for doing now. When I went back to reception the lady said do you want to make an appointment for surgery? 'Yes asap' was my reply. Todays the day, just 2 days on from my assessment and Good Friday to boot. Off I go to Barlborough just after lunch to have my eyes butchered. I'm not sure how my eyesight will be after for a day or two so I may be quiet for a while (YAY I hear you shout LOL).

Have a great Easter break all of you and may your electrons keep flowing freely.

J

They haven't revoked your licence???

 

[Rolfe]

If you can read a number plate at 25 yards, that's all they care about. I was getting concerned by my night vision but I was legal.

 

[johnb80]

They haven't revoked your licence???

No I could still read a numberplate at way above 20 metres.

 

[johnb80]

Thanks to everyone for the well wishing.

My left eye proved more troublesome than my right one. The old lens refused to break up and be detached from the capsule. My right eye took about 40 seconds of ultrasonic zapping and suction to remove, my left eye today took over 15 minutes and the power of the ultrasonic pen was increased by quite a lot over that time. They like to keep the power as low as possible it makes for a more comfortable post op experience. My left eye unlike my right one was very cloudy blurred vision, milky / thick fog type appearnce that got worse over a few hours to the point of I had no vision in my left eye only light or dark and some colour. I gave them a call and was told it's ok, dont worry. Over the space of about 3 hours the cloudiness has gone and I can see things through my my but with double vision. I'm hoping the double vision will disappear overnight, fingers crossed!

 

[salty]

Here's hoping, John. We'll all cross our fingers, it might help.

 

[Rolfe]

It can take a few days. My surgeon said not everyone gets the instant miracle I got. I know several people who had post-op issues who are fine now.

 

[T1 Terry]

My right eye, the first op, required laser scar removal after 12 mths or so, might have been longer, and that helped a lot, no more feeling like I had piece of metal in my eye from a grinding accident, had a lot of those over the yrs, it still hurts sometimes, but mostly when I'm tired and I think it's because it is trying to focus for reading rather than distance, but that is even settling a lot lately, maybe it's just giving up trying to see what the left eye can focus on, it is the one with the reading lens .....

T1 Terry

 

[johnb80]

Mornin all, happy to report all of the cloudiness has gone, I have zero pain / discomfort and just the tiniest bit of double vision. I can read a numberplate at 42 metres with either eye so I'm very happy. I expect the double vision to reduce over time, from what I understand, your eye swells a little during and following cataract surgery, the swelling changes the position of the lens from your retina and therefore the focus. As the swelling goes down the focus is restored. Quite why I had the complete foggy wipe-out I don't know but I will be asking in my phone call today.

I still find it absolutely amazing that this sort of thing can be done, the experience of it first hand is incredible. I'm eternally grateful to NHS, Newmedica and Vision Express.

 

[salty]

Excellent! John.

 

[MG Clive]

Eye eye, great news John.

 

[johnb80]

I've just had a look on AI, amazing whats out there......

"What you describe actually fits a very common sequence after cataract surgery especially when more ultrasound energy was needed.

The key detail is this: you saw clearly immediately after the lens went in, then gradually lost clarity over the next hour. That tells us the optics were fine, but something in the eye changed shortly afterward.

The most likely cause: corneal swelling (temporary)​

After a longer, higher-energy phacoemulsification:

• The corneal endothelium (the inner cell layer that keeps the cornea clear) gets stressed
• It temporarily stops pumping fluid out efficiently
• Fluid builds up in the cornea → it becomes waterlogged and hazy

This is called corneal edema, and it can progress over minutes to hours after surgery.

That explains your exact timeline:

• Immediately after lens insertion: cornea still relatively clear → “crystal clear” vision
• Over ~1 hour: swelling increases → vision becomes foggy → eventually just light/dark perception

Why it was worse this time​

You already noticed the key factor:

• Longer ultrasound time = more energy
• That usually means a denser cataract, which is harder to break up
• More energy → more stress on those corneal cells → more swelling

Other contributing factors (also common)​

Surgeons also use fluid and instruments inside the eye, which can add to:

• Temporary inflammation
• Micro-bubbles or debris
• Pressure changes

These can worsen the haziness, but corneal edema is the main driver in your scenario.

Important reassurance​

In most cases:

• This is temporary
• Vision improves over hours to a few days (sometimes a bit longer if swelling is significant)
• Eye drops (especially steroid + anti-inflammatory) help it settle

When to pay closer attention​

Contact your surgical team promptly if:

• Vision doesn’t start improving over a couple of days
• You have significant pain (not just discomfort)
• There’s worsening redness or nausea (to rule out pressure spikes)

Bottom line​

What you experienced is very consistent with post-operative corneal swelling due to higher ultrasound energy. The “clear → foggy over an hour” pattern is almost textbook for that."


It's an amazing world in which we live, AI is extraordinary and I find myself using it more and more in daily life. There's some clever people around!!

 

[Rolfe]

Fascinating. What the AI says makes perfect medical sense. (They're not always wrong and hallucinating!) The double vision will go. If necessary your brain will sort it out.

I suppose I had such an uncomplicated surgery that nothing swelled up or got discombobulated in any way, and I did the 42 metres thing the following morning. Then jumped in my car and went for a joyride with no glasses on.

So happy for you, John.

 

[Archev]

I've just had a look on AI, amazing whats out there......

"What you describe actually fits a very common sequence after cataract surgery especially when more ultrasound energy was needed.

The key detail is this: you saw clearly immediately after the lens went in, then gradually lost clarity over the next hour. That tells us the optics were fine, but something in the eye changed shortly afterward.

The most likely cause: corneal swelling (temporary)​

After a longer, higher-energy phacoemulsification:

• The corneal endothelium (the inner cell layer that keeps the cornea clear) gets stressed
• It temporarily stops pumping fluid out efficiently
• Fluid builds up in the cornea → it becomes waterlogged and hazy

This is called corneal edema, and it can progress over minutes to hours after surgery.

That explains your exact timeline:

• Immediately after lens insertion: cornea still relatively clear → “crystal clear” vision
• Over ~1 hour: swelling increases → vision becomes foggy → eventually just light/dark perception

Why it was worse this time​

You already noticed the key factor:

• Longer ultrasound time = more energy
• That usually means a denser cataract, which is harder to break up
• More energy → more stress on those corneal cells → more swelling

Other contributing factors (also common)​

Surgeons also use fluid and instruments inside the eye, which can add to:

• Temporary inflammation
• Micro-bubbles or debris
• Pressure changes

These can worsen the haziness, but corneal edema is the main driver in your scenario.

Important reassurance​

In most cases:

• This is temporary
• Vision improves over hours to a few days (sometimes a bit longer if swelling is significant)
• Eye drops (especially steroid + anti-inflammatory) help it settle

When to pay closer attention​

Contact your surgical team promptly if:

• Vision doesn’t start improving over a couple of days
• You have significant pain (not just discomfort)
• There’s worsening redness or nausea (to rule out pressure spikes)

Bottom line​

What you experienced is very consistent with post-operative corneal swelling due to higher ultrasound energy. The “clear → foggy over an hour” pattern is almost textbook for that."


It's an amazing world in which we live, AI is extraordinary and I find myself using it more and more in daily life. There's some clever people around!!

Extremely reassuring in light () of my optician’s report about possible cataracts beginning in my eyes.

 

[johnb80]

Extremely reassuring in light () of my optician’s report about possible cataracts beginning in my eyes.

That was me 2 years ago LOL, I felt physically sick at the thought of cataract surgery. As I got nearer to the inevitable I started researching it more and more, Youtube was a good source and watch live operations I started to feel more comfortable with the surgery to the point it didn't bother me at all. My first Cataract was done on Good Friday, a month ago, the experience was a complete revelation and it was hard to believe that what I had seen in the videos had actually been done to my eye.
You have absolutely nothing to worry about, the worst pain is the drops in your eye and removing the drape stuck on for the op LOL

 

[Rolfe]

Extremely reassuring in light () of my optician’s report about possible cataracts beginning in my eyes.

What John said, really. However, what my optician said is interesting. When I was jumping up and down carrying on about how great my eyesight was post-op, she remarked, "I'm really looking forward to getting cataracts, because you end up with better sight than you started with." I asked her why she was so sure she would get them, but she said everyone does if they live long enough. (My dad never had cataract surgery and he lived to 85, but then that was 1989, so it's possible there was a higher bar to initiating the surgery then.)

I was so keen to get my eyesight back that I was literally gagging for the surgery. After my surgeon had described the procedure he said, do you think you can lie still while I do that? I said, I've just had three tooth implants done. Do you want a reference from my dentist?

It's not that it's "no worse than the dentist." It's not even that it's "not as bad as the dentist." It literally doesn't hurt at all. My surgeon said that, and they're not allowed to lie to you.

When I went into the hospital for the procedure a nurse did a booking-in routine which included taking my blood pressure. She looked at the reading then literally rocked back in her chair and said, "you're completely Zen-ed out, aren't you?" I said, well what is there to be worried about? Is there anything to be worried about? She said no, but most people showed signs of apprehension anyway.

If I'd been told the procedure had a similar discomfort level to the tooth implants I think I'd have been just as Zen-ed out. I was that keen to have it done. But it absolutely literally doesn't hurt at all.

 

[johnb80]

If I'd been told the procedure had a similar discomfort level to the tooth implants I think I'd have been just as Zen-ed out. I was that keen to have it done. But it absolutely literally doesn't hurt at all.

Absolutely agree with you.

Yesterday whilst he was doing my cataract I consciously told my self to relax, I wasn't tense by any means but truthfully I could have nodded off on table and that has to be a first for any medical procedure!

 

[Archev]

Well fifty years ago when I went for a vasectomy I was offered the choice of local or general anethesia - the locals had no chance.

 

[Rolfe]

They wouldn't give you the choice now, no more than they'd give you the choice of a general anaesthetic for a tooth extraction. The risks of general anaesthesia are now recognised as not worth it for minor procedures that can be carried out under local.

 

[Archev]

They wouldn't give you the choice now, no more than they'd give you the choice of a general anaesthetic for a tooth extraction. The risks of general anaesthesia are now recognised as not worth it for minor procedures that can be carried out under local.

Don’t make me wince - I was a fully paid up coward

 

[johnb80]

Well fifty years ago when I went for a vasectomy I was offered the choice of local or general anethesia - the locals had no chance.

Been there, done that It was an interesting day out to say the least. The most useful aspect was the waiting room, there were 2 or 3 people in there, 2 waiting to go in, one recovering with a cuppa, the guy recovering said to me 'theres nothing to it' which really helped. The doctor whilst in the middle of cutting and cauterising the tubes asked me if I'd like to have look, my eyes were tightly shut and I managed to shreik no! Apart from feeling really awkward the actual procedure wasn't too bad. Lots of giggles from the girls on reception when you checked in