Depressed in Pittsburgh(3rd attempt

[mtoula1]

I'm going to keep this brief in case it gets lost again. After 60 years of great vision (only readers) I noticed signs on the highway blurry in the distance but this was noticeable ONLY when driving. I tried to get driving glasses but no lens was weak or strong enough to notice any distance So I visited an ophthalmologist and ended up having cataract surgery and expensive)$4000) chrystalens implanted. BIG MISTAKE. I didn't even get a 2nd opinion.

Since then my vision has been extremely blurry (Oct 08) and driving has gone from annoying to dangerous. My surgeons brushed off my symptoms as dry eye which I thought was nothing and would go away. I have no pain grittiness,redness, just lousy blurry vision which keeps me indoors where I can see short distance and I can watch TV and read with no problem. I have been to corneal surgeons, ophthalmologists, and optometrists and being treated for Dry Eye all over the city of Pittsburgh. I tried everything warm compresses, Restasis, plugs, drops, ointments, goggles, lid scrubs,etc. and have now lost hope. My whole life dwindled to my eye routine from 6am to bedtime. No change. So I just stopped.

All I am doing now is Restasis and wearing goggles and read this site. Thanks to all for your stories as they give me comfort and support and so I know others are suffering with me. I'll keep visiting and hope for a medical breakthrough to really help my vision. Strangely, I still see 20/25 on the vision chart.

Marty, depressed in Pittsburgh

PS I am still electronically impaired and this took 2 hours to finally get this out IF it makes it. Here's hoping

[Súil Eile]

Hi Marty,

I'm afraid I've no words of advice. But I can empathise with your frustration: life becomes extremely difficult when your eyes don't work properly.

So welcome to our (not always so) merry band of DES sufferers! I hope you find something that works for you and the strength to keep going

[Lucy]

Marty, as a lady of similar age, I need to ask you why you had CHRYSTAL LENS implants? If you'd had ordinary cataract surgery, your medical insurance would have paid for it.

My list of eye problems is long, but it does include one cataract surgery and I still have one to go yet.

I'm guessing you had the extra expensive lens because your doctor told you they were better for some reason. Do you recall what it was? I say that this surgeon who did the surgery owes you more than a kick in the backside. If I were you, I'd be calling and making appointments fast and furious. Do not let this slide.

I had Lasik surgery 11 years ago which was a big mistake. My surgeon saw me every two weeks at least for the first two years post-op. I would put more pressure on this surgeon and not let him push you aside. Also, no doctor will admit another doctor did anything wrong. You need to find out if he can find out what's wrong. Good luck. Lucy

[mtoula1]

Thanks, Lucy
Thanks for your response and support. I wanted badly to get my young eyes back, after so many (older) people had these implants with great results. I didn't want to use any glasses even for reading only. It wasn't even vanity because my mid and far vision were perfect. The lenses I chose promised great vision near and far and everywhere in between, and I fell for it. My insurance only covered mono lens which meant I would need glasses all the time.

So I went gladly in as a lamb to slaughter. I even wanted the cataract surgery soon as possible. When the immediate blurriness didn't heal after a year, I found out I'd had Fuchs corneal dystrophy, for at least 10 years, but they failed to notice that because certain precautions need to be taken for cataract surgery It was in my other eye drs chart, the Fuchs, but but none of those drs gave me any heads as to this corneal disease I had. Not any of these Drs explained Fuchs to me.

So I'm mad at all my drs. I don't see why you cant get a detailed statement when you leave a dr office alerting you to all the things wrong with you. So my main emotion is anger at the whole medical community especially Highmark BLUE CROSS, which owns a multi-milllion $ skyscraper(our tallest building) in downtown Pittsburgh. Used to be the US Steel building before they sold off to China or where ever.

Sorry I'm venting but thanks for listening. I am no longer a totally sane person. So first Fuchs and then the second year it was dry eye which I then found out is so heartbreaking. So I really don't know what the actual problem is, but I think I have milder symptoms than most of the people here, especially the young ones. My heart goes out to them.

Thanks again for writing back. I love this site.
Marty, NOT SO depressed in Pittsburgh right now.

[Lucy]

Marty, I also have corneal dystrophy which I found out after I'd had Lasik 11 years ago. Nice of the drs to notice after the fact. I should not have had Lasik at all.

I don't want you to be mad at Pittsburgh. My sister, whom we lost to cancer last year lived her whole married life out there. My problems are: dry eyes from the Lasik, declining vision because of the Lasik which probably had something to do with having corneal dystrophy. 15 months later, another dr diagnosed cataracts.

After waiting 5 years to get one of the cataracts out, my vision after that surgey was even worse. Now I had two dry eyes, one with so-so vision and really near-sighted. I had to give up working as a secretary. I am that way now and I have pain in the eye that had the the cataract surgery from nerve damage. I still have one cataract and a afraid to have the surgery.

I hope time will help you and I'd visit that doctor again and again. Lucy