Catarct surgery & dry eye

[lgray1945]

I will be having cataract surgery the end of August. Cataract from cortisoids! Have had many infections over the past 18 months... shingles in the eye started the whole thing. What does anyone think about this surgery? Any Docs in CT better than some others?

[abbygirl]

Hi Igray1945,
I would make sure your dry eye is under control BEFORE you have cataract surgery. I had dry eyes where I could no longer wear contacts. I also had cataracts so I decided to have them removed and a toric IOL implanted. My vision is OK (I was a -13) but my dry eye has gotten much worse. Not saying it is totally due to the surgery but I think that any time you cut into the cornea you are risking that it will make your eyes drier. It also takes longer to heal...especially if you have had shingles. Any other questions I will be happy to help with!!
Abbygirl

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi and welcome!

Sounds like you have a lot going on with the eyes! Would you mind sharing a bit of the story behind the steroid-induced cataract and also these multiple infections? Do you know why you are so susceptible to infection? How were they treated and did they resolve quickly? - Shingles/Zoster is also a really tough thing to deal with as it can leave a lot of residual pain that doesn't always respond to the usual treatments.

As Abbygirl said cataract surgery can set you back significantly in terms of dry eye. Sometimes though surgery is unavoidable if the cats are seriously interfering with your vision. Cat surgery is pretty routine on a healthy eye. But on a dry eye you want to be maxing out dry eye care both before and afterwards. On an eye with an extensive history of infection, I'd have some in-depth consultations with a couple of different corneal specialists before proceeding if possible.

[hirentherock]

HI rebecca and all!
Im posting after a long time!
To start my story i have dull vision in my left eye due to cataract and myopia has been detected as well. whereas right eye is just hopeless for vision as it does not have an iol(docs removed 3 years back and another doc will try scleral fixation cataract in right eye.vision is just figer couting right now in right eye).Also im highly photophobic.
i had sjs when i was 8!
Recent tear tests were 15 and 17 in left/right eye.thanks to sea cod lever oil capssules and restasis.

Now within 2 weeks im going to be operated for cataract in left eye.which is the best of the two eyes, but has myopia.

i want to know if any1 in such coondition (sjs + myopia + cataract) has the surgery? and suppose just like my right eye oil failed, what wud happen if it turns out during the surgery that i cant have iol ? i cant find any links on google for "what if an eye does not have iol?"

I m going to be operated by a well known cataract surgeon Dr.abhay Vasavda at ahmedabad,India.
Dr. Abhay R Vasavada recieved the Binkhorst Medal at the ASCRS meeting in San Diego, March 25-29, 2011.
http://www.abhayvasavada.in/

he is hoping for a good result but he put me on restasis for a month before proceeding to the surgery.But as restasis burns a lot, he gave me loteflam(a mild steriod) to use with restasis to reduce burning.
I have completed a month and soon will be going to see him and have surgery.
Im biting my nails!! tis is going to be a decisive surgery of my life :-s