Tomorrow marks my four year anniversary with ICLs. Four years later, I'm still 20/20 with no major issues to speak of. The halo problem persists, but I really don't think about them much any more. I don't use the anti-halo drops at all these days. Some nights, the halos are barely there and the next night they'll be worse than ever. Their impact on my quality of life is minimal.
Now having gone four years without contact lenses or glasses, it's almost like I can't remember what that was like, and how much of a hassle it was. I love being free of those things! I love seeing the alarm clock in the middle of the night, even if there is a halo around it. ;)
If you're considering ICL, really think about pros vs cons, and accept that there are likely to be cons. It's amazing to think about going from total nearsightedness to 20/20 in a couple days' time. That kind of magic has to have a price with it, and apparently my price was a few halos. I'm happy to have paid it and enjoy my clear vision.
12 comments:
Nancy, I just stumbled across your blog, and I want to say THANK YOU for the halo photos. I've now had my ICLs for just over five years. I, too, was awfully nearsighted before surgery -- a slave to my glasses since third grade. I was unable to do much of anything without them, not even cross the street, let alone go grocery shopping or driving! All in all, considering where I came from, I'm very happy with the results. No regrets, and I'd do it again. I'm a book editor and have had no troubles reading or working on the computer. Like you mentioned, however, the price for this freedom was/is halos and starbursts around light sources, day or night. I've been trying to explain how I see when I night-drive to friends and family, but I don't think they really get it. Your photos are going to help tremendously! I use a drop of Alphagan in each eye before driving at night (or attending an event in a darkened space) to shrink my pupils and a pair of glasses that boost my prescription just a tad so that while the halos may not disappear, at least they're sharper. Makes a difference. ANYWAY, so happy to have run across your blog. Best wishes!
Glad I could help! When I created those photos, I shared them with my doctor to explain what I was seeing, and they asked "Where did you get these?" When I told them I made them, they asked for copies. So hopefully I helped educate them a bit, too!
I'm still going without drops these days. I guess you just get used to the halos. I do occasionally have nights where there are virtually no halos in my vision, but I haven't been able to determine what's different to account for it (what I ate/drank, how much I slept, weather, time of day, etc). Most of the time, though, the halos persist. But I get by just fine without the drops.
I had told my doctor, too, that with the halos there's a sensation but they insist that's not possible. I know better. It's not an uncomfortable sensation, its just noticeable.
One thing no one seems to talk about is the extra light making its way in from the iridotomy holes. I notice lighted rooms being too bright in some cases, or an extreme need for sunglasses outside. Now, I do have rather large pupils so not everyone may be experiencing what I do. But again, it's not something that dramatically impacts my quality of life.
Thanks for your feedback!
Hi Nancy
I have done my ICL just a week ago and yes I can see halos but with the New ICL i havent gone through lots of discoomfort, my procedure took only 2 minutes per eye. Guess what guys, I was -24 before the Surgery now am -1.50. Halos are not much of an issue and are not so defined nowdays. I think i would recommend ICL for acute shortsightedness otherwise laser is good too.
Sameer
Thanks for sharing your experience, Sameer. That is an amazing amount of improvement in your vision!
Great blog! That's so cool how you created the halo pictures! So accurate.
I got my ICL this month and so far I'm very very happy.
The Halos are something though!! They don't distract my night driving, though.
They look just like your pictures!!
The only "problem" I had post-surgery was that this last Monday, they had to repeat the YAG PI due to high eye pressure episodes I had been having most evenings, each episode of pain from pressure lasting 30-40 minutes, and on one side or another (never both eyes at once)
Since the repeated PI, my pressure is great.
Thanks for sharing, Michelle! Glad you're having a great outcome and that your pressure problem is resolved.
On the halo images, I'm trying to figure out how to animate a simulation, as most people don't think about that not only do you have halos, they're in constant motion when driving! The interstate is where I have the most problem, between headlights, taillights and the cateyes on the asphalt. I'll definitely post it if/when I figure out a solution.
Dear Nancy, thx for the perfect pictures of the vision after ICL, tomorrorw mornig I will show them to my surgeon.
I don't know if this can be useful for you, but I use a solution of 1 drop of pilocarpine and 8 drops of saline, this solution is perfect for 4 hours of perfect vision without blur, halos and the others visual artifacts... And is not much invasive for your eyes. (Sorry for my bad english)
A big hugs
IV.
hello nancy!
Congratulations for your blog.I am thinking of having an ICL surgery on September.Having read your experience made me feel more confident about doing it,since i am now aware of the possible cons.
I have -12 and my life is a bit difficult with all these contact lenses and glasses,as you can imagine!
I am thinking of operating only one eye for the beggining in order to be prepared for the second one in a better way....
Best wishes,have a happy life!!!!!!!!!!
Victoria,Greece
Thanks for your comment, Victoria. Allowing some time between your implantations might make it easier for you. I did mine two days apart, and it was a bit problematic after the first surgery, because I had been told to not wear my contacts for a week before surgery, and after the first surgery, the protective shield I had to wear over my eye for the first 24 hours meant that my glasses wouldn't fit over it, so I could not see at all! No glasses, no contacts and the one eye with good vision had a protective shield over it. And with all the different eye drops you have to use after the surgery, being able to see was kind of necessary. Good thing I had my parents helping me.
Good luck with your surgeries!
Thank you Nancy for writing this blog! I am strongly considering ICL. I am -9 in each eye and already see those halos at night in my contacts. Do you think that my halos could get worse after ICL or since I already see them perhaps I wouldn't notice a difference? All of the risks listed in the pre-op papers have scared me half to death so I am so happy to have come across your information. - Katie
Katie, I'm glad my site proved useful to you! Your halos could get worse - mine did. With contacts, I usually saw a wedge shape above lights. Now I see a complete circle, a true halo. And they're more intense. But as I've said often on this site, I'm still happy I had ICL surgery. Good luck!
Nancy I have headaches and I have bad visor. At night and double vision during. The day , my left eye tends to get dry as well , I saw better with contacts to be honest , this is my 3rd month ,, did u have any of these signs at all? Thank u any comments from anyone would be appreciated!
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