I recently went for my annual vision checkup at my optometrist. Still reading at 20/20. Pretty amazing for someone in their forties to not need reading glasses. Distance vision, though, is what really impresses me. As I drive on the interstate and see so sharply at long distances, I still ponder on how novel that is for me.
My eye doctor commented on my adjusting the distance at which I held reading material (backwards) during his checkup. As if that signaled a need for reading glasses on the horizon. Maybe so, but I pointed out that for my first 30+ years of reading, I had to bring things closer to me to be able to see clearly and I'm still sort of in the habit of bring things close to read, and then adjusting backwards, even 5 years post-ICL.
14 comments:
It's been sixteen years since my ICL surgery. I had it performed BEFORE FDA approval as part of a study. I've learned that the lenses have been redesigned over the years. I experienced halos, ghost images, severe glare, star bursts, inability to focus in dim lighting. And sixteen years later I still experience EVERY one of those side effects, many of them from the iridotomies performed for the surgery. I developed a cataract ten years after the surgery. Then two years ago I experienced a posterior vitreous detachment, which left me with a floating clump of retinal tissue in my vision, just to add to my other floaters. I then was diagnosed with glaucoma in both eyes last year and have experienced vision loss in one eye. I have pigmentary glaucoma, which is caused by the placement of the implants rubbing against your iris, causing pigment dispersion. I am attempting to have both lenses removed through cataract surgery. As I mentioned, I know there have been design changes in the lenses over the years but please seriously consider ALL risks before you commit to this surgery. I understand the desperation for better vision. I was there. I sacrificed it all at no cost to me just to have better vision. I am happy that your vision is holding well, and I hope that it continues to do so for years to come.
Shannon, thanks for sharing your experience. I'm sorry it went so badly for you. I worry about those types of things happening to me and am frequently evaluating my vision to determine if there's even the slightest change in what I see. I think people in general take elective surgery too lightly, no matter what part of the body is being operated on. I debated a long time about whether I should have ICL and really it was the severe dry eye I already had that was the determining factor. I feared was contacts were doing to my eyes with so little lubrication between them and the eye surface. Glasses just weren't working for me.
Good luck with your next cataract surgery. Keep me posted.
Hello Nancy,
I am orienting on getting ICL lens implant but I have quite big pupils (8.5mm up to 9mm diameter in the dark). During the day my pupils are also quite big let say around 5 to 6mm diameter. I read your story about your halo's and glare and now I am curious how big your pupils are and whether you experience it as a big problem or that you get used to it and so doesnt matter that much anymore?
Which surgery and implant you exactly had? Because I guess ICL treatement changed since your surgery? These days the ICL lens is placed behind the iris, this was the same for you?
Thanks already;)
Bye Erik
Hi Erik,
My ICLs are STAAR brand. I don't know the exact dimensions of my pupils, but on the little card my doctor gave me to carry in the event of injury, it says my optic diameter is "4.9-5.8mm" and overall diameter is "12.6mm". I don't know about placement of my lenses.
I can tell you that I have some halos even in low light situations indoors, and I had some halos with contact lenses prior to surgery. With contacts, I had a sort of wedge-shaped halo. Now the halo is a true full circle.
It's been 5.5 years since my surgery and I can tell you that the halos have not diminished at all. Most of the time, though, they don't bother me. The time when it's the most troublesome is driving at night on the interstate (freeway). Every headlight, taillight, reflectors on the road and the white lines on the side all have a halo. Even the moon has a halo. And while driving, every one of those halos is in motion.
If you're a 'glass half full' type of person (an optimist) this likely won't bother you much, either. But if you're a pessimist, think twice.
Thank u so much Nancy for sharing ur experience. Very helpful : )
You're welcome, Lakshayy. Glad you found it useful! And thanks for the feedback. :)
Thank u thank u for posting about your experience and updating years later. It is really appreciated. I am considering ICL and am doing my research along with reading others' testimonies.
Hi... thanks for the post... Shannons post is disconcerting but indeed lot has changed over the years since... I'm concerned about the 2% early cataract risk and endothelial cell loss of 2-5% yearly... hv u kept a tab on it?
Manoj, other than having an annual check with my regular optometrist, no I have not kept tabs on endothelial cell loss. I will ask him next time I go.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for maintaining this blog! I'm a young (early 30s) woman who needs to have cataract surgery in my right eye as soon as possible (but don't need to in my left yet). Since I'm extremely myopic, a couple doctors I've seen have recommended that if I want to correct as much myopia as possible in my right eye, then I should consider getting a phakic lens in my left eye (I wouldn't be able to tolerate wearing a contact lens in my left eye all the time due to extremely dry eyes also, and would not be able to continue wearing glasses since the difference between the two eyes would be too great). Getting the phakic lens isn't medically necessary of course so I'm trying to mull the decision over. Your blog is really helpful! Thanks again.
Christina, I'm glad you found it helpful! Good luck whichever decision you make!
Hi Nancy!
This blog has been so helpful. I'm curious did your red eyes ever clear up? did they ever figure out why?
I'm debating getting ICL done but have been struggling with dry eye for two years. Although i feel better if i ever dare to put contact in my eyes get beet red viens. I just want to make sure the ICL wouldn't irritate my eyes and cause them to go red.
Just wanted to get some feedback from you on this.
S.
Yes, Anon, my redness went away. I had to look back to see how long ago that happened - looks like 5.5 years ago. The redness hasn't happened since. My guess was that it was an infection of some sort - nothing to do with my ICLs, since they went in over 8 years ago.
Good luck!
I also have ghosting, glare and poor night vision after staar vision icls. Praying none of us end up needing corneal transplants due endothelial cell loss. I get checked every year. I regret having this procedure.
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