Dry eyes and cataract surgery

[Cassi307]

Just curious as to your experience in reference to results after cataract surgery. Does the dryness in your eyes worsen?

[Carolina]

I had cataract surgery AFTER I was diagnosed with Sjogren's (actually SICCA, but identical).

The surgery was done so that corrective lenses were placed inside my eyes, and I no longer needed glasses.

Regards, Elaine

[Cassi307]

Just wondering though did your dry eyes get worse after the eye surgery?

[Carolina]

Dear Cassi,

Eventually my eyes have gotten worse, but it has been 17 years since the diagnosis, and the cataract surgery.

My eyes did not get markedly worse for several years after the surgery.

Hope this helps.

Elaine

[Sharon]

Elaine can you explain about the corrective lenses? Are they implants that you do not remove?
Do they help with dryness?

[Gorn]

Cataracts surgery typically replaces the lens inside your eye with an artificial one that stays in there.
In theory it shouldn't have an impact good or bad on the dry eye situation.

[Carolina]

As Gorn/Kevin explained, cataract surgery takes out the old fuzzy lens, and puts in new lenses.

The new lenses are plastic and fit inside your eye to replace your old cloudy/fuzzy lens.

The new lenses can have any correction you want, or no correction.  I wore mono vision contact lenses before I developed dry eye.

Mono vision is a way to correct for both reading and distance.  One contact corrected for reading and one for distance.  I had to 'learn' which eye to use, when.  75% of people can make that happen and 25% cannot (they get dizzy, etc).

So, when my fuzzy original lenses were removed my ophthalmologist inserted plastic lenses, one for distance and one for reading.

It worked a charm.  UNTIL at age 68 I developed astigmatism!  And that forces me to wear glasses (which have weird corrective lenses since I still have the lenses inside my eyes, one for distance and one for reading.

My glasses are progressive addition, but each eye has a different correction based on the lenses inside my eyes.  If that makes sense.  Well it does, but I don't expect everyone to follow.

PS I order my fancy eye glasses from one of the major online eye glass companies.  I get fancy frames, special weird lenses, and all the bells and whistles for about $100/pair.

Ok, more than you ever wanted to know about my eyes.

Regards, Elaine

[Sharon]

Interesting...if the new lenses are plastic then isn't there the possibility the eyes could reject them and/or begin attacking them as foreign objects?

[Carolina]

Dear Sharon,

Try a Google Search on 'rejection of implanted lenses after cataract surgery' or some variant.

Regards, Elaine

[Scottietottie]

Hi 

I had cataract surgery on one eye in 2017. Expected to get the other one done about 6 months later but they said my eye was too inflamed and they wouldn't do it. 2 courses of steroid drops later and more eye drops than usual - I am finally back on the cataract waiting list. Have a pre-op assessment this week.
I didn't find that the last surgery made my eye any drier and I just can't wait to get the second one done
as I really want balanced sight again!
Not seeing properly is the worst!

Take care - Scottie 

[Kathy57]

Elaine,

It sounds like you got a great deal on your fancy eye glasses!  I love it when someone gets a good deal.🤗. I pay way too much for my eye glasses and even with my insurance.

This reminds me that I am overdue to see my ophthalmologist.  My vision just seems to slowly deteriorate.  Can?t read a thing without my reading glasses!  I?m starting to feel blind as a bat!  😂

No problems with cataracts so far.  Fingers crossed 🤞🏼

Kathy

[SjoGirl]

No the dryness was no better or worse. It is actually not as bad since I've been on Imuran and also gotten off some other drugs.