Back to wearing glasses - ICK!

[Karen]

Cindy - if this thread got you moving toward taking better care of your eyes, then it served than more than just a rant on my part! Once your vision is gone - it can't be replaced! And new frames are more fun than using old ones too - there are so many different styles to choose from that are so attractive and fashionable.

The knot is still sitting there right in the middle of my eyelid. I'm keeping up the hot compresses and massage to try to break it up, but so far it's not working. I really don't want to have it incised - they make an incision on the inside of the eyelid to drain it. Doesn't sound like much fun, but since I had both eyes sliced and diced to remove the cataracts without any problem, then I guess I can do that too.

Gosh, we will say a quick prayers that it dissipates without Sir Jury if possible. Sounds like no fun. Do they have any idea why it happened so you can avoid whatever caused it in the future?

[pomtzu]

Gosh, we will say a quick prayers that it dissipates without Sir Jury if possible. Sounds like no fun. Do they have any idea why it happened so you can avoid whatever caused it in the future?

This is how it was explained to me.........

You have ducts in your eyelid that produce oil, and your natural tears keep it flowing properly. When you have dry eyes as I do (even using moisturizing drops). then your eyes aren't moist enough to keep it thinned out, and it can coagulate and clog the oil duct resulting in a hardened area - the knot. Doc say there is a procedure they can do involving the tear duct so that you retain more of your tears, and that usually is done also when they drain the affected area. Having both procedures done should eliminate any further problem. It's all done in the office and I wouldn't have to go to the surgery center, and he says it's painless. Guess I'll have to take his word for it for now.

[Asiel]

Wow...just caught up to your post now. That sure leaves me wondering what to do about having that other eye done. I had no clue cataracts could come back, probably would never have had the other eye done had I read this last year I can have a go at it once but not if they come back. I don't know why the optometrist said he couldn't give me a stronger prescription instead of having the cataracts removed. I think I'll ask when I go to the eye surgeon for my appt. (in his office) at least they don't throw you in the hopsital for the appt ...idiots. Wonder why no one mentioned the possibility of them coming back..?
Even with the cataracts removed I'll always need polarized glasses if I go out, so I'm beginning to wonder if having the cataracts removed is so necessary.....wouldn't mind if it was done in the office like you, not worse than the dentist...maybe if I'm lucky the hospital will float away
Can you tell the date is looming and I'm having second thoughts...

[mrspunkysmom]

Wow...just caught up to your post now. That sure leaves me wondering what to do about having that other eye done. I had no clue cataracts could come back, probably would never have had the other eye done had I read this last year I can have a go at it once but not if they come back. I don't know why the optometrist said he couldn't give me a stronger prescription instead of having the cataracts removed. I think I'll ask when I go to the eye surgeon for my appt. (in his office) at least they don't throw you in the hopsital for the appt ...idiots. Wonder why no one mentioned the possibility of them coming back..?
Even with the cataracts removed I'll always need polarized glasses if I go out, so I'm beginning to wonder if having the cataracts removed is so necessary.....wouldn't mind if it was done in the office like you, not worse than the dentist...maybe if I'm lucky the hospital will float away
Can you tell the date is looming and I'm having second thoughts...

Having just re-read the thread, I don't think Pom said her cataracts came back. She's having eyelid-tear duct issues with a blocked tear duct (ouch).

Cataracts, as in the whole lens, can't come back. And a stronger presciption won't help. Prescription lenses help focus light as it passes through your cornea and natural lens so that it hits the back of the eye right on. If your lens is clouded with cataract material, light won't get through unimpeded no matter what. Think of a cataract like FOG. We can see light and dark, but the details are not visible.

If the basics of the surgery haven't changed, the doctor cuts a very small hole in the cornea and removes the anterior (front) lens capsule. The contents of the lens capsule is the removed, leaving the posterior lends capsule, hopefully free of lens material. The PC is used as a hammock to seat and secure the lens implant, which I believe is also tied into place in the eye. Months later you are evaluated to see if the cataract material on the PC has grown. If necessary, a laser surgery is performed to cut a hole in the PC so it will fall off and vision will be restored.

I was very young when mine was performed, so there is a possibility of cusping, the lens material growing around the implant.

If your doctor says you need the surgery, you should do it. The lens material clouds over and blocks or distorts light. Colors fade; clarity diminishes. I was unable to drive at night for a long time because all of the lights overwhelmed any night vision.

Believe me when I tell you that the annoyance or anti-reflective lenses with polarizing material is worth the trade for vision. Without it, I, and many others here, would be legally blind. Mine were so bad they were done 6 weeks apart.

You probably don't think you need it now, but wait until the second eye is done.

Good Luck!

[Miss Z]

Zara, what do you have that requires contacts instead of glasses?

Keratoconus - a lovely little genetic present from my father. It's a condition where the cornea thins and loses its rigidity, causing it to bulge or slip. Hence, the contacts effectively hold it in the correct position. Glasses would work in the short term for the vision, but wouldn't help stabilise the condition in the way the contacts do. I guess the nature of the condition is that the cornea is constantly changing shape, and thus the contact lenses don't fit as well after a while, allowing bits underneath them and driving me insane in the process!

[pomtzu]

Asiel my dear - you really MUST have that other eye done so you can read what I wrote. BIG GOOF!! No - the cataracts DID NOT come back, but my eyes are going thru the good old aging process and changing once again - thus the need for glasses again. The procedures that I will probably have to have done are not on the eye, but on the eyelid. The oil gland/duct is clogged and has to be opened, and then some other procedure done to the tear duct - I'm not too clear on exactly what they do there - but I guess I'll be finding out soon enough if this doesn't go away on it's own.

[Asiel]

I saw my name Pom--- did you write something ? I did see that green smiley, green being my favourite colour I couldn't miss it
I guess I'll try to get over the hospital issue and get it done, wish there was another way

Just looked in the mirror-- yessir, I think I'm old enough to have cataracts. Actually some babies are born with them so I guess I best count my blessings

[krazyaboutkatz]

Ellie, I sure hope that your eyelid heals up and that you won't need to have surgery. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are on the way.

I've had a blocked tear duct in my left eye 2 times now and I needed to have surgery both times. I think that mine are due to allegies or sinus problems. I had the last surgery in Nov.2011 but my left eye still tends to tear up much more than my right eye. I need to go back to my doctor to have him look at it again some time. I hated wearing glasses so I ended up wearing contacts instead. I later used the disposable daily wear kind. I later had Lasik surgery done but I was never 20/20 in my left eye due to the astigmatism. Now my vision has gotten a bit worse but I usually only wear glasses when I drive at night. I wear prescription sun glasses when I drive during the day. I also have to wear reading glasses at work because I work with tiny detailed things. Now I can't imagine not wearing reading glasses at work. I can still read most things and even use the computer without them though. I'll be turning 50 in Dec. It sure sucks getting old.

[Karen]

It sure sucks getting old.

Just had to address that last bit, and say, as Aunt Bertha, Mary G., and others would remind me, "Getting old is not for sissies, but it sure beats the only alternative!" (Dying young.)

[pomtzu]

Ellie, I sure hope that your eyelid heals up and that you won't need to have surgery. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are on the way.

I've had a blocked tear duct in my left eye 2 times now and I needed to have surgery both times. I think that mine are due to allegies or sinus problems. I had the last surgery in Nov.2011 but my left eye still tends to tear up much more than my right eye. I need to go back to my doctor to have him look at it again some time. I hated wearing glasses so I ended up wearing contacts instead. I later used the disposable daily wear kind. I later had Lasik surgery done but I was never 20/20 in my left eye due to the astigmatism. Now my vision has gotten a bit worse but I usually only wear glasses when I drive at night. I wear prescription sun glasses when I drive during the day. I also have to wear reading glasses at work because I work with tiny detailed things. Now I can't imagine not wearing reading glasses at work. I can still read most things and even use the computer without them though. I'll be turning 50 in Dec. It sure sucks getting old.

Did you say 50??? Oh you poor baby. I'll be 68 this week. I can hardly believe it myself!

Mine isn't the tear duct that's blocked - it's an oil gland in the upper eyelid. Never even knew there were such things in the eyelid, but I sure know now! But they will do "something" to the tear ducts if I have to have the procedure - supposed to increase the natural tears somehow, even tho those aren't blocked. This is an ongoing education for me!

[Catty1]

There is such a thing as "secondary cataracts" - my mom was told about them when she had her cataract surgery last year.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-se...y-cataract.htm

[mrspunkysmom]

There is such a thing as "secondary cataracts" - my mom was told about them when she had her cataract surgery last year.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-se...y-cataract.htm

The docs didn't call the condition secondary cataracts when I had my surgery. Constantly renaming stuff or differences of professional opinions. I wish they would be consistent.

This was the regrowth of lens material that I mentioned in my previous post. I see an optometrist every year, but it has been a while since I've seen an ophthalmologist.

If the basics of the surgery haven't changed, the doctor cuts a very small hole in the cornea and removes the anterior (front) lens capsule. The contents of the lens capsule is the removed, leaving the posterior lens capsule, hopefully free of lens material. The Posterior Capsule is used as a hammock to seat and secure the lens implant, which I believe is also tied into place in the eye. Months later you are evaluated to see if the cataract material on the PC has grown. If necessary, a laser surgery is performed to cut a hole in the PC so it will fall off and vision will be restored.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Did you say 50??? Oh you poor baby. I'll be 68 this week. I can hardly believe it myself!

Mine isn't the tear duct that's blocked - it's an oil gland in the upper eyelid. Never even knew there were such things in the eyelid, but I sure know now! But they will do "something" to the tear ducts if I have to have the procedure - supposed to increase the natural tears somehow, even tho those aren't blocked. This is an ongoing education for me!

They will most likely put something in them to plug them up. My Dad also has very dry eyes so he had plugs put in his tear ducts. I think he also still uses some kind of over the counter moisture drops too. I have the opposite problem of too many tears.

[Asiel]

Having just re-read the thread, I don't think Pom said her cataracts came back. She's having eyelid-tear duct issues with a blocked tear duct (ouch).

Cataracts, as in the whole lens, can't come back. And a stronger presciption won't help. Prescription lenses help focus light as it passes through your cornea and natural lens so that it hits the back of the eye right on. If your lens is clouded with cataract material, light won't get through unimpeded no matter what. Think of a cataract like FOG. We can see light and dark, but the details are not visible.

If the basics of the surgery haven't changed, the doctor cuts a very small hole in the cornea and removes the anterior (front) lens capsule. The contents of the lens capsule is the removed, leaving the posterior lends capsule, hopefully free of lens material. The PC is used as a hammock to seat and secure the lens implant, which I believe is also tied into place in the eye. Months later you are evaluated to see if the cataract material on the PC has grown. If necessary, a laser surgery is performed to cut a hole in the PC so it will fall off and vision will be restored.

I was very young when mine was performed, so there is a possibility of cusping, the lens material growing around the implant.

If your doctor says you need the surgery, you should do it. The lens material clouds over and blocks or distorts light. Colors fade; clarity diminishes. I was unable to drive at night for a long time because all of the lights overwhelmed any night vision.

Believe me when I tell you that the annoyance or anti-reflective lenses with polarizing material is worth the trade for vision. Without it, I, and many others here, would be legally blind. Mine were so bad they were done 6 weeks apart.

You probably don't think you need it now, but wait until the second eye is done.

Good Luck!

I'll have the other eye done, just not keen on it because of the big deal we go through here when it's a 15 minute op. Actually with only one eye done I'm in heaven, I see colours now and actual faces so I thought I could skip the second eye but might as well go the whole route. I wouldn't dare cancel now, someone would have my hide...gotta keep up with her, what she can do I can do...I think not...

I've always needed polarized glasses, always will but I'm so comfy in them that I couldn't do without them, no eye pain from light, no shimmering roads or sidewalks etc.