Anyone else on the list done refractive lens exchange?

[Iciclehead]

Got my surgery date all lined up for a week from Thursday, will get both eyes' lenses replaced with nice multi-focal Alcon Restor lens that ought to give me a glasses free life.

I have done my research, risks seem very, very low, surgeon did all his checks and apparently I am an ideal candidate, a friend of mine had hers done with excellent results....so I am off!

Anyone else on this list done it, if so, what was your experience?

Thanks,

Dennis

[mreid]

I don't know what that is, sounds rather star trekish to me. However, I had lasik in 2002 and to this day it was an awesome decision!

[jorian]

If it were me, I would do one eye at a time in case something goes sideways. Maybe overly cautious but blindness would seriously cramp my style.

[Iciclehead]

It is essentially cataract surgery (which they do zillions of), but instead of just a monofocal lens they make the lens to compensate for your vision deficiency.

They do both in the same day, about 1 hour apart....little scary I know....

Dennis

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by jorian

If it were me, I would do one eye at a time in case something goes sideways. Maybe overly cautious but blindness would seriously cramp my style.

+1 on this. My daughter got her eyes done one at a time as well. She is very happy with the results.
For me nobody is touching my eyes.
Guy

[gsxrken]

I'm not a fan of elective surgery, ever. Things happen and you're talking about your eyes.

The multi-focals let in up to 20% less light and can cause halo / starbursts and fuzz around lights at night. I didn't like the sound of that at all. Most patients do fine with IOLs, but the ones who have complaints almost all had multi-vocals.
Also, the adaptation from distance to reading is almost never what the patient hoped for it seems.
The procedure also drastically increases your risk of retinal detachment.

If it was me, if I was electively looking to ditch corrective glasses or contacts, I'd go lasix way before I'd get into the lens. Of course if you have a lens problem, that's not relevant. I went with monofocals when I NEEDED to have IOL's implanted. Happy so far.

[nota]

I had cat surgery 15 years ago

had to have the laser blow holes in the membrane about 5 years later
but other then that no major problems

never heard of this multi-focus lenz

[Brando]

Please explain more. My father had the single-focal version done about 8 years ago, no problems. They did the multi-focal 3 years ago. Also no issues.

At 30, I hope I'm not too young. Is it out-of-pocket or is ins. covering part of it?

Details!

[Iciclehead]

It is privately funded...$8400 Canadian all in....both eyes.

The multifocal is relatively new technology, it keeps on improving, but the latest ones seem to have better ways to deal with the halo's and also with the full range of focusing.

I am going a lot on the experience of a friend of mine who basically lost the need for glasses and can see better, no issues.

Dennis

[Iciclehead]

Ok guys, an update, had the surgery on Thursday, all went well with the minor exception that the Atavan they gave me had basically zero effect, so I was totally wide awake for the entire procedure, not the most fun I have had.

I could see, albeit rather blurry walking out of the operating theatre. Went home and napped and by the next morning I could see distances quite well, had blurriness everywhere else but certainly not a biggie, just annoying.

Had eyes tested and came back as 20/20 in left eye, 20/40 in right with the blurriness. My normal vision was 20/10 so I still hope for improvement.

Reading is a pain as the eyes are in perfect focus about 8 inches away from the book, very clear and very nice..I gather from the good doctor that as the sac around the lens firms up, the blurriness that is there will go away and my near vision will extend towards normal reading distance (say 15").

Today, day 3, things are better again, vision improving and starting to feel like I could drive without too much trauma. Doc says I can drive on Monday....so I will.

So far, so good. Nice to not have glasses, process was not too bad.....eye drops (3 different ones) 4x per day is a pain, as is sleeping on a chair (need to stay on my back for a week, no sleeping on the side).

Dennis

[gsxrken]

Glad to hear it worked out.