UPDATE, July 21--My laser capsulotomy is scheduled for August 5. I would appreciate your prayers.
I’m no stranger to surgery (when it’s necessary). When I was in my early twenties, I had my wisdom teeth removed. When I was in my mid-twenties, I lost two teeth in a car accident and had to have a permanent bridge implanted. When I was in my mid-forties, I had cataracts removed from both of my eyes. Since hitting the big 5-0, I’ve had a complete hysterectomy, had both rotator cuffs repaired, had one knee replaced, and had an arthroscopy on the other one (both due to arthritis). Pretty soon I’m going to have a posterior capsulotomy. No, it has nothing to do with my posterior—ha ha!
When I went to my ophthalmologist for my regular eye exam four months ago, I complained about cloudiness in my left eye. He said that this is common after cataract removal, and it’s called posterior capsule opacity. He explained that when I had cataract surgery, the clouded natural lens was removed and an intraocular lens (IOL) was implanted in its place. The IOL is supported by a membrane called the lens capsule. Sometimes, part of the lens capsule that supports the IOL can become cloudy several months, or even years, after the cataract was removed. This is sometimes called a “secondary cataract,” but it’s not a real cataract because the IOL itself can’t become cloudy like the natural lens can. It’s just that the membrane that holds the IOL has become cloudy because the lens epithelial cells remaining after cataract surgery have grown on the capsule. Some people (like me) report also having problems with glare and bright lights, decreasing ability to read, and decreased ability to see far distances when this happens. My doctor said it’s very quick and simple to fix with laser capsulotomy. First, the doctor places numbing eye drops in your eye. Second, he puts more drops in your eye to dilate the pupil. Third, an invisible laser is focused onto the cloudy membrane behind the lens implant (posterior capsule), and a small hole is created in the membrane to allow light to pass freely to the retina, thus improving vision. The whole thing takes about five minutes. My doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory eye drops after the procedure, but some doctors don't think they're necessary. Normally the patient is able to resume all normal activity almost immediately. Most patients report improved vision within a day or two. There is a 2 percent risk of a detached retina with this treatment, so my doctor is going to check for that a few days afterward. If there is any damage to the retina, it can also be repaired with the laser.
Being a writer, I depend heavily on my vision to be the best it can be. I can’t stand it when I can’t see what I’m writing because this little cloud gets in the way, so I’m going to have this thing corrected as soon as I can. After the laser capsulotomy, I’ll have to have a new prescription for my normal glasses and as well as a new one for my computer glasses, but it’ll be worth it to be able to see better.
I’m no stranger to surgery (when it’s necessary). When I was in my early twenties, I had my wisdom teeth removed. When I was in my mid-twenties, I lost two teeth in a car accident and had to have a permanent bridge implanted. When I was in my mid-forties, I had cataracts removed from both of my eyes. Since hitting the big 5-0, I’ve had a complete hysterectomy, had both rotator cuffs repaired, had one knee replaced, and had an arthroscopy on the other one (both due to arthritis). Pretty soon I’m going to have a posterior capsulotomy. No, it has nothing to do with my posterior—ha ha!
When I went to my ophthalmologist for my regular eye exam four months ago, I complained about cloudiness in my left eye. He said that this is common after cataract removal, and it’s called posterior capsule opacity. He explained that when I had cataract surgery, the clouded natural lens was removed and an intraocular lens (IOL) was implanted in its place. The IOL is supported by a membrane called the lens capsule. Sometimes, part of the lens capsule that supports the IOL can become cloudy several months, or even years, after the cataract was removed. This is sometimes called a “secondary cataract,” but it’s not a real cataract because the IOL itself can’t become cloudy like the natural lens can. It’s just that the membrane that holds the IOL has become cloudy because the lens epithelial cells remaining after cataract surgery have grown on the capsule. Some people (like me) report also having problems with glare and bright lights, decreasing ability to read, and decreased ability to see far distances when this happens. My doctor said it’s very quick and simple to fix with laser capsulotomy. First, the doctor places numbing eye drops in your eye. Second, he puts more drops in your eye to dilate the pupil. Third, an invisible laser is focused onto the cloudy membrane behind the lens implant (posterior capsule), and a small hole is created in the membrane to allow light to pass freely to the retina, thus improving vision. The whole thing takes about five minutes. My doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory eye drops after the procedure, but some doctors don't think they're necessary. Normally the patient is able to resume all normal activity almost immediately. Most patients report improved vision within a day or two. There is a 2 percent risk of a detached retina with this treatment, so my doctor is going to check for that a few days afterward. If there is any damage to the retina, it can also be repaired with the laser.
Being a writer, I depend heavily on my vision to be the best it can be. I can’t stand it when I can’t see what I’m writing because this little cloud gets in the way, so I’m going to have this thing corrected as soon as I can. After the laser capsulotomy, I’ll have to have a new prescription for my normal glasses and as well as a new one for my computer glasses, but it’ll be worth it to be able to see better.
No comments:
Post a Comment