Wed. 20/30 J3
A very interesting day. I kept my surgery schedule to a minimum, in case my vision wasn't up to operate. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I prepared all my surgical patients for the next 2 weeks, just in case I wasn't 100%. I performed a levator resection with blepharoplasty (elevated a droopy eyelid and removed excess skin), and a removal of a lid tumor. I had no trouble at all operating. I had a third scheduled, a severe ectropion (lower eyelid turned outward causing chronic redness and pain.) I had no problem performing the first two, but my eye was a bit irritated and so we rescheduled the third for Sat. am. Patients are so understanding, as long as you explain things. I saw clinic patients all afternoon, no problems.
I have never been a good Contact Lens wearer! I really lacked the motivation, feeling glasses were just fine. For my non-medical friends, I wore no glasses until my 40th birthday. Within days, I required reading glasses, and within a few months, I could not see at distance. I was "far sighted."
I lived with bifocals for the next 23 years. Well, today I was motivated to become a CTL wearer. It was very difficult for me to function with an implant in one eye and being farsighted in the other. It may well be easier if you are "near sighted," I don't really know. Most of my patients do just fine, between the first and second eye. However, I will be more sensitive to those who are not retired and require better interim vision, (before the second eye surgery). I will offer more CTLs.
Rings around lights at night? I do not know what the big deal is! Yes, I see a series of very fine rings around point sources of light with my new eye. Well, the other eye has a halo around the same lights, and I can truly say that neither bother me or distorts my vision. Driving is just not a problem. The rings are just there. It also depends on the type of light. Street lighting, with the vapor type of illumination seem to be worse.....but so are the halos in the other eye! I ask all my ReSTOR patients, at 6 months, if the rings bother their vision, or whether they have problems driving at night. All have to think about it before answering......which means if they do see the rings, it does not bother them.
My wife cautioned me to be patient!!!!!.........which, inherently, I am not. My Alcon reps remind me that there is a huge increase in binocular vision 2 weeks after the second eye is done, and then again another bump in vision at 2 months. It's as if the brain must learn to use a new optical system. I have seen that also in my patients. The brain just does better interpreting images from the same optical system. I can hardly wait to have the second done, and begin to allow my brain to adapt to the new optics.