Fluorescent lights sensitivity after cataract surgery

[Azm113]

I just had the Symfony lens implant in the left eye (5 days ago) and my vision is absolutely amazing except when I am under fluorescent lights.  The right eye will be done in 3 weeks. I work in an office that is illuminated exclusively by fluorescent lights and I do computer work. As soon as i am under the lights i can feel the vision change and almost like a dizziness, strain in the eyes and slight headache. Today was first day back at work and i lasted for 3 hours and i had to leave. as soon as i was outside in normal light i was fine. I read quite a bit about it and it seems that it is part of the adjustment process. Any tips, advice much appreciated! Thanks a lot!

[Fifav]

Hi, now that some time has passed I was wondering how you were going with the Fluro lights. I had oculentis In both eyes but double vision and Fluro lights so bad I had symfony put in one eye last week, still have Fluro light issue and can't go I to supermarkets etc. love to hear if your settled in time

[JohnHaganMD]

No posts in the last year. You might post a new question.

[JohnHaganMD]

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[Azm113]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I managed to get a desk near a window for the time being and I am not bothered by the fluorescent lights as much anymore. I hope it will go away quickly. I also had to lower the brightness on all my devices. Yes the world is bright and even with only one eye done I can read without glasses.

[JohnHaganMD]

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[Garrry]

I had symphony lenses implanted in both eyes thirteen days ago
I didn't have cataracts but experienced  the same sensitivity to Fluorescent   lighting as you It is now becoming less of a problem But everything still seems very bright
Im so glad I chose the symfony lenses

[JohnHaganMD]

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[SoftwareDeveloper]

When I first had the Symfony implants, I had to turn my monitor brightness all the way down to its lowest setting (after having been almost at the highest), and it took a few months before I felt like adjusting it to find the highest quality rather than keeping it less bright. The world seemed noticeably brighter for quite a while, which I gather is more   common after cataract surgery regardless of the type of lens. It seems likely that is just making the fluorescent light issue more noticeable.

An aging lens, and especially a lens with cataract, tends to block out more blue light in particular than a young natural lens. Most IOLs let through more blue light than even a natural lens without a cataract of the same age, unless they are "blue blocking" IOLs which the Symfony isn't. (overall most surgeons don't see a need for blue blocking IOLs which is why most IOLs don't offer it. Although a minority consider it a useful precaution, others seem to see it as more a marketing ploy than something useful). In fact some of the UV spectrum is visible to some people with IOLs that aren't blue blockers, including the Symfony. Many fluorescent lights have a higher amount of blue and UV light than other types of lights, though not all. Some computer glasses (including those that are non-prescription) filter out blue light and glare a bit, which might be of help.

If you look at the Symfony's web page under the "support tab":

http://www.tecnisiol.com/eu/tecnis-symfony-iol.htm

There is a link to this "directions for use" PDF file:

http://www.tecnisiol.com/eu/tecnis-symfony-iol/files/symfony-dfu.pdf

Which has a graph comparing the % of light that passes through the Symfony compared to the natural lens of a typical 53 year old.

The odds are the issue you are having has nothing to do with the particular type of lens you have, other than perhaps that it isn't a blue blocker.   I've read as much as I can about the Symfony and about visual issues afterward and haven't noticed anything in particular about this lens that might be relevant in my reading. .

If you worked under such lighting before your cataracts were noticeably cutting down on light and had no trouble with it, then it seems likely you'll adjust quickly to it (though the type of fluorescent bulbs they use may have changed of course also possibly). You could talk to them about what sort of bulbs they use and see if there are alternatives that might be more comfortable for you. If it is impacting you, it may impact others, even if perhaps its too minor for them to have complained.

[JohnHaganMD]

Increased light sensitivity is extremely common in all types of IOLs. The cataract is yellow-brown and like a sunglass lens inside the eye. When it is replaced with a crystal clear IOL much more light gets into the eye than the eye has been use to for often 20-30 years.  Over a period of weeks the brain adapts to the brighter images and for most people is it much less troublesome.  If it should persist you can consider tinted glasses or even wearing a visor at work.

JCH MD