first IOL experience, shimmering and light distortion

[Siloxane]

So I had a silicone IOL implanted two days ago.  It seemed to go well technically.  My vision when I was younger was excellent, at the followup yesterday I think the surgeon said it was 20/40 now.

I see a curved shimmering on the left and right side of the visual field when glancing left or right, especially bad when reading.  

At night looking at light pinpoints (Holiday lights, streetlights, stars, headlights) have a distortion or glare coming out to the left and right, which tilts when I tilt my head.

1. What is this shimmering and is it likely to resolve?  

It is very annoying,  I saw in another post that it might be me seeing the edge of the lens, which might make sense as it looks like a curved distortion.

I'm concerned about having my second eye done because at this point the remaining natural lens seems better than what the silicone can do, but the focal ranges are different now, TV at 15 feet through my IOL is not very crisp, but a 1.25 lens seems overkill (1.25 with my remaining natural lens is perfect at 15 feet).

I said that I do essentially no driving or golfing, but a lot of reading on a computer screen and on video panels in meeting rooms.  It seems like I'll still be carrying 3 pairs of glasses and I was hoping to ditch one pair after this.

They said they were going to set plano at about 60 feet, and I tried to talk to the surgeon about it because I don't really need to see anything that far out and from what I understand could wear glasses for far out vision and not need them for intermediate, but they would not return my calls and I don't know what the depth of field might be.

2. What are my options at this point?

I sure don't want things to be worse than they are.  A very high deductible insurance policy would makes this attractive to do this year but ability to absorb information visually is more important if I have to wait for a while.



I got the:
B&L model PC LI61AO, Length 13 mm, Optic 6.0 mm, power + 18.5D  
if that helps

Thanks!

[Sue_S]

The day after I had my first IOL implanted I told the surgeon that I could see shimmering lights on the edges and he said it would go away as the lens capsule wrapped itself around the iol.  Sure enough within a few days I wasn't noticing it anymore.

[Siloxane]

Thanks very much for your advice.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

You need to discuss your concerns with your doctor.  I do not know what your refraction is at this time.  I don't think you are plano if your vision is 20/40.

Dr. O.