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what steps to get a problem crystalens removed and replaced
Can anybody tell me the steps they took to accomplish the extraction of a lens they did not like? Were there problems? Who needed to approve the extraction ( the original surgeon? a doctor who did a second opinion?) Did the insurance company pay? Did you need to consult a lawyer at any point? How did you find an experienced surgeon in your locality? So far, I did manage to get a second opinion/examination and am hoping it will be covered.
My orignial surgeon who I will see soon, wants to do YAG and lasik (at his expense) to repair the limited vision I have with the crystalens implanted almost 3 months ago - he admits his measurements were off and the power is too strong ( I can only see my fingertips clearly - no halos or other problems though) He wants to do crystalens in the other eye . I do not want lasik nor do I want a crystalens in other eye - I would like monofocal lenses after my experience with crystalens. By the way I do have a "fold" in the macular which I am hoping won't complicate matters.
Thanks for any help you can give. I really appreciate this website.
My orignial surgeon who I will see soon, wants to do YAG and lasik (at his expense) to repair the limited vision I have with the crystalens implanted almost 3 months ago - he admits his measurements were off and the power is too strong ( I can only see my fingertips clearly - no halos or other problems though) He wants to do crystalens in the other eye . I do not want lasik nor do I want a crystalens in other eye - I would like monofocal lenses after my experience with crystalens. By the way I do have a "fold" in the macular which I am hoping won't complicate matters.
Thanks for any help you can give. I really appreciate this website.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear caren123,
One of the most important questions that needs to be answered is, is the vision with a glass prescription in the crystalens eye good? If the answer is yes, then LASIK will likely help your symptoms and give you good vision.
Dr. Feldman
Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California
One of the most important questions that needs to be answered is, is the vision with a glass prescription in the crystalens eye good? If the answer is yes, then LASIK will likely help your symptoms and give you good vision.
Dr. Feldman
Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California
Also, to answer your question about how to find an experienced surgeon: Go to the Crystalens website and look for the Doctor Locator tool. When you give them your zip code, they will list the surgeons near you that have been trained by Bausch & Lomb and have completed a minimum of 100 implant surgeries. However, I still think that the invasive type surgery required to exchange the IOL would place an added stress on your retina. You need to be sure that whatever swelling or wrinkling that is going on back there is resolved before you consider any surgery to the inside of your eye. Even if you have LASIK which is relatively non-invasive since it is to the cornea only, until you resolve the retina problem, it will be difficult for any doctor to accurately determine the power of a new implant or the calculations for the LASIK until the retina problems resolve. You are in a difficult situation that will require a great deal of patience. There is no quick solution. What is most important is to make the best choices that will give you the best long-term outcome. The key is finding a doctor that you feel comfortable with, trust, and can talk with and get clear answers. Good luck.
I agree totally with jodiej. As soon as I read your comments earlier today and saw the doctor's reply, I knew I had to write to you. Jodie just beat me to it. I had Crystalens in 2007, later LASIK to correct the refractive error, the Yag laser for capsule opacification, and also have been battling macular edema and macular pucker ever since, no surgery, just lots of injections, but surgery is my next step; so while I'm not a doctor, I've been through it all and have educated myself as much as possible. I hate to bring bad news, but you have more problems than you know. You need a retina specialist asap. I believe you have THREE completely separate problems. And, you need to completely understand the causes of each and what your options are to handle them.
First, you have "refractive error" because the Crystalens power calculation was wrong. This is the doctor's error and any procedure you have to correct it should be on his dime. Don't discount LASIK as a solution. It may actually be much safer and more reliable
than replacing the IOL.
Secondly, if you have been told you need the Yag procedure, you have posterior capsule opacification. This is a cloudy film that is coating the back side of the implant. It will also affect your vision. The ONLY way to fix this is to remove the film, surgically or with the Yag laser. Sooner or later, you will have to have this done. It is a simple and painless procedure. You need to know also, that if you have this capsule opacification, it means removal of the Crystalens is even more difficult and risky to do. DO NOT have the Yag laser until you have firmly decided if you ever plan to have the IOL removed because removing the implant is much easier if no Yag capsulotomy has been done!
And thirdly, you most definitely have a retina problem! The larger image size, the wavy lines and distortions are the result of this. Either macular pucker or macular edema. This can have a major impact on your vision and you absolutely must see a retina specialist and not fool around. If you have any type of retina problems, you most certainly do not need to consider a surgery to remove the implant. Again, LASIK is actually much safer in your case.
Bring these points up to your doctor, a second doctor, or the doctors on this site to confirm that what I say is correct. Get as much information as it takes to fully understand all this. Believe me, I've been there. Best wishes to you.
First, you have "refractive error" because the Crystalens power calculation was wrong. This is the doctor's error and any procedure you have to correct it should be on his dime. Don't discount LASIK as a solution. It may actually be much safer and more reliable
than replacing the IOL.
Secondly, if you have been told you need the Yag procedure, you have posterior capsule opacification. This is a cloudy film that is coating the back side of the implant. It will also affect your vision. The ONLY way to fix this is to remove the film, surgically or with the Yag laser. Sooner or later, you will have to have this done. It is a simple and painless procedure. You need to know also, that if you have this capsule opacification, it means removal of the Crystalens is even more difficult and risky to do. DO NOT have the Yag laser until you have firmly decided if you ever plan to have the IOL removed because removing the implant is much easier if no Yag capsulotomy has been done!
And thirdly, you most definitely have a retina problem! The larger image size, the wavy lines and distortions are the result of this. Either macular pucker or macular edema. This can have a major impact on your vision and you absolutely must see a retina specialist and not fool around. If you have any type of retina problems, you most certainly do not need to consider a surgery to remove the implant. Again, LASIK is actually much safer in your case.
Bring these points up to your doctor, a second doctor, or the doctors on this site to confirm that what I say is correct. Get as much information as it takes to fully understand all this. Believe me, I've been there. Best wishes to you.
The problems you're reporting (i.e., distortion, wavy lines, washed out colors, larger-size image) are all symptoms of a macular pucker (aka epiretinal membrane). I'd strongly advice you to look into getting the pucker removed by the most experienced retinal surgeon in town. (If you're willing to travel for surgery, you might consider seeing Dr. Steve Charles in Memphis.) The pucker will impair your vision with any IOL.
Thank you Dr. Feldman. Right now my vision is not good with a contact lens - there is more distance vision but still a lot of distortion -for instance objects look larger and closer with crystalens eye; some colors are washed out; there are spots of blurriness; looking at a grid the lines are wavy - all happen with or without the corrective contact lens. I am currently taking PredForte drops one per hour prescribed by the retinal surgeon to get swelling of the retina down and see how much improvement that might give. But I would still like to get rid of the crystalens and not get one in the other eye. Thanks again.
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