I had PRK 3 months ago, still cannot see clearly. Will it get any better, or is there something else that needs to be done?

Question

Cataract surgery on both eyes 7 months ago, Intraocular lens place-left eye: Model ZXT150 Diopter +23.5D SE 1.50D CYL -touric. Right eye: up grade was more for reading. 4 months later I still was not able to see clearly, PRK done 3 months ago and I still cannot see distance without glasses; reading I need 2.0 readers. No improvement since the start of April. Left is about 20/70ish and right is 20/30-40ish. The goal was no glasses. My eyes are other wise very healthy (age 64).

Ahad Mahootchi, MD · Answer

The Symfony IOL usually gives pretty good distance and arm's length vision ( intermediate) but sometimes the near near vision will  need readers. In order for this particular lens to work, the distance needs to be pretty clear with minimal prescription. Sounds like they tried to refine the remaining RX with PRK. The vision can be blurry rarely after PRK from remant RX or corneal haze. A doctor would have to fix that. If the distance is blurry and there is no RX remaining, then you need to be sure nothing else is wrong with the eye. Rarely, one can have a fuzzyness to the vision because of the Symfony design. If so, then replacing the lens with Crystalens is an option if a Yag capsulotomy hasn't been done. 
It can be tough to sort out whether blur is from posterior capsule opacity or from a lens design that sometimes (rarely) people just don't get along with. If you do a laser capsulotomy, exchanging the lens for another Presbyopia correcting lens gets difficult. If there has been a fuzz that even refraction didn't clear up in the early weeks after the surgery, then lens exchange should be considered before capsulotomy.

I had PRK 3 months ago, still cannot see clearly. Will it get any better, or is there something else that needs to be done?

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I had PRK 3 months ago, still cannot see clearly. Will it get any better, or is there something else that needs to be done?

Answers (1)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about PRK Laser Eye Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.