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• I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-05 00:26:14 By Patrick C
• I went to the eye doctor last week so I could get some contacts ordered. She told me that I'm developing cataracts on both eyes and she wants to see me again in 6 months to check up on them.
  
  I have a question though. I asked her this, but she wouldn't give me a straight answer to my question. I will talk to her about it more when I see her.
  
  Most or all of you know that when you wear contacts, it takes away your near sighted vision. When you have laser surgey, they put a prescription lens in your eyes. I was wondering if you could get a neutral lens (like a natural lens instead of a prescription lens) and still wear contacts, so I could have the option of being able to see up close or not. I already have enough trouble reading as it is. I don't want anymore.
  
  Also, many people are working on cures for RP, and I'm very hopeful that one will come out in the not so distant future. If you have a prescription lens put in your eyes, could they take it out and put a non-prescription lens in your eyes so you could recieve the cure?
  
  Any insight on this would be appreciated. Thank you.

• Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-05 09:48:16 By Darran Z
• First of all, cataract surgery isn't a laser surgery. It's an actualy incision and removes the lens and places the new lens in. Some docs will put a lens in that are called "blue blockers" to block blue lightwaves which have been common in RPers. Any laser surgery after cataract removal is called YAG which clears up the debrise that can and often builds up.
  
  I'm not sure of any Rx lens though. It varies widely from individual to individual and the surgeon doing the cataract removal.
  
  One note, is it is important to understand that even with cataract surgery, you may not gain all of your visual acuity back. That is because the RP can affect cones as well. So it's important to weigh how successful cataract removal will be with improvement of visual acuity. There is a test called PAM (Potential Acuity Meter) which often measures what your acuity could be after cataract removal. If the RP has affected your cones, then cataract surgery may be minimal improvement.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-05 15:45:56 By Patrick C
• Thank you again for replying to my pst.
  
  They didn't tell me what the surgery was called, I just assumed it was laser. I don't know much about the different surgeries. I have never heard of these blue blockers. What benefit do they have? I dont even know what blue light waves are, or what kind of affect they have on vision.
  
  I don't expect the surgery to improve my visual acuity by any means. But the way she was talking is my cataracts will probably grow quickly, and I know it will greatly affect my vision, as it did with my brother (who also has RP). His cataracts affected his vision greatly. After the surgery, he said he didn't see that good in years. He didn't know he had cataracts for a very long time. He just thought it was the RP getting much worse. So, just getting rid of them will be worth it as I want to see as much as humanly possible. That's why I'm afraid that they'll put a prescription lens in which will make it much harder to read then it already is. I want to have the option.

• Re: Re: Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-05 15:51:45 By Darran Z
• I'm not sure exactly the situation with blue lightwaves and vision but it has shown to be detrimental. SOme light bulbs produce these as well. But it seems to affect RPers more than non-retina diseased people.
  
  You can discuss with the doctor the type of lens that best fits you. There is no one right criteria I don't think. They do try to match you with a lens that works best for you. Ask questions. I don't think you have much of a reading problem if it is an Rx one anyway. I haven't heard anyone complain about their cataract surgery unless they had severe cone problems.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-05 21:03:11 By shiela m
• as to my knowledge, cataract is very easy to cure but i dont know with you because you have RP, right? i heard that the lens that they re putting in your eyes to be able to see easier is "Intra-ocular lens".. I dont know much of, i only hear that from a patient who have undergone the same operation..
  i never experience the bluewaves but i cn see lots of flash, like lightning.. i do believe its one of symptoms of RP..
  

• Re: Re: Re: Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-05 22:45:11 By Kim V
• Hi all,
  
  The Blue light is what causes the glare, and the need for you to shade your eyes when you are outside or make it difficult to be in a room looking tword a window to the sunny outside and only see the shadows of the things in front of you. Florescent lights if they are "cool" lights give off a tremendous amount of blue light, opt for the warm light ones, they are actually better and they have almost a redish glow to them. I have trouble in stores right now, I too have cataracts and they say that this is making the glare situation worse. I have my consult on Tuesday next week. I will let you know if I find out anything. You have given me some questions to ask the dr. Sorry to be wandering here in my reply, but blue light is the evil in light for someone with RP. I believe it goes beyond the glare as well, I believe it is some of the cause for the eye to develop the cataracts in the first place. A sort of defense mechanism? Well will let you know...Thanks, Kim

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-06 02:53:39 By shiela m
• hi yhere!!
  well i had RP but i dont think im experiencing that blue ligt..maybe its a symptom of cataract or maybe i'm expeiencing it but very seldom that i didnt notice..
  
  kim is it okat if you ask your doctor about the so called glutathione accelerator(dont know if i spelled it rigt)..my office mate told me about it this morning..she told me that it helps in cell reguvination since the cones and rods of our retina is dying maybe it'll help... thanks...

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-06 11:20:28 By Kim V
• I will ask and let you know, I am also going to try to join the chat tonight on the rp chat room it is from 5:30 to 7pm tonight, maybe I could get an answer to your question there too tonight. I will say that the glare thing did not really start to bother me until about 5 years ago and I do know tha the cataracts do not help the situation....Kim

• Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-06 20:18:22 By Patrice E
• I have RP and I am having cataract surgery in two weeks. The lens which is being implanted will hopefully give me about 20/25 in that eye. I still have a pretty good central field so that will be a big improvement for me. I will hopefully be able to wear a single contact lens in the other eye and might need reading glasses as well. Everyone is different - my retinal dr. followed the progession of my cataracts for about 4 years before finally deciding it was time for this one to go. I have a cataract in my other eye as well, but it is not affecting my central field yet. Just make sure when your dr. decides it is time to get the cataract removed that he sends you to someone with experience operating on RP patients.

• Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-06 21:07:01 By A C
• Before you have lasik surgery, please check out the website of the Pendleton Eye Center, link below. I'd suggest you go through it carefully and thoroughly. The ophthalmologist whose site it is will consult with you on your condition if you contact him. In terms of cataract surgery, Lasik has some dangers and drawbacks you'd need be aware of BEFORE YOU UNDERGO EITHER:
  
  http://www.pendletoneye.com/officelo.htm
  
  If you're headed for cataract surgery, it'd also be worth checking. I have RP and just had cataract surgery. Cataract surgery has changed radically and dramatically in the last twenty years. Stitches are no longer needed nor is anesthesia always necessary--I had none. You can see immediately after surgery, soon as dilation subsides and the pupil is back to normal size. But... Be sure it is done by a surgeon who uses NO stitch surgery and does ONLY ONE EYE at a time. Check this website, please!
  
  http://www.lighthouse.org/medical/eye-disorders/cataract/surgery/
  
  Good luck and all the best! Be well,
  
  Alma (AC1)

• Re: Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-06 21:28:39 By Patrick C
• Thank you all for the responses, they were very informative and helpful.

• Re: I will eventually have to have laser surgery.
• Posted: 2008-03-08 12:07:03 By Carol C
• Patrick, my brother had cataract surgery at age 32 ( before his diagnosis with cone-rod dystrophy), and was still able to be part of the CNTF study, I think because it had been at least 6 months prior (unknown to me why that was important, maybe as eyes had a chance to heal?) He also had lasik surgery prior to the cataract removal ( during which they apparently noticed neither the cataracts nor the retinal degeneration ???)He did learn that if you have lasik surgery, then later need new lenses due to cataracts, it will be much harder to get the lens right for you as your eyeball's flexibility has been altered ( I think that's the reason). Cataract surgery helped him as they were causing him more glare/halo problems than he had anyway, but of course, it did not stop the progression of the retinal degeneration. Carol