Terrible Experience

by Chris
(Boston, MA)

I had cataract surgery on my right eye seven months ago and have been in pain ever since. I have seen several specialists (dry eye, inflammation, retinal) and will be seeing an orbital specialist this month. In addition, I went to the ER twice during the past four months. One doctor cannot understand my anxiety, because no one can find anything wrong. He does not understand the level of discomfort I am having. Perhaps he should live with a feeling of something in his eye for seven months. Just because my vision is more than fine, and I am not seeing flashing lights or having waves of floaters, I am considered perfectly all right, I suppose. I have been treated for dry eye, which I have been told has been resolved. However, I still have aching in my eye and have the constant annoyance of feeling like there is either something in my eye or that a contact lens has slipped out of place, but I do not wear contact lenses. I feel like no one wants to admit that something may have gone wrong and that there may be some sort of unseen nerve damage. All I have been told is to use warm compresses and artificial tears (preservative free) and to take Advil. This is not an answer. One doctor also has me using AzaSite every night for a month. I've been told by a different doctor that it is to kill bacteria. The doctor who prescribed it never told me what it was for. All I want is for someone to look at the whole picture to see what is going on. I have had an eye scan and ultrasound. Nothing. I am terribly discouraged and wish that I had never had the surgery. I just want people to be very aware that you can end up much worse than having your night vision taken away by cataracts. What I wouldn't give to undo this horrible surgery and instead give up my night driving.