Unusual after-effect from cataract surgery
April 1, 2018 5:53 PM Subscribe
About four months ago, I had cataract surgery on both eyes. My left eye has never been the same since. I wonder if anyone has had a similar experience.
I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon (Mon. Apr. 2) with my eye surgeon. I want to have a discussion with him about an irksome side-effect of the cataract surgery.
I'm a male in my early 50s. I had both eyes done a couple of weeks apart last fall. My vision is now much better, but I now suffer from two related problems with my left eye. My right eye is normal.
The day after the surgery on my left eye, I noticed periodic twitching in the area around the far corner of my eye (the corner of my eye nearest my temple). I can't really tell if it's the upper eyelid, or the lower, or some combination of the two. The doctor told me that the twitching was likely caused by stress (probably related to some anxiety about the surgery), and that it would resolve itself soon. Unfortunately, the twitching continues to this day, although it's less intense now (or perhaps I've just gotten used to it). It comes and goes at random times.
I particularly notice the twitching when I'm trying to read something in fine print, or when I'm reading something that's hard to understand and requires intense concentration (such as technical documentation on IT-related subjects). In these cases, the twitching is quite noticeable and distracting.
The other problem is hard to describe, but I'll try: Even when my eye is not twitching, I'm often consciously aware of the corner of my left eye. It's not exactly painful, but I'm often aware that the corner of my eye exists on my face. It's there, I feel it, I know it's there. I never get the same feeling about my right eye. As I said, it's a feeling that's hard to describe.
I'm really not a person who's prone to hypochondriasis or vague somatic symptoms without any obvious organic basis. I've done some Google searches on cataract surgery, and I've looked on PubMed, but I haven't seen any reports of side-effects similar to mine.
As far as surgical complications go, this one is fairly mild. But it's annoying to me, and I don't know how to fix it. I'll discuss it with my surgeon tomorrow, but I'm not expecting much from him.
Any thoughts or even speculations would be much appreciated. Thanks.
I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon (Mon. Apr. 2) with my eye surgeon. I want to have a discussion with him about an irksome side-effect of the cataract surgery.
I'm a male in my early 50s. I had both eyes done a couple of weeks apart last fall. My vision is now much better, but I now suffer from two related problems with my left eye. My right eye is normal.
The day after the surgery on my left eye, I noticed periodic twitching in the area around the far corner of my eye (the corner of my eye nearest my temple). I can't really tell if it's the upper eyelid, or the lower, or some combination of the two. The doctor told me that the twitching was likely caused by stress (probably related to some anxiety about the surgery), and that it would resolve itself soon. Unfortunately, the twitching continues to this day, although it's less intense now (or perhaps I've just gotten used to it). It comes and goes at random times.
I particularly notice the twitching when I'm trying to read something in fine print, or when I'm reading something that's hard to understand and requires intense concentration (such as technical documentation on IT-related subjects). In these cases, the twitching is quite noticeable and distracting.
The other problem is hard to describe, but I'll try: Even when my eye is not twitching, I'm often consciously aware of the corner of my left eye. It's not exactly painful, but I'm often aware that the corner of my eye exists on my face. It's there, I feel it, I know it's there. I never get the same feeling about my right eye. As I said, it's a feeling that's hard to describe.
I'm really not a person who's prone to hypochondriasis or vague somatic symptoms without any obvious organic basis. I've done some Google searches on cataract surgery, and I've looked on PubMed, but I haven't seen any reports of side-effects similar to mine.
As far as surgical complications go, this one is fairly mild. But it's annoying to me, and I don't know how to fix it. I'll discuss it with my surgeon tomorrow, but I'm not expecting much from him.
Any thoughts or even speculations would be much appreciated. Thanks.
I had cataract surgery a few years back, and did have a bit of annoying twitching afterwards. It went went away over time. It might have something to do with how your eye muscles are being used differently after surgery.
The other problem is hard to describe, but I'll try: Even when my eye is not twitching, I'm often consciously aware of the corner of my left eye. It's not exactly painful, but I'm often aware that the corner of my eye exists on my face. It's there, I feel it, I know it's there. I never get the same feeling about my right eye. As I said, it's a feeling that's hard to describe.
For quite a while after surgery, I also experienced an odd enhanced sensation in my eyes. For me it was almost as though it was pressure, but not really. This passed with time as well.
It also felt as though my eyes were constantly dry, but this was fixed with artificial tears.
posted by SteveInMaine at 7:39 AM on April 2, 2018
The other problem is hard to describe, but I'll try: Even when my eye is not twitching, I'm often consciously aware of the corner of my left eye. It's not exactly painful, but I'm often aware that the corner of my eye exists on my face. It's there, I feel it, I know it's there. I never get the same feeling about my right eye. As I said, it's a feeling that's hard to describe.
For quite a while after surgery, I also experienced an odd enhanced sensation in my eyes. For me it was almost as though it was pressure, but not really. This passed with time as well.
It also felt as though my eyes were constantly dry, but this was fixed with artificial tears.
posted by SteveInMaine at 7:39 AM on April 2, 2018
Ancedata: My eyelid can twitch when a particular muscle on the side of my neck gets tense. I found that out when looking at some trigger point diagram, which showed where referred pain from neck muscles can show up (as well as eyelid twitching, evidently!). Seconding that twitches can absolutely be caused by things other than the surgery. I don't have that trigger point diagram, I would link it if I did, but I'm remembering that the muscle was one located south of the ear.
Regarding your difficult to describe sensation, I had something similar when I got some internal stitches in my chin, which persisted some weeks after the stitches had to have dissolved. Something analogous may be happening for you, even without stitches. I'm not familiar with the details of cataract surgery, but I presume that the surgeons hold the eyelids open with tools, which I speculate to have irritated one of your an eyelid muscles, mucous-membrane tissue, nerve endings, or probably all of the above.
posted by wires at 9:36 AM on April 2, 2018
Regarding your difficult to describe sensation, I had something similar when I got some internal stitches in my chin, which persisted some weeks after the stitches had to have dissolved. Something analogous may be happening for you, even without stitches. I'm not familiar with the details of cataract surgery, but I presume that the surgeons hold the eyelids open with tools, which I speculate to have irritated one of your an eyelid muscles, mucous-membrane tissue, nerve endings, or probably all of the above.
posted by wires at 9:36 AM on April 2, 2018
This happened to me, too. I didn't bring it up to the doctor, since there was still enough other stuff going on at the time of my post-op appointment that it got lost in the shuffle. But I assumed it was probably due to residual trauma. It eventually went away on its own.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:03 AM on April 2, 2018
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:03 AM on April 2, 2018
Response by poster: Update: I saw the eye surgeon yesterday. He said he could inject botulinum toxin (Botox) to paralyze the muscles that are twitching. He continues to believe that the twitching is a coincidence unrelated to the cataract procedure, despite the fact that the problem started the day after my surgery.
I'm not going to do the Botox injection, for fear that the cure will be worse than the disease. With my luck, it'll make my eye completely paralyzed or something.
The surgeon wants to see me again in three months. If the problem continues the way it's currently going, I'll just cancel the appointment when it approaches, since I'm not going to do the injection, and there doesn't seem to be anything else he can do.
posted by alex1965 at 6:46 AM on April 3, 2018
I'm not going to do the Botox injection, for fear that the cure will be worse than the disease. With my luck, it'll make my eye completely paralyzed or something.
The surgeon wants to see me again in three months. If the problem continues the way it's currently going, I'll just cancel the appointment when it approaches, since I'm not going to do the injection, and there doesn't seem to be anything else he can do.
posted by alex1965 at 6:46 AM on April 3, 2018
Do you have a regular ophthalmologist from whom you could get a second opinion if symptoms persist?
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:45 AM on April 3, 2018
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:45 AM on April 3, 2018
You have perfectly described my symptoms post cataract surgery, 3 weeks ago. It started with flashing lights as soon as I took the pad off after surgery and I did tell my surgeon but she didn't seem worried. It is more of a twitching effect now and that other 'awareness' of something you describe. I am also about to see her again and have little hope of a solution. However it is good to know someone with the same affect. Maybe it will resolve in time. It is my left eye too. I haven't had my second eye done yet. Is your eye any better yet?
posted by YvonneL at 4:55 AM on September 10, 2018
posted by YvonneL at 4:55 AM on September 10, 2018
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Just keep in mind it might be something unrelated.
posted by clone boulevard at 6:40 PM on April 1, 2018