Uveitis returns post cataract surgery

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Mdmack
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 6:18 pm

Uveitis returns post cataract surgery

Post by Mdmack »

Hello,

In March of 2017, I injured my eye which after 3 weeks of no issues, I had an episode that would be the start of Uveits. Taking a series of drops over the course of 2017, right up until the end of the year, I finally got the all clear. Unfortunately, my vision in the eye never improved, but seemed to had gotten worse. Like looking through a milky windshield. After visiting the doctor in early March 2018 and telling her that my vision has not gotten better, she told me I developed a cataract.

Having not experienced any Uveitis type of pain or issues so far in 2018, we made a plan to do cataract surgery in May. On May 2, I had the surgery and was amazed at how my vision was very good again. I followed the post op treatment to the T. Things were going great, I had just weened off of the Prednisone drops 4 weeks post surgery. Then, one week later, I woke up with pain and vision that was just like it was during the worst of my Uveitis.

My visit revealed that the doctor believed the inflammation was a result of the surgery and stopping the prednisone too early.

I am now back on the pred drops 4x a day, and still am blurred and filled with eye floaters.

Any other people out there have a similar experience? Is it time for a second opinion?

thanks,

Mike
vancouver
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 2:04 pm

Re: Uveitis returns post cataract surgery

Post by vancouver »

Uveitis is a vague term. I assume u have iritis.
Waking up with pain should not happen. U should have
Watched fir red and looked for cells through pinhole.
Most people don't get a cataract that fast unless you took hourly drops for a year. Four drops per day is nit much. Your eyes are blurry because cells in anterior chamber block light. The inflammation causes the floaters. Start monitoring your eyes for red and cells immediately while you still have inflammation so you know what it looks like. Inflammation causes damage to eye so catch early. The drugs and pressure changes can also cause blurry. It can take months to lose the blurry.
It's normal for operation to trigger inflammation. The chronicity in 2017 is worrying. It's always better to see specialist because an eye surgeon can sometimes not be interested in iritis. If you go back to chronic, I'd see specialist. They do have others drugs like methotrexate.
If you were only on one drop per day in 2017 that is not a big deal. How much steroid did u need to control iritis in 2017. I guess u have mild iritis. Surprised u got cataract that fast but some peeps r more prone.

The floaters are in the vitreous. You will see them through pinhole. They look like clouds of cells stuck together. Iritis cells are free and independent, normally. (unless you have fibrin which you won't with mild iritis)

How badly did u injure your eye? It has to be something like nail in your eye to trigger iritis and the iritis is usually severe ie traumatic iritis.
Mdmack
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 6:18 pm

Re: Uveitis returns post cataract surgery

Post by Mdmack »

Hi,

The injury was caused by a shot from a hard plastic hockey ball hitting me in the eye. I went 3 whole weeks with nothing but a shiner, then the pain and decreased vision took hold. It was at that point where the doctor had me on the pred 4x a day for weeks as well as taking a multitude of blood tests that would reveal the cause for Uveitis. All tests came back negative, so the theory was it was caused by the trauma. From mid March through September, I had gotten better, but had two "rebound" episodes where I had to go back on the pred drops with a few weeks worth of an oral steroid as well. Things cleared up nicely in September and I was told the floaters would eventually subside. December came and another rebound, at this point I was already seeing a specialist at Kaiser who placed me back on the pred drops for another month and things got better. Follow up visit in February of 2018 revealed inflammation was gone, but my vision was still off. I returned to the specialist in March, not with any pain, but with a concern that my vision was not any better.

At that point I was told I developed a cataract. At 50? It happens she says. My thoughts were too much steroid drops? Lesser of two evils I guess is what it came down to. At this point I was offered the surgery option which I agreed to. From March until May 2 I was fine, just impaired vision. I started a series of drops one week prior to surgery. Surgery was successful and my vision was really good. No pain or floaters etc. for the four weeks post surgery. At the 4 week point, I had stopped taking the pred drops. One week later, 5 weeks after surgery, the eye blurred out again with major floaters and I was experiencing intermittent pain around the eyebrow area. Back to the specialist and she stated it was inflammation in the front o f the eye most likely caused from stopping the pred drops too early. I'm back on them now, it's been a week, and it seems to be slightly better, but the vision seems to be compromised by the floaters as I am at times able to see areas of clearness through the floaters.

Wondering if it's time for a second opinion.
vancouver
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 2:04 pm

Re: Uveitis returns post cataract surgery

Post by vancouver »

Oral steroids are going to cause cataracts faster than drops. The cataract was obviously caused by steroids and/or inflammation. A normal cataract takes years to progress while iritis cataract develops in months. Ie subcapsular cataract.

It's possible that the puck caused the iritis. Google traumatic iritis. Traumatic iritis is distinct. Most iritis however is not associated with a systematic disease.

Get an eye chart to be more objective. Iritis isn't going to
Cost you much vision loss in longterm. Floaters and blurry vision is normal in the short-term. Those floaters may actually be iritis cells . Iritis cells can get glued together by fibrin creating big sheets.

You should clarify if this is iritis or if it is intermediate or posterior uveitis. Iritis is anterior uveitis. Ie front of eye.

You may take one drop per day maintenance indefinitely
To avoid the inconvenience of so many reoccurrence .

Oral steroids means inflammation is bad. Learn to catch early and learn about iritis.
Mdmack
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 6:18 pm

Re: Uveitis returns post cataract surgery

Post by Mdmack »

The doctor has listed my underlying condition throughout last year as RIGHT PANUVEITIS.

Last week she said the inflammation was limited to the front of the eye, location of surgery. Iritis or RIGHT PANUVEITIS was not listed as a condition.

Does it seem like my condition now could be unrelated to the RIGHT PANUVEITIS that I dealt with last year and just a unfortunate side effect from the surgery/premature medicine stoppage? It sure seems like I am back to square one.

thanks,

Mike
vancouver
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 2:04 pm

Re: Uveitis returns post cataract surgery

Post by vancouver »

Oral steroids are likely for the posterior inflammation.
I don't think you get pan uveitis from trauma to eye but I could be wrong. Posterior uveitis is site threatening and needs vigilance. You have a right to always be paranoid
About blurry vision and floaters when you have a history of posterior inflammation. Intermediate uveitis can also
Be serious. A second opinion is always worthwhile when
You potentially have posterior inflammation. I can assure you that you wont get a proper answer on the Internet. It is normal for cataract surgery to trigger iritis/
Anterior uveitis especially in uveitis patients. Floaters and blurred vision do accompany iritis. You have to trust your doctor that you don't have posterior inflammation or seek second opinion. Sorry to hear about your pan uveitis. There are some pan uveitis patients over at doc fosters message board.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/uveitissupport/
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