Dysphotopsia or flashes in the edge of the vision, can occur after cataract surgery. This is seen after surgery due to reflections related to the new lens in the eye. The new lens is flatter, thinner and has different edge characteristics than the previous cloudy human lens. Furthermore the postion of the new lens is slightly different than the old lens now removed. Patients notice a curved reflection or shaddow on the edge of the vision. One has to be carefull in diagnosing dysphotopsia as it may be confused with a retinal break. Retinal breaks and retinal traction can occur after cataract surgery due to the disturbance of the vitreous in the eye during surgery.
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Dysphotopsia after cataract surgery or lens exchange is a relatively rare but annoying symptom after treatment for cataract. The video below expains some of the causes for dysphotopsia. Some surgeons recommend replacement of the new lens, however that is not guaranteed to remove the recently occuring reflections. In most cases of a new lens in the eye after cataract surgery the reflections – dysphotopsia, reduces over time. And most patients who have been treated with a lens exchange after cataract surgery do not notice these reflections after a few months. This may be due to the visual cortex in the brain ignoring the reflections or possibly due to some normal scar tissue forming around the new lens in the eye. This scar tissue is not as reflective and decreases the brightness of the edge reflections.
