Hi Pat

I read your message with interest particularly as my left ( cataract
operation ) eye also itches.  I have worn spectacles for 60 years since the
blitz dropped a house on me and I was buried for three days.  I am resigned
to specs I just do not want to lose sight in my right eye which is affected
by glaucoma and a growing cataract.

You spoke of Dr Cohn's reply to ' Pete' (?me?).  It hasn't appeared on my
screen.  Have I missed it?  Could you copy it to me direct?

Many thanks.

Pete P.

Itching can be caused by allergy, dryness, or more commonly,
blepharitis, inflammation of the eyelid margins.  I can't tell you if
there is an eyedrop you haven't used that would control your
itching...you neglected to mention the name of any of the drops you
have used before.  There are a host of drops for allergies that work
well: Patanol, Optivar, Elestat, Zaditor, and Alamast are the major
ones in use.  For blepharitis, I prefer a mild steroid like Alrex or
Lotemax if artificial tears alone don't help.  I also have these
patients use hot compresses twice a day and scrub their lids with baby
shampoo at least once a day.  Having not seen your lids, I don't know
if they are inflamed or not.
I remind patients that steroids like the last two I mentioned may raise
eye pressure in a small segment of the population, and therefore I
avoid long-term treatment with them, and I follow the patient's IOP.

"Pulling" sensation is usually due to a difference in the refractive
error between the two eyes (differing eyeglass prescription between
right and left eye)...not uncommon if only one cataract has been
removed.  It can also come from having an incorrect prescription in
your current glasses, so have your doc recheck your refraction.  As for
flashing lights, yes, that comes from traction of the vitreous gel on
the retina...nothing you can do about this.  Eventually it will stop
when the traction bands break.  This is not caused by cataract surgery
but can become more prominent afterwards.  Hope that helps.
--Rick Cohn, MD