Choice of Lenses for Cataract Surgery

[healthyandfun]

I have read most of the postings for the last couple years on this site regarding the surgery and am grateful for all that information. I will have measurements this week and then must decide on the type of lens for a surgery within a few weeks. I have beginning stage glaucoma and have been monitoring it for about 25 years. It is considered stable now. My choices for the cataract surgery will probably be between the mono focal lens and a Toric or Crystalens. The multi focal lenses are off the table due to astigmatism. I would appreciate any insight on how readers selected these types of lenses and your adjustment experience post surgery including vision improvements. Thanks in advance.

 

[W2R]

Your surgeon and/or his nurse will help you.

For me, it was pretty much selected for me. After many tests and a long and thorough examination by the surgeon, his nurse sat down with me and said there were two choices that I had - - regular lenses (the cheap ones), or multifocals. I immediately rejected the multifocals because multifocal glasses were a nightmare for me and I never could adjust to them. YMMV

Since I have always been told that my astigmatism was pretty severe, and worse than my nearsightedness, I asked about the toric lenses. The following exchange took place:

Nurse: "well, but toric lenses are several thousand dollars more expensive!"

W2R: "I don't care, I just want to see well and I have always had considerable astigmatism".

Nurse: "you will see better with the regular lenses because your particular astigmatism isn't caused by the shape of your cornea; in your case, it is due to distortion in the lenses in your eyes, themselves. They will be replaced during the surgery so that will correct your astigmatism."
​

So, I went with regular (cheap) lenses. There was one more choice: did I want to be far sighted in both eyes, or did I want monovision - - near sighted in one and far sighted in the other.

Since I had never tried monovision with contacts I didn't know if I could adjust to it. I had been perfectly happy with contacts and readers, though, so I knew I wouldn't mind readers after the surgery. Therefore I chose both eyes to be far sighted.

As for my adjustment after surgery, for each it took a few days before things settled down and I could see well. By the one week appointment I could see better than ever before in my life. Even when I was five years old I could not see this well. I can drive with no glasses at all, and just use readers up close. I occasionally use a magnifying lens for extra-fine work up close but not often. The colors are brilliant and beautiful now.

I do have a problem with double vision, in each eye, separately. Double vision is apparently a very rare to non-existent problem with cataract surgery, and in my case it seems to be going away.It is only a problem sometimes late at night when my eyes are tired. I told my surgeon that it wasn't a big deal (because I don't want him to start thinking of another surgery, no way!). He said he really didn't know the reason but since I seemed satisfied with my vision for the most part, I think we'll probably do nothing for now. It seems like it is getting a little better with time. For example, right now I am not having any double vision problems and it's 10 PM.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I have the lenses my doc recommended, the Crystalens, with both eyes corrected for distance--since the surgery is permanent, I sort of wanted my very myopic eyes to match. I use Costco off-the-shelf reading glasses for reading and other close-up work. I am very happy with the results.

The adjustment period was very short--once the superdilation drops wore off, I could see perfectly.

Good luck!

 

[eytonxav]

I had the option of going with a multi-focal or mono-focal. My astigmatism was not very bad, so no need for a toric. I opted for the mono-focal for the following reasons:
1) I have an epi-retinal membrane in my right eye, and the retina specialist felt mono-focal would be better if he needed to operate in the future to remove the membrane.
2) I heard that distance vision is frequently better with a mono-focal vs the multi.
3) Less apt to get halos or star bursts driving at night with a mono vs multi-focal.

I did receive a dropless procedure which may slow how quickly your vision clears up post surgery. Any how since I am diabetic and had the membrane, they still wanted my to take one drop of Illevro for two months post surgery to minimize any inflammation. My vision seemed to be at its best about 3 weeks after surgery, and after that I would say my close and intermediate seeing became a little worse. The other thing I discovered while my eyes were healing they sometimes would become dry, so I used an over the counter preservative free lubricant (individual vials) which helped a lot.

I do not need glasses to drive or play softball, but for close up/intermediate distances, glasses help. For reading I need +2.5, while for computer work (I have a desktop) 1.5s work best.

 

[Moemg]

I had cataract surgery ten years ago and I opted for mono vision . I have perfect vision now and never wear any glasses except readers and only if I am reading for a long time . I had no adjustment period . I had worn mono vision contacts so I knew I could handle mono vision lenses .

 

[Cobra9777]

I got the cheap basic lenses. Doctor would not recommend anything else for my case. I don't remember the details, but he seemed to suggest that the fancy expensive lenses create a new problem or two for every one they solve.

I continue to be amazed at how beautiful everything is with my "new eyes." I'm no longer living in a haze. So glad I didn't wait any longer to get this done.

My distance vision is fine. But after a couple years of stashing different strength reading glasses all over the house, I now have a very expensive set of premium progressive lenses that I wear all the time. The lenses alone were $600. I adapted to them much better than I thought I would. Even though I don't need the glasses for distance, they work beautifully for all the variations of close up work, from 6" to 36".

 

[W2R]

On the other end of the price spectrum.... . I forgot to mention that if you need cheap readers, you can get 3 pairs for $10 on Amazon. CVS wants a fortune for them.

 

[Souschef]

On the other end of the price spectrum.... . I forgot to mention that if you need cheap readers, you can get 3 pairs for $10 on Amazon. CVS wants a fortune for them.

Or try the local Dollar store

 

[W2R]

Or try the local Dollar store

Wow! Your Dollar Store must be much better than ours. Specifics, please?

 

[Souschef]

Wow! Your Dollar Store must be much better than ours. Specifics, please?

It is in Santa Paula CA. They were better than the ones my wife got at the drugstore

 

[travelover]

My local Dollar Tree has all kind of readers for a buck. I've found the quality to be acceptable.

 

[W2R]

My local Dollar Tree has all kind of readers for a buck. I've found the quality to be acceptable.

Wow! I'll have to check again. I looked once at Dollar Store a while back, and the only ones I saw cost I guess $3-$4 or so. Thanks.

 

[UtahSkier]

I had the surgery done in 2013. Both eyes were corrected for distance. One lens is a normal lens while the other is a toric.

The eye with the normal lens has fantastic vision. The eye with the toric lens is decent for distance, but needed a prescription lens for reading/computer work.

The toric lens is a cylinder and during healing, it shifted somewhat. The surgeon offered free lasik vision correction to clean up the vision, but I felt the vision was good enough and not worth the risk of further eye surgery.

I can drive just fine and operate my cell phone without any glasses. But, I do wear a prescription eyeglasses for reading.

 

[healthyandfun]

Thanks for all the information and suggestions, along with the previous posts and some online research it gave me a good picture of all that is involved. The surgeon felt the Trulign Toric would give me the best chance to correct my astigmatism which is moderate. He said I will still probably need some sort of glasses, maybe just readers or a mild prescription. I decided to go with the lenses he suggested and have a laser incision as well. All is set for surgery in early July.

 

[W2R]

Good luck with your surgery, and I hope your vision is improved as much as mine was. I still marvel at the clarity and bright colors compared with my vision prior to cataract surgery. The surgery itself is quick and easy (7 minutes total, in my case, and no pain in my case).

 

[MRG]

Hope you you have as good of results as I did. My vision was terrible from any early age. I test 20/20 but it can be improved with glasses. Now I have a pair of bifocals that serve as readers and a different set for any serious reading on a computer.

I did the laser and it was a breeze. My Optometrist did the follow up and he was impressed.

 

[healthyandfun]

Thanks for the well wishes and hoping better vision is in my future. I will write an update after surgery.