Eyeglasses post cataract surgery

Eye care
1

For those who wear glasses after cataract surgery, if you could choose, would you prefer progressives, bifocals, or simple distance lenses?

2

I am not a good reference because I have mini-monovision and am essentially eyeglasses free now. But, for what it is worth, I do use a pair of over the counter +1.25 D reading glasses occasionally. And, I have a pair of progressives (+2.5 D) that I almost never wear.

3

I would have my IOLs set for near, wear glasses for intermediate, and the same glasses for distance. Distance vision is good enough with the intermediate prescription, but intermediate is not good enough with a distance prescription, so intermediate wins. And I don’t want to be switching between two pairs of glasses. I suppose I would have 2 pair of the distance prescription made up, and I would leave them by the TV and in the car, but I doubt I would use them much. I’ve sworn off progressives. If you get them made up for far and near, then there is really no intermediate zone in them. If you get them made up for far and intermediate, then you are stuck tilting your head up to use the computer. If you get them made up for intermediate and near, then you have to take them off for distance, and you may lose them – but this would be the least-bad option I guess. Also, progressives and bifocals increase your risk of falling.

4

Progressives for day to day use. Single vision for computer use.

5

I really don’t wear eyeglasses, except sometimes prescription readers, and on rare occasions, prescription distance eyeglasses when driving at night on unfamiliar roads.
Jim’s suggestion is probably the simplest and cheapest, especially if you use a chain store like Eyemart Express, which I used.

6

Thanks Jim. It’s too late for me to make any changes, but what would you target for near and intermediate?
I targeted LE at -1.5 for near and RE at -1.0 for intermediate. I can read my phone and computer screen so I’m thinking about bifocals with distance on top and no correction on bottom. Thanks for suggesting an alternative approach, keeping glasses set for distance or intermediate. Thanks too for mentioning that progressives and bifocals increase the risk of falling.

7

Thanks David!

8

Thanks Ron!

9

Thanks Lynda!

10

Given those three choices, I would take bifocals. I am wearing bifocals now, to be able to see near and far without having to repeatedly put glasses on and take them off. I am new to bifocals, and find them very annoying, but better than progressive lenses or single-vision lenses.
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You did not list it as an option, but I might very well prefer monovision glasses. I think monovision is probably clumsier with glasses, but monovision is what I am used to and I think it would be preferable to always having to tilt my head the right way to see clearly. With monovision glasses, I would just put on my glasses in the morning, wear them all day, and see all distances fairly well without any head tilting.
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What would you choose?

11

I continue to wear progressive glasses (only ADD) on top of contact lenses (single focus). I did trial out multifocal contact lenses, but they did not work out for me.

12

Progressive glasses can be made with a wider central viewing area. If I remember correctly they were called aviator lenses. That’s what I had when wearing progressives. Now for very faint print of critical importance, I use the 1.25 over-the-counter glasses my daughter found for me the same day as my cataract surgery. I knew in advance that I would need them for hybrid monovision with Vivity lenses set to a moderate level of distance vision. Not recommending progressives for you necessarily. Glad that you have made it through the post surgery initial experience in better spirits.

13

‘Premium Progressive’ attempts to create wider zones.

14

Perhaps because (at least according to my ophthalmologist) high myopes have an easier time adjusting to progressives than those with lesser prescriptions, I love my progressive glasses. Mine are made up for all distances, not just two - it’s a seamless gradient from far to near.
I wore progressives for years before I developed cataracts, and wear them now mainly for distance. I don’t need them to use the computer (a desktop with a large, 25" monitor), but if I happen to have them on I just automatically tilt my chin up very slightly. I also have no problem going down stairs in them. They give me perfect vision at all distances. But clearly, everyone’s mileage varies!

15

Thanks Phil! I was thinking about bifocals although I wore progressives pre-cataract surgery. Basically I’d like to consider all options with the goal of thinnest and lightest because anything else is uncomfortable!
Many thanks.

16

Thanks pershoot! I’m not familiar with the meaning of ADD, could you tell me more?

17

Thanks jo!

18

‘only ADD’, refers to only having the additional magnifying power (+2.00 as an example) in a particular zone / area (lower portion of the eyeglass lens), without any other power applied / introduced on the rest of the lens (it would be 0.00). Progressives can also have an Intermediate zone / area where the ADD starts being applied (~mid-lower portion of the eyeglass lens).

19

Thanks pershoot! I’ll keep Premium Progressives in mind.
I remember when choosing frames for progressive lenses I heard that deeper lenses would offer a wider zone. That said, I chose Silhouette frames with perhaps the smallest lenses available due to lighter weight and thinner lenses. No problems even working on a computer all day. I wonder if that was due to the type of lens? The optical shop I used offered Zeiss lenses, highest index, all other bells and whistles … Do you think the type of lens makes any difference? An optician at another shop cautioned me that clients with a history of Zeiss lenses sometimes were not happy with other brands.

20

Hmm, I have heard (here / there; internet forums) the more fancier (and expensive) progressives do offer the better experience (Essilor Varliux, etc.), suited for a specific purpose.