So I need cataract surgery and I am wondering how your vision will be at close up or intermediate if you have a lens for distance?
I assume, for close up stuff, you can basically see nothing? Everything will be 100% blurry, not even able to make out a word?
Can you make out any words on a computer screen at arms length?
And for intermediate distance (like greater than arms length) how blurry is your vision?
Sorry, just trying to get a gauge of how my vision would be. I assume you would need glasses for close up work, and what about intermediate? Do you have 2 different sets of glasses?
I will have my second lens done this week. Meanwhile, my right eye has only the distance lens, that was done MAY 1. If I close my left eye, and therefore am only seeing with the new distance lens, I can’t see what I am typing on my ipad, but I see pretty well at mid range( I can see pretty well things at arms length, with no blurring at all…magazine covers etc. and larger print. Hope that is helpful. I am deciding about my second lens as well. What I would say is I’d likely need readers, but that is all. Am trying to decide about the near vision lens so I won’t need the readers.
Thanks so much for the response. So mid range (like 2-3 feet +) you can see really well? Where would you say your perfect vision is distance wise?
I had both eyes done last October and December. I have a lens for close up in my left eye and distance in my right. I see great and have not needed corrected since. I was near sighted before the surgery and wore contacts with the same effect so I new what to expect. It took me about two weeks to get use to mono vision with contacts, but I liked it. I can clearly see the computer with my left eye and able to read with my right except not as clearly. I see perfectly with both eyes. On the other hand the vision in my left eye for close up is bad looking in the distance, but my lens in my right for distance in the right is 20/20. I have great vision while driving, but plan on getting glasses so I see the same distance with both eyes while driving when I’m on a road trip. Keep in mind that I new what to expect from my experience with contacts and it took me a while before I adapted to them. I experienced a few headaches in the beginning, but not for long. It is strange in the beginning though. I am happy with the result I got and wish you well.
Actually it is perfect near and far. My concern is eventually I think Iget tired, however it has only been 5 days, so it will likely improve. I wore one contact for distance for many years, so I know the body or brain adjusts, but in the past when my eye began to tire, I took the lens out and either used glasses for distance or nothing to read. All that changes with permanent fix. WHAT to do?
Pat what was your vision before cataracts, did you have good vision, were you nearsighted, farsighted? That does impact what you will see afterwards.
Thanks
I am moderately nearsighted, -4.5 in both eyes. Is there anyone with similar myopia with lens set for distance? How closely can you see clearly? I know I will need readers for near vision, but what is your level of intermediate vision?
Hi Sarah
I have a monofocal lens in my left, dominant, eye. It is the Clareon from Alcon.
I have a tri focal lens, Zeiss, AT Lisa in my right eye.
If I cover up my right eye, the clarity for reading from the monofocal eye (remember this is only 1 eye) is very poor. However, from arm’s length and beyond objects are crystal clear. You will easily be able to drive and see most packaging on supermarket shelves, for instance. Objects just look slightly out of focus within 2 foot. Beyond that it is as clear as when I was young. I’m 54.
With 2 monofocal eyes, it should be a better close up. 2 eyes are better than 1.
My husband has 2 monofocal lenses, (Abbott- done on NHS 8 years ago) and he can actually read his mobile phone. This is rare, so don’t expect this. Expect to wear reading glasses, as I do.
The reason I have different lenses is that the tri focal IOL’s caused severe ghosting and halo’s around headlights, any light and I was unable to drive. They also do not give the same crystal clear vision as a monofocal lens. I had the tri focal lens explanted and the monofocal lens put in place instead. That was 4 months ago.
I had a slight reflection under bright lights only, on my monofocal lens eye. It was not really bothersome, but I mentioned this to my eye surgeon. As I was having YAG for the tri focal eye, which had developed posterior capsule opacification , (cloudy lens), she suggested I have YAG on the monofocal eye, too. Unfortunately, it has caused huge starbursts around lights and I am now extremely distressed about this, as the monofocal eye was previously great. I await their response to ruining this eye!!
Hello Andaloosa,
So good to read your post.
I have the Symfony in my RE, great range of vision, but lots of starbursts, glare, even with daytime overhead lights. So, decided against the Symfony for my 2nd eye, going with a monofocal for my LE.
its good to hear that the combination works for you and you adjusted well. I expect to use reading glasses for near vision. Did you set your monofocal for distance or something else?
Also, what was your vision before the cataracts? Was it good, nearsighted or farsighted? I am moderately nearsighted -4.5 so not sure how that translates for vision with a monofocal set for distance. I expect it will be worse than someone who previously had good 20/20 vision prior to cataracts.
Thanks
HI Mady, I actually was near sighted for many years and had worn a lens for distance in one eye for years. The permanency of this is what had me so confused. I was always able to revert to both eyes being near sighted if I took my lens out. That was nice for long term reading. My surgeon has convinced me I will have the same flexibility if I need that by putting on glasses so I decided at this morning 's appointment to proceed tomorrow . Thanks for the discussion.
I will be reporting back . Fingers crossed. PAT
Hi Pat - is your 2nd eye’s surgery going to be same target ad first eye surgery? If yes you will likely need asses for intermediate and near vision for reading. Not sure what flexibility surgeon is referring to. Once your natural lens is removed you lose all accommodation. If your surgeon is going to target your 2nd eye a bit closer then you will have more range of vision.
Sorry - was just confused about what was meant. If surgeon meant with glasses you will have flexibility then I get that but you will lose near vision you have now with that eye if he targets for distance.
Pat it looks like you were doing the same thing I was doing prior to surgery. You had a lens for distance and your other eye for close up except I had to also use a lens to improve my vision in that eye too. I call that mono vision and if you are use to it you should have any issues. Refer to my previous comment. I can see my phone clearly while lying in bed and also my computer. I plan on getting glasses for road trips (not necessary though). I don’t even need reading glasses unless I’m reading really small print. Hope this helps.
Thanks Sarah. It does sound similar, and I think I will get glasses, actually prescription sunglasses for golf and driving. I am pretty hopeful tonight .
Oh no. How is your vision today?
Hi.
I dont drive anymore. Rarely. I cant see clearly on dim days. i wish id never had the trifocal lenses in. My eye sight wasnt that bad but i was fed up needing readers and mid range. I could see really well long distance.
I had one trifocal replaced with a monofocal which helped with blurriness on dim days.
I dont need glasses now but find it comfortable with +1 when im on my phone sometimes, just for clarity looking at photos.
In my opinion if you try varifocal contact lenses and hate them, then trifocal lenses probably wont be for you.
Anyone reading this have monofocal lenses as my husband has. No issues at all and only needs +1 for reading and no halos.
I am really sorry to hears this. Our vision is such an important factor when it comes to joy of life.
Did the post YAG dysphotopsia improve on the eye with clareon, or did the YAG worsened your vision for good?
I also have the at lisa in one eye; almost five months ago (the other eye can wait a year or two before surgery).
Because of severe dysphotopsia , the surgeon and I are considering a replacement for the clareon mono. So that is the exact same iol situation as you.
Are you happy you did the replacement? And may I ask why you only got a replacement in one eye instead of having clareon in both?
Hi
I wanted both exchanged. After i had the tri swapped for single lens, i still wasnt happy, i saw a shadow when i looked straight ahead. That was the single lens. I had to return to Prague where one of the other eye specialists performed laser telling me it would eliminate that shadow. She also performed laser on the trifocal because i told her about the halos. I trusted her!! Bad mistake. Once lasered it cant be exchanged. Too risky. I see better with 1 single and 1 trifocal than with 2 x trifocal. If i hadnt had laser on top, i would have had the other trifocal swapped for single.
If i cover the tri eye, the colours are more vibrant with single lens, too.
ps I had healthy eyes, i just didn’t want to wear glasses!!
My advice is get the single lens in asap. Give it 3 months and see if its ok with different ones like me, if not, get the trifocal exchanged.
Thank you so much for your reply and advice. It was also my initial thought, but the problem is that my pupil is larger than the iols on the market (I am 38), so there is a risk that I will also get light disturbances with the Clareon lens because of edge glare.
And I can’t stand the thought of how horrible it must be to have this on both eyes.
Therefore, I would like to postpone the surgery on the left eye as much as possible in the hope that in the meantime they have become technically more skilled at producing lenses.
I think it is a very difficult decision. My vision is really good, apart from the light disturbances . But they are very up in my face (not just around the light sources) and I am saddened by the thought of having to see these rings for the rest of my life.