Cataract surgery and mutli-focal lens implant anyone?

PilatesLover · ‎08-20-2014

Hi everyone, I'm having cataract surgery eye two in a couple weeks. The surgeon offered the option to buy up and get a multi-focal lens implant.

I already have the standard lens in my right eye, and can see far well enough but lost much of my near vision. If I get another standard lens I'll still need to wear glasses and will lose the little bit of close vision that's left. So it will be either bifocals or switching glasses all day. (NOPE - progressives are not an option.)

With the multi-focal I will need readers only for tiny print and not need distance glasses. They are expensive, but I'm only 63 and it would be sweet to be able to just see without changing glasses for far and near all day long.

Do you have a multi-focal lens, and do you like it? The technician mentioned there is a likelihood of developing a halo that will go away with time.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I have some astigmatism and the normal formula for it doesn't work in my glasses. My eye doc says she has about three people that way, and I'm one of 'em!

Therefore we didn't put correction in my lens from cataract surgery nor did we try multi focal since I am odd. I can see find but need glasses to read, and actually although there isn't a lot of correction just wear them mostly.

I had superb distant vision before, which isn't quite as good now after but is better even now than most people.

Just sharing because anything might help you decide!

Puppy Lips · ‎05-09-2010

@PilatesLover I can shed some light on this for you. Oh, where to begin .... I had cataract surgery last September. I had a VERY strong prescription. I was given four choices. 1. Lenses that got me close to 20/20, but I would still need contacts and reading glasses (this was least expensive, but why do just that?) 2. Getting one eye far and one eye close. 3. Getting both eyes to 20/20 for distance, but still needing reading glasses. 4. Getting the mutli focal lenses. So after a lot of thought, I went with the multi focal lenses. They really talked them up on how great they were. However, because the prescription in my left eye was so strong, he did not have a multi focal lens to get that eye to 20/20, but he offered lasik after the fact to get me there (that was included in this $9,000 total price.)

After both eyes were done, I could see great in distance in my right eye. My left eye was not 20/20, and I could tell when just looking through my left eye, but it was great for close up. With both eyes open, I got along fine with distance and close up. I strongly considered leaving it as is. But in the end, I decided to get lasik in my left eye to get it to 20/20 (it was 20/40). Now I see perfectly for distance. However, the lasik to get the left eye to 20/20 pulled away some of the closeness that I had before.

So, with my multi focal lenses, I see fine in the distance. To be honest, I don't see as well close up as I thought I would be able to. I can read everything you would want to read - the newspaper, books, computer, etc. just fine. I can even make out fairly small print. BUT, when I put reading glasses on, that print is so much clearer. So I do wear reading glasses on occassion, but I don't really have to.

As far as the "halo" effect, yes, I do see it. They also call it "edge glare" which is a better description. I see it mostly at night when I am outside with our dogs for the "last pee," as I call it. At first it bothered me a bit. But knowing what it is, I am used to it. If I turn my head a bit to change the angle of the street light coming at me, it goes away. Sometimes I see it when it is dark in the house. I would like to think that it is going away a bit, but I don't know for sure. It is my understanding that it does not actually go away, but that your brain just does not see it anymore. I don't know if it goes away gradually, or it just stops all at once. The doctors would not commit to telling me that for sure it would go away, or how long that would take.

I may have given you more information than you asked for, but it may help someone else. I hope I answered your questions. If not, feel free to ask me more.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead

cindyNC · ‎08-01-2019

I got multi focal a few years ago. I do wear readers for close up but find it mostly depends on how well lit a room is....eg, trying to read a menu in a dimly lit restaurant. I'm also a type 2 diabetic.

My vision decreased dramatically for a year or so. Turns out I was one of the few people who developed "secondary cataract" Basically, a film was growing and preventing the light from entering my eye. It was very minor laser surgery to correct this.

I absolutely LOVE my multifocals. I was wearing trifocals prior to surgery and they couldn't correct my vision with eyeglasses any longer.

Still Raining · ‎03-30-2014

One of my eyes is basically a basket case, so it was done first, with the expected under performance.

In talking with the doctor, I was told that the lens can basically never be redone.

Since reading is vital to me, I did not dare do a multi focus.

So here I am swearing about lost readers.

I wish you all the best in your choice.

Meowingkitty · ‎06-19-2010

I got Toric lenses in both eyes 3 years ago. My vision was 20/800. Yup that bad plus I had astigmatism. Now it's better than 20/20. I had the astigmatism fixed and now I see great. No readers needed. The only glasses I wear are regular sunglasses.

BklynKinsey · ‎04-24-2011

I had cataract surgery in Dec. 2019 (right) and Jan. 2020 (left). I was severely near-sighted (-12 and -11) with astigmatism. I wanted to have vision without glasses. I chose to go with laser removal, a special laser system during surgery to get accurate measurements, and a new trifocal lens, PanOptix, for both eyes. This cost $8,000 out-of-pocket.

My far vision is 20-20. My near vision is not as great as I had hoped. It's strange but if I am in very bright light, I can read perfectly. I keep a small flashlight available for close reading -- not a perfect solution, but it works (and I definitely don't want to get readers). I don't see halos.

@cindyNC I also developed "secondary cataracts". The doctor said that usually it takes up to 10 years to develop, but mine were there immediately after surgery. I had the additional laser surgery to correct this a few weeks after each initial cataract surgery.

Xivambala · ‎07-26-2019

I have been wearing contact lenses close to 40 years now. My eye care professionals have been tracking a cataract in my right eye for some time and I may be looking at surgery in the next year myself. I have been wearing multifocal contact lens for about 15 years. I was a MRI tech and reached the point where I could not yank reading glasses on and off every time I had to enter the magnet rooms or stick my head in the bore to assist a patient. I told my doctor I needed to be able to see near and far with my contacts. He tried the monofocal or monovision where one eye is corrected for near vision and the other for far. I just could not tolerate that, hence the multifocals. I have never really had trouble with lights at night that was bothersome. I still need reading glasses occasionally with very small print. Like others with age, low light can make it harder to see at times. No way to reverse the aging process. When my time comes for the cataract surgery, I will opt for the multifocal.

pdlinda · ‎10-23-2011

@PilatesLover I had tri-focal lenses implanted in 2012. I had astigmatism and went for several appointments with the surgeon to ensure the measurements were correct for maximum success. I also had cataracts.

I have perfect 20/20 vision all these years later and I consider the surgery (that took 7 minutes for each eye) one of the great improvements in my life! I can read the smallest print and have far vision, as well. I see some halos at night; however, I don't go out much at night so that was never a problem.

Since the surgery I have never worn glasses. Only regular sunglasses.

My greatest advice is to make sure you have an exceptionally well-trained surgeon. My surgeon had done more than 10,000 of these procedures when I had mine done and he's still operating on patients today.

At the time, I paid $6,000 out-of-pocket; however, at my last annual exam, I inquired about the present cost of doing what I had done: $9,000.

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@Sooner wrote:
I have some astigmatism and the normal formula for it doesn't work in my glasses. My eye doc says she has about three people that way, and I'm one of 'em!

Therefore we didn't put correction in my lens from cataract surgery nor did we try multi focal since I am odd. I can see find but need glasses to read, and actually although there isn't a lot of correction just wear them mostly.

I had superb distant vision before, which isn't quite as good now after but is better even now than most people.

Just sharing because anything might help you decide!

@Sooner I have a lot of astigmatism and the lense I chose was the toric intraocular lens which corrects my astigmatism so I no longer need glasses at all for distance... but I do need reading glasses for anything close up. my distance vision with the new lense is better than 20/20! Before cateract surgery my vision was 20/400... basically legally blind without glasses or correction.

I was not a candidate for lense that corrects both distance and close up. Because my astigmatism was so bad, I would end up having to wear glasses for distance most likely If I had chose that lense.