Cataract Lens choices
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi, I'm about to undergo cataract surgery in about a month and pondering what lens to use.Would appreciate any suggestion for my situation.
I'm 61 and has been nearsighted since youth. My eye prescription is as follows:
-6.0, -0.75, +2.5
-6.5, DS, +2.5
So I'm quite nearsighted on both eyes, slightly astigmatism on my right eye, and moderate presbyopia on both eyes. I've been wearing progress glassed for the last ~10 yrs. The cataract doctor was pretty sure that Sympony lens is most suitable for me. The main reason he mentioned is Symfony lens has the best chance of allowing me not needing glasses after surgery.
The thing is I don't really mind wearing glasses. My main goal after surgery is to be able to see well in all distances even if I have to wear glasses. The research I have on Symphony is it may give me good distance vision without glasses but monitor and reading may be borderline acceptable. Here are my questions:
1. Would it be a good idea that the Symphony lens is set to optimize intermediate and near visions? The distance visions then become borderline acceptable, meaning I can still function without glasses but if I want to sharpen up I wear glasses. So the end result is I will wear glasses to correct mild nearsightedness most of the time but remove glasses when reading monitor and books.
2. Can the above scenario be achieved with standard monofocal lens? Sympony lens is expensive.
Thanks in advance, Robert
0 likes, 43 replies
wateron robert20416
Posted
What is generally meant by intermediate & distance vision
Sue.An wateron
Posted
There is no universally agreed to definition of near, intermediate and distance. These are guidelines. You must understand that a monofocal IOL or a monofocal toric IOL inserted correctly in an eye with a corresponding amount of astigmatism there is a precise distance that the IOL will be focused anything closer or further away will be somewhat blurred. Due to the pupil changing size there is a "depth of focus" where within that range things will be pretty clear.
Distance: This means 20 feet (6 meter) or further
Near: Generally this means about 12 to 18 inches which is where most people read.
Intermediate: this is the most imprecise. Generally it means 2-5 feet away. Within this distance are using a computer, seeing a dashboard on a car, seeing shelves at a store.
robert20416 Sue.An
Posted
Sue.An, The definition is indeed quite arbitrary. Your definition is generally applied and used. However, I see a gap between 5 and 20 feet, which seems to be in no man's land. TV viewing (6-10 feet, depending on screen size) falls into this category. My right eye after cataract surgery of -1.00D, which is generally considered intermediate correction, does not see well in this distance range.
wateron Sue.An
Posted
Sue.An robert20416
Posted
Night-Hawk robert20416
Posted
With my eye set for good distance, I see clearly at about 4or5feet and beyond.
So for me intermediate is 2-3 feet distance which is my computer PC monitor viewing distance.
Smartphone viewing is a bit closer just under 24" - kinda between intermedate and near.
Near (reading) distance for me is about 20" or less.
Sue.An Night-Hawk
Posted
Happy New Year Night Hawk and Robert.