Cataract Surgery Coming up in Two Days - Need Info on Mini-mono
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Posted a moment ago
I made the mistake of having my eyes lasered (PRK) when I was in my 60s which is not recommended at that age because of cataracts, but I didn't know and the surgeon never told me. Apparently, because of the PRK, they can't get exact measurements. Luckily, my RE was done with no complications and good intermediary vision on Oct 16. I can now read with no glasses on the computer and read close-up with that eye with glasses at 2.50 power whereas before I needed 3.25. I was also severely myopic and wore contact lenses, but I kept getting calcium deposits on my lenses.
Now I'm waiting to get my LE done on Nov 13 and she mentioned mini-mono and asked me if I wanted far or close vision. I crochet and have a shop online but I also need far vision to take the bus. Such a hard decision. Couldn't make up my mind, so she chose far for me. So maybe with just a slight correction for far, I'll be ok but I'm worried. She said I won't lose my intermediary. I read a comment on here saying that they wouldn't mess with mini-mono. With slight correction for far, does this affect only the close vision? How slight can it be? So I would like to hear from anyone else how it went with this same combination?
Thank you.
0 likes, 14 replies
Hudsongrl micheline16004
Posted
hello, have you ever tried monovision before? i'd recommend trying it with contact lenses first. Some people love it and some hate it.
micheline16004 Hudsongrl
Posted
I had mono-vision with the PRK laser. Back in 2001 when I had my eyes lasered for severe myopia, at first I couldn't see people clearly at far distance (a little farther than intermediate) so the surgeon lasered me a second time in my right eye to give me more distance which gave me mono-vision. Whether I like it or not is still a question mark with me as I had no choice but to get used to it which I did. The only thing I found was it affected my balance.
Guest micheline16004
Posted
Hi
I don´t have monovision, I have premium lenses, but minimonovision is the most used setup today, this is what most people get.
RE will not change, the vision you have now in that eye will be blended with whatever vision you get in your LE, so you will not loose anything, you will only gain vision from the LE.
Most people choose far and intermediate, and I think this is why your surgeon chooses far in your RE, because with this combination most people are relative free of glasses for many daily activities, only needing glasses for near.
Few people choose near vision over far vision, it is a personal choice, but if you choose near over far, you will not get more far vision than you have now.
micheline16004 Guest
Posted
One question Danish. Before the cataract surgery on my RE, my vision or glasses for close was 3.25 and 2.50 for intermediate. Right now, after my surgery with my RE, with that eye, I can use the 2.50 glasses instead of the 3.25 for close. If I choose far for the other eye, is there a possibility of having to use the 3.25 again or even stronger, because choosing far will take away from the 2.50 that I'm getting right now with the RE? I won't mind but I'm just curious. Or is it impossible to know until after it's done? She said she can only give me one -- far or near, but does it work by degrees or I've read diopters whatever that means? Wish I knew more than I do.
Guest micheline16004
Posted
Hi
Please don´t take me for being an expert, I am just a regular nerd 😃
As you know, eye doctors often use the term, that there is 3 different distances, far, intermediate and near.
And one monofocal can cover one distance, so two monofocals can cover 2 distances, and that is why you need to choose, you can´t cover all 3. Now that you have intermediate, you can choose either near or far for the second eye.
But reality is, that these distances are relative, it all depends on how well the lens power hits the target, a lens can also hit so that it covers half of two of the distances.
So there is really no way of knowing what you get, before the surgery is done, and you see what you have.
But that said, if the lens for far vision hits the target well, you would be able to see near with 2.5 glasses on this eye as well, so if the target is hit, you could probably get away with cheap 2.5 readers for near, even that special made glasses off course always would be just a little bit better.
In theory we need 3.0 added to far vision to have near vision, but the lens in itself also have a little bit of range, so 2.5 would be enough in most cases, depending on how well it hits the target.
And you might not even need to clear reading vision on both eyes, if you use 2.5 and have good reading vision on one eye, the eye that is not quite clear will still add to the combined image, our brain is really fantastic!
I have reading vision in one eye, and the other eye is not clear at all at reading distance, but despite that I read a lot better with both eyes than only one.
I understand your concern, we all know the feeling, and we all have doubts if we are doing the right thing or not.
Even after my surgeries I still had doubts, cataracts surgery is an emotional roller coaster, and we are being taken for a ride, no matter if we like it or not.
In the end I ended up following my surgeons advice, and I must admit that right after surgery I did question whether it was the right choice, but day by day I see he was right, and I am actually now 4 month in, started to forget all about my vision when i work and stuff, which I guess must be the best proof that the surgeon was right.
I think you are doing the right thing, following your surgeons advice, these surgeons have done this thousands of times, and they know the lenses well that they are using, and how to make the best result in each individual eye.
So even when we don´t get the theoretical perfect result, we probably get what was the best that could be done, these surgeons knows what they are doing.
I wish you the best of luck, I am sure your surgeon will do her best, and I am sure that you will get a good result, even that it might not be theoretical perfect 😃
micheline16004 Guest
Posted
Thank you so much Danish. I feel so much better now and feel more confident going there tomorrow to have this done. She did a good job on my RE, even if the exact measurements were not available to her because of the PRK, so there's no reason the other eye would not turn out good also. I will certainly come back and post the results at some time. Thank you for wishing me the best of luck. And don't underestimate yourself. I've learned more from you than many experts out there. Thanks again.
micheline16004
Posted
Thank you so much Danish. You have really reassured me. I was the most worried about losing my intermediate vision. I am still in awe over the fact that I can use my pc without glasses with that eye. I just hope she does it. She finished by saying she's going to try and that's because of getting lasered before. It's going to be a hit or miss thing I guess. Don't know what premium lenses are and how they function. She only gave me two choices, the standard ones paid by OHIP or the multi-focul ones she said I couldn't have because of being lasered and my other problems. If it's possible and I need glasses only to read, I'll be in heaven. I will come back and post the results once it's done. Very thankful for this site and people like you.
ara21947 micheline16004
Posted
You have gotten good information here. I want to add, only since I didnt know either, understand what is meant by intermediate vision: This is vision at arms length ,like computer, or 20 inches. Near vision means you see clearly at about 14 inches. I had thought it was 4-6 inches which is how I saw things so I was disappointed with seeing clearly at 14 until I understood this. Although I had my right eye set for near vision (setting for distance is the more common choice), once my astigmatism was gone, I also have intermediate vision. I dont have distance. So to alleviate your fears you wont lose intermediate with your choice of mini mono. I am not one to tell you how it went with doing mini mono first because I only did one eye so far, but next because I probably wont do the 2nd eye differently from the first although the surgeon offered to make my 2nd eye even more near sighted if I chose.
By the way, Im learning to knit and am so glad I dont need glasses for that as a beginner!
Im sure you know there are lens IOLs that cover you for all distances - trifocals- and people on here are happy with them. This vision stuff is difficult I know. Your point about balance was interesting.
ara21947 micheline16004
Posted
just formatting FYI - if I space or indent, the font and words change. Finally figured that out. sorry about the cut off words.
micheline16004 ara21947
Posted
Hi Ara,
Yes I know about the multi-focals but unfortunately I'm not a good candidate for them as I had PRK back in 2001. But the PRK had given me monovision which dissipated through the years and with the cataracts I had poor vision. This mini-monovision is a blessing to me because of the clear intermediate vision that I got with my RE done. Now it's either glasses for far or glasses for close. My intermediate vision won't change. I'm choosing for far because I do want to read the signs outside and see my bus coming, especially when I have to go to appointments. I've had to struggle with glasses for years for close and intermediate -- two different powers always picking up the wrong ones. So frustrating. I wish I didn't need glasses for close because I crochet a lot, but I'm worried about not being able to see enough far.
seeherenow49806 micheline16004
Posted
Hi Micheline:)
Usually, the main thing to consider is how often you use your close vision vs. your far vision. If you only take the bus occasionally, then you might be happy with wearing glasses for distance.
But it sounds like you're already using glasses for near after your first eye was done, so it doesn't sound like you would have that choice available at this point.
Diopters are the numbers associated with glasses/contacts prescriptions. So your readers would be written as +2.5D for 2.5 diopters added for near vision.
Most people do either mini-monovision, which is a difference of 1 to 1.5 Diopters between eyes, OR they do micro-monovision, which is a difference of 0.5D to 1.0D difference between eyes. This is because it is much easier for the brain to adapt to these lesser differences between eyes, yet it still makes a significant improvement in visual range.
Your readers being at 2.5D (or more) would make it impossible for you to do either mini or micro without still needing readers. So it seems the logical choice would be to choose a slight improvement in distance vision for your 2nd eye.
MANY people here have done mini-monovision or micro-monovision. I did micro-monovision combining a monofocal lens and an EDOF lens and I'm very happy with the outcome.
Wishing you the best!
micheline16004 seeherenow49806
Posted
Hi Seeherenow,
Thank you for wishing me the best. I've learned a lot here about eyes and cataracts. That's exactly what I'm striving for -- a slight improvement in distance vision for 2nd eye. I'm used to wearing glasses for near and being able to see the signs outside. I take the bus occasionally and I'm used to see well enough at a distance, although the vision was getting poor at the end with the cataracts. If I can get better distance vision and keep my intermediary vision and only need glasses for near, I'll be very happy. I'm still in awe at my intermediary vision and was told I won't lose that, so that's great to know. Thank you for your reply. I'll keep a copy of all your replies for reference.
jeff72055 micheline16004
Posted
I have a mini-mono set up and I like it. One eye is set for intermediate so I can see my Phone, Computer, T.V. and gauges in my car. The other eye is set to distance and they seem to work well together. I did the first eye set to intermediate because my other eye was already seeing distance at 20/40 and it allowed me to see if I would be good with this combination. I wouldn't use a near and distance lens together. There would be to much of a gap between the lenses and your brain may have a hard time adjusting. Besides, with the intermediate / distance setup I can drive just fine and read my phone bent arm without ever using glasses.
micheline16004 jeff72055
Posted
Hi Jeff,
I'm so glad to read this. Right now with the intermediate RE I feel I can make meals and cook, read on the PC, watch t.v., etc. without glasses, but I need help from the other eye. Now, I'm so encouraged to read that this combination allows this. My world revolves more at the intermediate range and close. But I'm so used to having distance to read signs and see my bus coming that I won't mind using glasses for close. I'm really thrilled about this mini-mono that they do today. My sister got hers done a long time ago and she has distance, but needs glasses for intermediary and close. Thank you for your post.