Deciding the power of monofocal lens for Cataract

Ron is correct: I had -2 monofocals placed in each eye, although my LE wound up at -2.5. With that micro-monovision I can see well enough that indoors I only wear glasses to watch TV, but I do wear them all the time when outside, for driving, walking, etc. My vision is crystal clear for reading and desktop computer use, and gradually gets blurrier from there, but is still a vast improvement over even my pre-cataract vision, which was -8 in both eyes, not to mention the even worse vision I had with cataracts.

I decided to do this kind of correction after talking to my long-time ophthalmologist (who was also my surgeon). He knows me well, and suggested that my brain would be much happier with what it already knew, so to speak. I spend much of my day either reading or on the computer, I don't do sports, and I probably drive much less than the average American. Plus, I don't mind wearing glasses. So correcting for close vision was an easy decision. I decided to choose the same power for each IOL because there are no guarantees that what goes in will be what you wind up with, and didn't want to risk too great a discrepancy between the lenses.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

If I have a surgery of undercorrection with -1.25 in both eyes, will I be able to drive without glasses and yet see the dashboard and gps of the car ?

In emergency if I do not have readers, will such situations, will I be able to see my credit card numbers if I keep it far at arms length ?

LIke you myopic -4.50 to -5.5 as cataracts developed. I chose Eyhance monofocal with help of this forum with -1.25 in both eyes. First eye Oct 28 right eye Nov 11. I can see excellent at all distance uncorrected. Left eye perfect right eye Dr left a little more myopic and that is where my eye ended up. Easily corrected with -50 contacts for crisp perfect distance only if i choose to wear them. I can see computer cell phone car dash clearly and for tv sometimes i need glasses or contacts to get the superclarity i can but that is my choice for extra crispness. Distance is phenomenal being myopic whole life and using that -50 the lowest diopeter contact or maybe -75 glasses over counter gives me super vision. The days after second op right eye suprised me i compared eye to perfect left. But every day my vision changed for better and that little tiny madness of right eye not as sharp as left disappeared. I cant ask for better vision. Any deficiencies if I am feeling it are no different than wearing reading glasses for computer when wearing contacts in pre cataract days. I just got -0.5 contacts and i think i was being a baby. The optician said my vision was so good I didnt need them. i dont really need them but knowing that little power can give me superwoman distance makes it a great option.

1. Suppose that your doctor computed that a 21D IOL would give you a net focus near -1.75 and that a 21.5 d IOL would give you a focus of at -1.25. Is that compatible with the what your doctor told you?

2. I looked for regular IOL lenses that come in 0.25 diopter increments, but I did not find them in my brief search. They may exist, for all I know.

3. RxLAL has 0.25 d increments. But like the others, this is a target, and is not going to be right at target. But it will come closer.

Thanks RonAKA!

That brings me to another question...

Both my surgeon and optometrist recommend an intermediate focus. My surgeon and I have discussed -1.75 D as a compromise between -2.0 D and -1.5 D. Is -1.75 D considered intermediate? Is there an agreed upon range of numbers for each category: near, intermediate, and distance? Another surgeon suggested -2.0 D and referred to that as near... Another surgeon recommended -1.5 D and referred to that as intermediate (I think)...

Thanks again!

Thanks Ron!