Eyeglasses post cataract surgery

Thanks Ron!

Thanks Jim. It's too late for me to make any changes, but what would you target for near and intermediate?

I targeted LE at -1.5 for near and RE at -1.0 for intermediate. I can read my phone and computer screen so I'm thinking about bifocals with distance on top and no correction on bottom. Thanks for suggesting an alternative approach, keeping glasses set for distance or intermediate. Thanks too for mentioning that progressives and bifocals increase the risk of falling.

Perhaps because (at least according to my ophthalmologist) high myopes have an easier time adjusting to progressives than those with lesser prescriptions, I love my progressive glasses. Mine are made up for all distances, not just two - it's a seamless gradient from far to near.

I wore progressives for years before I developed cataracts, and wear them now mainly for distance. I don't need them to use the computer (a desktop with a large, 25" monitor), but if I happen to have them on I just automatically tilt my chin up very slightly. I also have no problem going down stairs in them. They give me perfect vision at all distances. But clearly, everyone's mileage varies!

Thanks Bookwoman! I've just been thinking about my easy experience with progressives pre-surgery compared with friends. Now I understand why!

I'll be wearing these glasses for distance too. Do your lenses have correction only for distance or a touch of near and intermediate too?

I'm not clear as to the difference between bifocals and progressives other than bifocals have 2 zones and progressives have 3. Do you happen to know the pros and cons of each?

Would single vision lenses be another option for distance when IOLs already provide for near and intermediate vision?

Many thanks.

'I'm not clear as to the difference between bifocals and progressives other than bifocals have 2 zones and progressives have 3. Do you happen to know the pros and cons of each?'

Hi. I answered this below. Bifocals have a line (there is a clear delineation); progressives (free form) have no lines (this provides for a smoother transition).

'Would single vision lenses be another option for distance when IOLs already provide for near and intermediate vision?'

Once you introduce more power to get back distance, your near and perhaps some intermediate will unfortunately suffer, so will need to be compensated for, with a magnification required to get it back / counteract.

I see that the sphere in my new eyeglasses prescription at -1.75D is more myopic than the spherical equivalent at -1.5D. Is that explained by

'Once you introduce more power to get back distance, your near and perhaps some intermediate will unfortunately suffer, so will need to be compensated for, with a magnification required to get it back / counteract'.

Or would I expect even more myopia in my eyeglasses?

Well no, but eyeglasses sit further from your eyes so do need more power to accomplish said task, as oppose to say, contact lenses.

Brief illustrative example snippet (w./ regards to negative power):

Myopia:

Full distance correction-

Contact Lens prescription: -10.5

Eyeglasses prescription: -12.5

Thanks pershoot.

Is -12.5 referring to negative power? If yes, does that affect sphere, diopter or lens thickness?

Yea, that is a hypothetical myopic example (actually it's real-world; its mine in one of my eyes, hehe); is negative power (Sphere) which would call for added thickness in the lens which can be thinned out, to an extent, with that of a higher index one.

I previously ordered Zeiss small size high index 1.74 eyeglass lenses with Silhouette rimless frame to minimize thickness and weight. Are you doing something similar for the same purpose?

On another note, are you familiar with aspheric or even better double aspheric or bi-aspheric lenses? I read about these lenses on Quora.

Re-typing reply as there was a link to more information in it, that requires moderation.

Nope, I very rarely use glasses to correct for distance; out of practice (the minnification effect is too great, depth is off, etc., etc.). The quality and quantity of vision is much better, for me, in contact lenses. I only use a bit of an older pair (high index) when I need to rest eyes and / or go for dilation to check retina and surrounding.

Here is more information regarding lenses, types, situations to be used, etc.:

Please go to Google and type this in:

How to Choose the Best Eyeglass Lenses eyebuydirect

Go to Reddit and search for "Which Eyeglass Lens Material is Best?" There's a good thread there on the various materials and their pros and cons.

Will do, thank pershoot!

The issue of contact lens vs eyeglass power is proportional to the power of correction needed. With lower powers there is no difference between the contact lens and eyeglass prescription. CooperVision provides an one line calculator to calculate required contact power based on the eyeglass power.

A -12.5 D lens would be thin in the middle and very thick at the edge. When you get into powers less than -2.0 D the lens becomes quite thin and it is hard to tell the difference between the middle and the edge.

With the prescription you have now in the -1.75 D range you would be wasting your money buying high index lenses. You would not be wasting your money however in getting good quality high definition progressive lenses from Zeiss, Essilor, or Hoya.

I've been researching facial inset and how to minimize this effect using lens shape. Seems that oval or round is best. Zeiss has options to minimize this as well.

I have seen some suggestions that the absolute minimum height of the lens for progressive lenses is 28 mm, with 32 mm or more providing more comfortable vision. Best to bring a ruler with you when picking out frames.

Agree. What does high definition mean in terms of progressive lenses? Do you know which brand is best for progressives even though you're not wearing glasses?

Good idea!

I would say the top brands are Essilor (Varilux), Zeiss, and Hoya. At least in Canada Costco sells the Essilor Varilux under the brand name of Accolade Freedom 4.0 HD Progressive. I have had a number of them. Not sure if Costco does the same in the US or not. The US Costco Optical site is much less informative than the Canadian Costco Optical site.

.

HD is a bit of a marketing term. It basically means their highest quality of lens.

Thanks Ron!

Target for near would be -2 or -2.5.

Target for intermediate would be -0.75. That always surprises docs -- they want to go 1.25 or so -- but that's too myopic for me at intermediate. At -0.75 I get driving, TV, computer and phone.

I wore progressives for 20 years. Always a struggle. Could not find the intermediate zone. Like you say, Bookwoman, mileage varies. On the other hand, I get terrific versatility out of monofocals at -0.75. Optometrist can't figure out why that works for me at 74 years old.