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far sighted cataract question

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debi72487
debi72487

Has any one had cataract surgery that wore bifocals glasses  but the cataract surgery only corrected the far sighted ? How did that work with getting new eye glasses .. did you still need bifocals ? and how long after you has surgery we're you able to get glasses? I will need glasses right away after second eye is done .. just wondering has any one went through this?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Sue.An
    Sue.An debi72487

    Posted

    Hi debi72487

    have you had first cataract surgery and just waiting to have 2nd eye done?

    If you have already had the first surgery and it was targeted for distance and you have 20/20 in that eye you may want to consider mini monovision and target 2nd eye slightly nearer so that you have more usable vision.  You would likely find that setup fine for distance and intermediate and only need reading glasses for fine print.  Won’t need bifocals in my opinion.

    It takes a few weeks to eyes to heal and artificial lens to stabilize- about 5 or 6 weeks.  You can buy cheap readers at the pharmacy during interim but you’ll want to wait the 6 weeks before getting your exact prescription with your optometrist.

    • debi72487
      debi72487 Sue.An

      Posted

      Hi sue.an.  Yes I had first eye did a few weeeks ago and I can see only close up and he said he is going to do the second eye same way .. he had given me a contact to try to do the close up with my surgery eye and the other eye with contact for far away vision but I was unable to make that work for me so that's when he decided instead of doing the other eye for distance he woukd just do them the same for close seeing ..  I am concerned cause I know after he does the other eye that I will not be able to see far without glasses .. unless I could wear readers for distance ?  Sorry just he didn't give me a whole lot of information so I was seeing if any one else has had both eyes for close seeing and how did they manage until they were able to get glasses.. thank you for your reply .  This has been very stressful and don't know where to turn for advise .

    • Night-Hawk
      Night-Hawk debi72487

      Posted

      If distance vision in the 2nd  eye is too difficult for you to handle with the near vision set in your 2st eye (full monovision), you might try to find out if the surgeon can set your 2nd eye for intermediate vision (focus about 2feet away or so) that would be only mini-monovision that most people can handle. Then you might only need glasses for good distance vision like driving, but intermediate vision may be enough for around the house like watching TV, working on a computer, etc. plus your other eye for good near/reading.

      However you would have to wait probably up to 2 months or so after the 2nd eye surgery is done to get a optometrist eye Rx for new eyeglasses because the eye is healing during the first couple months and the Rx can vary a lot, it did for me until after 2 months.  I got a new eyeglasses Rx too soon at about 1 month after surgery and it was useless a couple weeks later when I got the glasses because the eye had changed by then.

    • debi72487
      debi72487 Night-Hawk

      Posted

      But my question is how do you see in between times while waiting to be able to get glasses ? I have to drive and work and will need to see.
    • Sue.An
      Sue.An debi72487

      Posted

      Debi - sorry by title of your thread thought your first surgery was targeted for distance - thanks for explaining.  I understand now that it was set for near and you are now near sighted and have reading distance now.  I agree with Night Hawk that you would be better served with other eye targeted for an intermediate distance and again this would give you more useful vision.  You may actually end up preferring that set up and only wear glasses for distance like driving.  In between times are difficult for everyone and there is no ideal solution.  I managed by poking a lens out of one side of my glasses.  I had a 6 week wait between surgeries.   Are you able to take any sick leave from work?  I took a week after both surgeries and wishing I had taken more time after 1st surgery.  What are you doing now?  Sometimes you can get contact lenses for unoperated eye to help during interim. 
    • debi72487
      debi72487 Sue.An

      Posted

      Sue .an.   Right now I am still using my glasses which basically am just using my right eye to see distance and to drive as with my surgery eye with glasses vision is very blurry .  So after my right eye gets done there is no way these glasses will work to see .. I will have to call my doctor and see what is plan is for me to see to function .. as no I have no sick time at work .. I took week off with first eye and will take week off with second eye but then I have to go back to wind therefore I will need to see to do that .. just frustrated with the doctor I have and him not addressing my needs .. thank you so much for trying to understand my issues 😊

  • Night-Hawk
    Night-Hawk debi72487

    Posted

    Since you can't take off weeks from work, I would suggest you have at least a month or two between eye surgeries.

    Make sure your first eye done is healed enough so its visual acuity is stable before getting the second eye done.

    Then you should be able to get at least a temporary contact lens to give you good distance vision for the first eye just before the second eye surgery, or if time even a cheap temporary pair of eyeglasses to use until the second eye is done and stable, and after that get a permanent pair of eyeglasses for both eyes.

    Though if you have the second eye set for near vision same as the first eye, you would probably experience the issue you had with full monovision you tested with a contact lens.  Thats why if you could have the second eye targetted instead for intermediate vision it would help because then you would only have mini-monovision with that in one eye and other eye corrected for distance with a contact lens and that should be easier for  you to work with for driving, etc. when needed.

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An debi72487

      Posted

      Night Hawk’s suggestions are very good Deb.  Mini monovision is targeting eyes differently rather than same target (anywhere between .50 diopters to 1.50 diopters).  That is usually tolerable for most people.  If you wait as Night Hawk suggests between your surgeries you could test that with contact lenses or even now using a contact lens in your unoperated eye.  Full monovision is something some people do as well (targeting 2.0 diopters difference).  Some people like that as one eye sees distance well and other eye is for reading..  not everyone though tolerated that and it is unadvisable to go that route unless you’be done that with contact lenses and know your brain adjusts ok to it.
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