Mono Lens Reading or Distance?

I mentioned on the other thread that some surgeons aren't as familiar with the Symfony and consider it an option for those who can't get multifocals. Another option would be   the Crystalens which I don't think is as good an option as the Symfony but better than a monofocal. Since the Crystalens is a single focus lens that may merely accomodate to change focus a bit, and   doesn't use a diffractive optics, it may be one some surgeons are more comfortable considering for someone where they have concerns about a multifocal.

Since you mention "wear glasses for driving" it isn't clear what your surgeon meant by saying "your distance vision will be blurred" since if the vision with a monofocal set for distance should be comparable to vision wearing distance correction with a monofocal set for near. 

Your description of not seeing people's faces in a room perhaps is more intermediate vision, or at least closer in near, so  I guess rather than claiming distance will be blurry, he is trying to indicate that the monofocal doesn't have much of a range of vision. If its set for distance (or with distance glasses) then intermediate may not be as clear. At your age you likely haven't yet lost all your accommodation so a monofocal will reduce the range of vision from what you have now.  I don't know if you've tried them before, but you can wear progressive glasses (called varifocals some places) with a monofocal IOL to deal with getting more of a range of vision. 

Unfortunately the range of vision   each person gets varies depending on the depth of focus of the rest of their eye. Hopefully he is describing a worst case scenario (rather than one based on seeing other eye issues suggesting subpar results). I'd seen some doctors suggest a typical result for a monfocal set for distance as being that 6 feet in things start to get blurry, while a tiny lucky minority even get some further out reading distance, and an unlucky minority post about having trouble with blur starting 10-12 feet out.  I'm not sure if even that desription of a typical result might be slightly outdated and based on older monofocals to be cautious. Its best though to   plan for the average case, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. 

The thing to do is to figure out what distance you'd prefer to not need glasses for to set your vision for that. I don't know how much vision you get from your other eye (it varies when people say a "lazy eye",  you can set that using monovision to give you vision a bit further out or closer in than where you set your first eye.

I think that in general, it is easier to wear glasses, when needed, for reading than to have to wear glasses for distance.

You should probably aim for a monofocal lens for the right eye for distant vision with a slight undercorrection (ending in a prescription of about -0.25 to -0.5. If you get that (and don't have a significant astigmatism), you should expect to have good vision from about 4-5 feet to far away. That gives you a good range for the day-to-day lving. Of course, you will have to use reading glasses for reading.

If you aim for good reading vision at 16 inches with a monofocal lens in the right eye, you should have a good vision from about 13 inches to about 20 inches, but will start to get fuzzier. As your doctor said, your distance vision will bad. You will be lucky to be able to read the top line on the eye chart. Thus, you will be using glasses most of the time and taking them off while reading.

I got my first eye done June 2016 and my second one done August 2016, firstly the optician told me I had a cataract and he referred me to the hospital or maybe the gp firstly I think, anyway I next got an appointment in the hospital where the consultant exemined my eyes and told me I would receive a letter with an appointment date for the op, there was no mention of any type of lens, they just took me in and did the op, I had pain in my eye for 4 days after the op which was due to pressure, probably common after surgery but it was fine after that and my sight was good too. It was the same after my second op I had pain for 5 days again my sight was good but I do have problems such as heavy tired feeling in my eyes and they also feel a bit gritty too but I am living with that because my sight is fine

Enough about me, you will have read lots of the letters on this site from those who have had surgery and all the different symptoms that they have had and some like you speak about different lens, again I am not understanding this because types of lens were never mentioned to me, the consultant seemed to know exactly what I needed and this is what I would expect. I think what the secretary told you was very unprofessional and she could be sacked for saying what she said, the consultant should know what hes doing he will have done loads of ops and if he doesnt then you should choose a different one

Please let us know what you decide and how the 23rd goes

Kindest regards and best wished, Agnes

I have finally after alot of thinking about have made my mind up. I am going to have one for distance. I have come to the conclusion that 10% of my day i would need a reading lens, but the other 90% of the day i need good distance vision. Simples really when you look at it like that. My glasses are varifocal ones and i have been told only to wear them for reading at the moment, i am managing that ok so that will stay the same and i will then have the added bonus of better distance vision than i have at the moment.

Was really worried that if i had chosen the reading lens my distance vision would be that bad that i would end up having to wear distance glasses all the time. I've read some info on a NHS sight (i am in the UK), and it states that if you choose a reading lens then you have to wear distance glasses and if you choose distance you have to have reading ones. Most people choose the distance one.

My husband did tell me last night to find some reading glasses and walk around in them telling me that would be what it would be like.

I am seeing the consultant this evening, i have a list of questions for him to answer. If nothing changes i will post after the op is done.

Many, many thanks to you all for your help.

Hopefully next time you hear from me it will be all over and done with. 😀😀