Can glasses fix worst-case scenario with multifocal IOLs?

[CathyJM]

Last Q for now about cataract surgery. In a worst-case multifocal lens scenario, where even after 3 months vision is blurry with haloes and ghost images, or even double vision -- is the only solution to take the lenses out? Or are there glasses that can help? I realize the main point of multifocal lenses is to minimize the need for eyeglasses -- but it's clear that sometimes it goes pretty awfully wrong. If

I had lots of money and time for followup procedures that might be one thing, but I don't. If glasses couldn't fix the problem(s) I'd have to go pretty far into debt for any followup procedures.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[JodieJ]

If you read through the archives of this forum, you'll see that sometimes glasses help in cases of multifocal "disasters," and sometimes they don't.  As a former cataract patient, my best advice would be to have your surgery done by an experienced cataract/refractive surgeon.  Get aspheric monofocal lenses, which can be set for best vision at distance, intermediate, near, monovision, or modified monovision.  (Discuss these options beforehand with your surgeon to determine which would be best for you.)  If you have astigmatism, see if it can be corrected at the time of surgery.  I think that it's extremely likely that you will be very pleased with your results.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Please read the answer to your first questions and see if that calms your nerves.

JCH III MD