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Cataracts & Toric IOL for Astigmatism
I am scheduled for cataract surgery in a few weeks. It appears I cannot have anything but the Toric Astigmatism IOL if I want clear vision. My vision is a -4.25 in one eye and a 5.00 in the other and they are setting me up for a - 2.5 so I can keep my close vision. Will I have any variance to my vision at all or will I only see at about 14-16"? Will I be able to see any closer CLEARLY than 14", or any further than that too? At the present time I do a lot of detail sewing, artwork, jewelry, computer work. This concerns me greatly. I do not want to wear glasses to thread a needle, paint the details on a painting, or do jewelry work (that type of tiny stuff). I was told that if I got a multifocal IOL that there would be a yellow tine, decreased contrast and possible halos. I threw that idea out right away but I am still having doubts about the decision to keep the close vision (as I've always been). Any advice would be immensely appreciated. I also wondered if my 'blurry' distance vision will be worse than my blurry is now (without glasses) and the blurry will be the same amount whether it's 15 feet or 100 feet. Lastly, if I did opt to get the IOL set for distance, just how close up could I see without glasses. Thank you!
1) Bumping up the Add to +3.0 narrows the intermediate vision corridor (in that hour-glass shaped diagram) substantially. I think these fancy Hoya lenses she picked out already have a shorter corridor to begin with.
2) More important, the Segment Height is set way too high. So vision with my head in normal position is through that narrow corridor, rather than through the bottom part of the distance vision region. The girl who took the measurements sat a lot shorter than me.
Intermediate vision is the second most important thing to me, after near vision. But where the problem shows up the worst is crossing the streets walking. I walk a lot for exercise. You have to look quickly side to side, and then down at the curbs. It makes me dizzy and want to fall forward.
Computer vision is very narrow. I can still read just fine without them.
I gave them 9 days to adjust. Nothing changed after the first 24 hours. I thought maybe the IOLs and the lack of any adaptation might be causing this, but I tried my two-pairs-ago cheapie glasses from Walmart last night and they worked great instantly. Glad I saved all these old glasses.
More than you wanted to know? :)
2) More important, the Segment Height is set way too high. So vision with my head in normal position is through that narrow corridor, rather than through the bottom part of the distance vision region. The girl who took the measurements sat a lot shorter than me.
Intermediate vision is the second most important thing to me, after near vision. But where the problem shows up the worst is crossing the streets walking. I walk a lot for exercise. You have to look quickly side to side, and then down at the curbs. It makes me dizzy and want to fall forward.
Computer vision is very narrow. I can still read just fine without them.
I gave them 9 days to adjust. Nothing changed after the first 24 hours. I thought maybe the IOLs and the lack of any adaptation might be causing this, but I tried my two-pairs-ago cheapie glasses from Walmart last night and they worked great instantly. Glad I saved all these old glasses.
More than you wanted to know? :)
They live about 50-60 minutes away. We are going to try to babysit 2 days a week (go there and stay overnight). It's going to be a big change!
I hope that your Dr. will fix your problem with your glasses and redo them for you. What is the major problem with them (that you said you've figured out? and.... Can you still read easily without them?
I hope that your Dr. will fix your problem with your glasses and redo them for you. What is the major problem with them (that you said you've figured out? and.... Can you still read easily without them?
Congratulations on the coming grandbaby. I think you made a good decision to wait. You don't want to be bothered with eyedrops, appointments, and new glasses right when the baby first comes. Do they live near you, or will you have to travel?
The glasses are not doing so good, but I've been doing a lot of reading, and I think I figured out what is wrong. At least I can go back with *some* knowledge this time, although too late. I guess better late than never.
The glasses are not doing so good, but I've been doing a lot of reading, and I think I figured out what is wrong. At least I can go back with *some* knowledge this time, although too late. I guess better late than never.
Nancy, in a way I wanted to get it over with and was disappointed to some degree, then I sort of felt better about it. I know my right eye is lousy, but since 'lefty' is carrying me through, I can surely make it 4 more months. I have my first grandchild coming in early October so at least I'll be seeing them close up!! :-)
Yes, my Dr. and surgeon are 2 different people. I haven't seen the surgeon at all and was really surprised when they said something about talking to him because they never said I would at any point. It was actually the Dr. I had spoken with 2 times, and their surgery associates (nurses?) one time (only because I had to do a test at a different office, otherwise I wouldn't have talked to them at all an additional time).
I will agree with you about that 'option' thing.. I don't think that option IS know much. My regular optometrist (when I asked him) didn't think that I could keep my near vision. That's why I was so 'into' getting multifocals in the beginning before I knew I had too much astigmatism to have them. That is why it became such a big decision for me since mentally I had myself all prepared for multifocals (and my cousin had them with pretty good results). I think I didn't know what to do and thought I was losing my near sight forever!
So your Mom had trouble with reading glasses? I am supposing she was nearsighted prior to cataract surgery? I'm sure glad that your optometrist knew that surgeons could do that.
Are you doing any better with your glasses?
Yes, my Dr. and surgeon are 2 different people. I haven't seen the surgeon at all and was really surprised when they said something about talking to him because they never said I would at any point. It was actually the Dr. I had spoken with 2 times, and their surgery associates (nurses?) one time (only because I had to do a test at a different office, otherwise I wouldn't have talked to them at all an additional time).
I will agree with you about that 'option' thing.. I don't think that option IS know much. My regular optometrist (when I asked him) didn't think that I could keep my near vision. That's why I was so 'into' getting multifocals in the beginning before I knew I had too much astigmatism to have them. That is why it became such a big decision for me since mentally I had myself all prepared for multifocals (and my cousin had them with pretty good results). I think I didn't know what to do and thought I was losing my near sight forever!
So your Mom had trouble with reading glasses? I am supposing she was nearsighted prior to cataract surgery? I'm sure glad that your optometrist knew that surgeons could do that.
Are you doing any better with your glasses?
Once I make up my mind to do something, I want to get it over with. How are you with this delay decision? I disagree with their perception of why you have so many questions. They are probably just not used to folks having *any* questions.
I see now your doctor and your surgeon are two different people. I wondered how you were able to talk to the surgeon so many times. My surgeon talks to you twice for about 2 minutes---once before the surgery, and once the day after.
About the 1 in 50...I think the main reason the number opting for near vision is so low is because most don't know there even is such an option. If it weren't for my optometrist casually mentioning he was going to do that, and my mother complaining about reading glasses, and this forum, I'd have had the distance lenses too, and been sorry.
I see now your doctor and your surgeon are two different people. I wondered how you were able to talk to the surgeon so many times. My surgeon talks to you twice for about 2 minutes---once before the surgery, and once the day after.
About the 1 in 50...I think the main reason the number opting for near vision is so low is because most don't know there even is such an option. If it weren't for my optometrist casually mentioning he was going to do that, and my mother complaining about reading glasses, and this forum, I'd have had the distance lenses too, and been sorry.
Nancy, don't give up too soon on those glasses....you might get used to them! It took me quite a while to get used to progressive lenses but once I did it was fine enough. I did think a couple of times I'd never get adjusted but I did. If after a reasonable amount of time you aren't adjusted, you might want to ask them if they'll redo them. A lot of places will do that.
News-- my surgery is put off! I called and asked about doing just the one eye and my Dr. said she still thought I should wait. If I really wanted to proceed I'd have to talk to my surgeon about it (which I didn't know we ever would be talking to the surgeon prior to surgery) so I said just schedule me for my 4 month check (as they wanted to do). So meanwhile, I'm going to try to be happy the way it is (for now) and be sure of what I want to do (which I thought I was but who knows!). I think because I wanted to go in and talk with the Dr. with all my questions, that they perceived it as I wasn't bad enough and not ready or I wouldn't be so worried about what type of lens.
Wow, 1 in 50.....it must just be the creative types that want to keep their close vision. I have thought a time or two that the reason I want to keep my close vision is because I've never seen clear in my bifocals at a very close range -- only about as far as my dinner plate or book would be and no closer, so how in the world would I be able to ever see a detail again if they set my IOL at 14-16".
I suppose I should keep a positive 'note' on all this -- at least I CAN see! :-)
Keep me posted how you are doing with your new specs. I pray they'll work out for you.
News-- my surgery is put off! I called and asked about doing just the one eye and my Dr. said she still thought I should wait. If I really wanted to proceed I'd have to talk to my surgeon about it (which I didn't know we ever would be talking to the surgeon prior to surgery) so I said just schedule me for my 4 month check (as they wanted to do). So meanwhile, I'm going to try to be happy the way it is (for now) and be sure of what I want to do (which I thought I was but who knows!). I think because I wanted to go in and talk with the Dr. with all my questions, that they perceived it as I wasn't bad enough and not ready or I wouldn't be so worried about what type of lens.
Wow, 1 in 50.....it must just be the creative types that want to keep their close vision. I have thought a time or two that the reason I want to keep my close vision is because I've never seen clear in my bifocals at a very close range -- only about as far as my dinner plate or book would be and no closer, so how in the world would I be able to ever see a detail again if they set my IOL at 14-16".
I suppose I should keep a positive 'note' on all this -- at least I CAN see! :-)
Keep me posted how you are doing with your new specs. I pray they'll work out for you.
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