Any advice on implants?

[Shortsighted]

I have just returned from a consultation for implants for cataracts.
My precription is -10 in both eyes so i am quite challenged! I wear soft contacts. I play golf.
At the moment with contacts I can also read quite well without the need for glasses.
I did not realise there were so many permutations for these implants.
Can anyone suggest my best line of attack.

What I want most is to be far less shortsighted so the lenses are not so thick in my glasses!
I am confused!!!

[Shortsighted]

I would appreciate any feedback about these implants!!!

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

You are welcome.

JCH III MD

[Shortsighted]

Thank you for your frankness. I must say I am coming around to this way of thinking myself. I am worried about retinal detachment ( I at least have the surgeons mobile number now) and he was not pushy at all he just gave me the options/risks and said come back in 6months. I also have BIG floaters but have got used to those. Perhaps in say 10 years time things may be more appropriate for me to consider something.
Thanks once again (am middle aged female so hopefully thats in my favour)

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

Look almost everyone over 60 has microscopic cataracts. You only need to consider cataract surgery when you are moderately or severely held back from doing the things that you need to do (work, drive) or enjoy doing (movies, driving to friends house at night) and cataracts are the cause.   Look at it another way almost everyone over 40 has a little arthritis in their joints by x ray or MRI but that doesn't mean they need their hips and knees replaced.

You are so myopic that the risk of retinal detachment will be significant (it increase by 10 times not 10 % but 1000% after even successfuly cataract surgery. And if you are a middle age male then the risk may be as high as 3-5%.

Don't be so anxious to jump on the operating table. If you feel your Eye MD is pushing or cajoling you into surgery get a second opnion or see a more conservative surgeon.

JCH III MD

[Shortsighted]

Thank you for your comment. Can you say what you would advise me to do about my cataracts. I have them developing in both eyes.

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

IF YOU WALKED IN MY OFFICE AND TOLD ME WHAT YOU SAID IN THE FIRST POSTING I WOULD SAY YOU DO NOT NEED CATARACT SURGERY.

JCH IIIMD

[indi1664]

Hi ,
      I was -20 ..correct...I have just had cataract surgery in Left dominant eye...i have gone all the way to about +1 ..but also have astigmatism..that is areal good result...however I find it very dificult having lost my close up vision...therefore make sure if you want distance and reasonable closeup and are going with monfocal aim ...for Blended vision... some good posts on this topic...just do search..

Good Luck

[twikle]

I had an Acrysoft IQ lens implanted in my left eye with the power set for intermediate focus so I can work on computers without glasses. The doctor also did and LRI to correct mild astigmatism. He put an Acrysoft Toric lens in my right to correct for distance vision. I was concerned about the monovision he prescribed, since I had no experience with it. But it has worked out well. I can drive, work on computers, and do some reading without glasses.

[JodieJ]

I think that your best bet would be aspheric monofocal lenses set for either monovision (dominant eye for distance, nondominant for near vision) or "blended vision" (dominant eye for distance, nondominant for intermediate).  If you're already doing monovision with contacts, monovision with IOLs would probably work out well.  There are three manufacturers of aspheric IOLs.  You can find out more about this type of lens by watching the patient education video at www tecnisiol com (dots omitted to evade censor).  Wearing a contact lens in your unoperated eye between surgeries would make your vision comfortable.

[2ndsight]

one of the doctors here would be best able to tell you what your close up vision would be like with -2.00  However I agree with Occupant's comments that it is better to try to aim for better distance vision. You might not get this anyway, being -10.00 - I read somewhere that for instance the Crystalens, the lens implant I chose, can only RELIABLY correct myopia up to a certain amount, I think -9.00 is what I read in one article.

Your surgeon should give you advice about this. There are a lot of comments on this board from people who want to keep their close-up vision but it should be mentioned you don't have binocular vision this way and the question could be raised as to whether this is good vision or not.

[Shortsighted]

Thanks for your comments. Monofocals seem to be the best option but how do you ever decide what strength? can you wear contact lenses on top of implants? What if I had my shortsightedness reduced to say -2 would all my close-up vison go. At the moment I can still read without reading glasses with contacts and my prescription glasses .
I am going to be doing a lot of research!!!! so welcome all feedback.

[Occupant]

The degree of your myopia limits your choices for implants. I was in the same position that you are in when I had my surgery about a year ago. There were no multifocals except for the Rezoom available and I don't think anybody here would recommend it. If I had to to it again, I would insist that the dominant eye be made plano (as close to 20/20 as possible) and the other slightly myopic, -1D or so. I don't think, there would be any problem playing golf  and driving without glasses that way. You will definetely lose your close-up vision, but them are the breakes. It's your fault, you are getting older. After the surgery on the right eye, I had the optometrist take one lens out out of my driving glasses so I could at least watch TV while waiting for the second surgery. Therefore. the left, dominant eye was still myopic due to the cataract. I really had no problem getting used to the imbalance during those four weeks.

[JudyLew]

Well, you've come to the right place for some help but Good Luck.  I'm so stressed over my situation that I'll just tell you to read read read, before you do anything.I'm waiting for my second surgery scheduled for Monday, but I'm not happy with what's about to happen.  I'll lose ALL my close up vision, and I don't think I can do a thing about it.  Right now I'm not able to see my own hand clearly with my new implant in the right eye.  I can HOWEVER, see wonderfully long distance with it.  If that's your goal, then you should be very happy.