Training your brain after catarat surgery

[mary70]

I had cataract surgery on my right eye last week (Wednesday). I had the Acrsof IQ lens,power 14.5 D.I had 20/20 by the next day. Good choice for me as I am only 50 and actively working, which includes a heavy travel schedule. My right eye had been a -12. Recovery is fine but I am frustrated by partial blurry vision. Also my computer screens are difficult to read, especially the one placed at my mid vision (nothing works to improve that)

My left eye is -4. I still have some reading ability in my left eye. Of course, I am interested in maintaining this. My presbyopia was never so bad  that I could not read without lens if I had too.

Now my question....I realize I have a bit of time for my eye to 'settle'. I'd like to encourage my right eye to be my dominant distance eye AND avoid doing surgery on my left eye (it only has a slight cataract). Is this possible? My surgeon was unable to determine which of my eye's was dominant. Also, I need to use low powered reading glasses for tasks like seeing this computer screen (it's about 12 inches away). Am I 'hurting' my chances of training my brain to use both eye's together now.

I really want to minimize future contact lens use or glasses. Maybe I am asking too much for my eyes? I'd welcome some thoughts on this.

[mary70]

Thanks very much for the feedback. I'll discuss with my surgeon.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

If your right eye is around 20/20 uncorrected then it's refraction is near zero or plano.  The left eye is about -4.00.  You might be able to tolerate this but I have serious doubts.  Once the difference between eyes is over about 2.5 diopters, this is called anisometropia and you can have headaches, dizziness, blurred vision etc.  In most situations, a 4 diopter difference is usually intolerable to the patient and requires the patient to wear a contact lens, have lasik or cataract surgery in the the second eye (the left in your case).   At this stage it doesn't really matter what  your dominant eye is - because your surgeon has made your right eye the distance eye.  THe left eye has the choice to be just like the right or a little nearsighted between 0 and about -2.00 roughly.  My suggestion is to try a contact in the left eye to simulate a -2.00 or even -2.25 or even up to -2.50 and see how you like it.  This would require a contact of about -1.75 power in the left eye.  That would give you a typical mono-vision type situation.  

As your currently are, I think -4.00 is too much different from the right eye to give you useful everyday vision - BUT you might like it.  You certainly can try it for a while and you can be the judge as it is,

In the end, however,  you will probably be best served eventually by having cataract surgery in the left eye and leaving the eye about -2.00 give or take a little.  But you have to make sure you like the simulated trial with the contact lenses.

It sounds like the future for your vision is VERY GOOD.  Nice lens implant by the way.  Sounds like your surgeon is taking very good care of  you!

MJK MD