Which monofocal lens is best (after multi explant)

[Restornomore]

Can any of the doctors on this forum recommend any particular monofocal lens over another?  I am looking at a bilateral explant of the hideous Restor.

My “wish list” is for the clearest and sharpest possible vision, and a lens that works optimally at night and in normal and often encountered dim light conditions, such as finding coins in a purse under a shaded awning, reading in cafes, walking poorly lit streets at night.

Are there any properties of a given lens that would make them easier or safer to insert after an explant, thus effecting the choices above?  

Are there any “tradeoffs” with a lens that works well in poor light, eg is glare in bright light any worse for example?

I realize that the final outcome depends upon the surgeon and individual factors, not just the lens but any guidance would be most appreciated.

Regards, Restornomore

[JodieJ]

Good luck with your first explant, Restornomore, and please keep us posted.

[londonbridge]

Yes best wishes for a quick recovery from your explant.
londonbridge

[disappointed66]

Dear Restornomore.

We are all rooting for you!  Good luck with your first explant!  Don't dread the surgery.It will be over before you know it!



Disappointed no more

[Restornomore]

So good to hear from you all!  You may be able to be of further help.  Jodie has indicated that she has both eyes set to distance due to a particular problem, and that is exactly what my surgeon is proposing.

I'm not quite sure why this is - I'm happy enough to get the first (dominant) one done that way, (he plans to undershoot just a little) but am rather interested in a not-too-drastic "tweak" that might give a bit more good intermediate vision.  I will certainly canvas that option with him.  Part of me likes the idea of eagle-eyed distance, with glasses correction being similar across both eyes, while another does fear the degree of glasses dependency.  (No hassles with readers, computer glasses, but a little worried about not being able to see a benchtop enough to cook without glasses as Jodie has indicated).

Perhaps he thinks I have had such dramas accommodating to the Restor that he doesn't want to take any chances.  Will certainly discuss this.

Can anyone tell me what it's like outside (Jodie?) with double-distance.  Do things in the intermediate zone blur unacceptably?  I think this depends on your eye, how long/nearsighted you were to begin with?  I'd like to see the ground at my feet (about 5 feet away) without glasses and too much de-focus.
Don't know my actual measurements, but a bit farsighted naturally I think.

I can accept glasses for inside tasks, such as a day's housework, computer or reading, checking shop windows, supermarket shelves etc, and could have some made up for that purpose to sling permantly around my neck, as were my old readers.  However a bit concerned about weird blurred effects outside without them.  I'd like to not be absolutely shackled to (say) multifocal glasses all the time.  Overall though, I'm definitely an acuity freak who does not like too much discrepancy, so would not contemplate monovision and would favour accurate over "passable" any day of the week.  

I guess with any discrepancy in the monos, one of the eyes must always be in "defocus" compared with the other.  I have experienced this in a sense without any problem, as my right eye had gone legally blind without my actually realising it!  The left eye had for some time taken up all the slack and suppressed a lot of the total blur that the right one was transmitting.
I'll take this up with the Doc, but any insights you can offer would be most appreciated.  What about the effects of matched vs slightly blended vision as we age?

Another thread started by an outdoor type (bethepunk, David from Mass) canvassed similar issues.  David loved his first eye, so that's heartening.  It's so lovely to hear from people who opened their eyes and were stunned by the clarity - I opened mine and absolutely "freaked out" and have been in that frame of mind ever since, lol.

Will keep you posted as to outcome(s) as it's all of help to others.  Maybe will start another thread.  Eye 2 is to be done a fortnight from the first, (I misunderstood surgeon) so I should have a bit of time to answer some of the above questions for myself.

Regards, Restornomore

[JodieJ]

With both eyes at plano, everything within arm's length is blurry.  I would recommend mini-monovision to most people (distance/intermediate)--much more versatile, and distance acuity is about the same as distance/distance.  With a little luck, you would only need glasses for prolonged reading or seeing small print.

[londonbridge]

Hi Restornomore,
I restled with the exact same issues as you are now. I went back and forth between doing distance/distance and distance/intermediate.
I chose distance/intermediate and have been pleased with the results. I still wear a contact in my nonoperated eye for distance and will have my second eye set that way when I finally get an IOL. I did my nondominant eye for intermediate, since that was my Restor explant. I also dislike discrepency and have always strived for the sharpest vision. I feel that my distance vision is fine this way and I can function most of the time without glasses. I do use no line bifocals for reading and for when I want to not have to take my glasses on and off such as at work when switching between tasks. My glasses correct for a slight astigmatism as well.
My surgeon also proposed distance/distance intially, probably for the same reason, I had so much trouble adapting to the restor vision and distance/distance seemed the most conservative to him.
Since I am still very nearsighted in my non operated eye, my eyes are -8.0 different in diopters without my contact and this is annoying but I have adapted and know that I can correct that eventually when I have surgery.
Hope this helps. I think even if you go distance/distance you will be 100% happier than with the restors and will adjust no matter what.
take care.
londonbridge