Multifocal lens for cataract surgery?

[billethkid]

Has anyone having cataract surgery chosen to have the multifocal lenses that have the ability to act as a bifocal? Eliminating the need for reading glasses after the surgery?

They are expensive and not covered by medicare, however, I am trying to determine if they really function as proclaimed?

My other option is to go mono with the standard lenses covered by medicare. Mono being one eye for distance and one eye for reading......which I have had in the past when younger with lasik surgery.

btk

PS I did do a search and found some comments from back in 2010.....hopefully more experience with the multifocal lenses since!

[Challenger]

Has anyone having cataract surgery chosen to have the multifocal lenses that have the ability to act as a bifocal? Eliminating the need for reading glasses after the surgery?

They are expensive and not covered by medicare, however, I am trying to determine if they really function as proclaimed?

My other option is to go mono with the standard lenses covered by medicare. Mono being one eye for distance and one eye for reading......which I have had in the past when younger with lasik surgery.

btk

Just completed second eye today(first 1/31) with multifocal at Lake Eye. looks good so far but will take about 30 days to know for sure. Will post then.

[sjdjmd]

My husband had this surgery several years ago and has had wonderful luck. No glasses needed for reading or distance. Even though his eyesight was very poor, our insurance didn't pay for the surgery so it was expensive...but worth every penny for him.

Just be sure to check out the doctors, etc. and make sure they have outstanding referrals and track record.

[KayakerNC]

My husband had this surgery several years ago and has had wonderful luck. No glasses needed for reading or distance. Even though his eyesight was very poor, our insurance didn't pay for the surgery so it was expensive...but worth every penny for him.

Just be sure to check out the doctors, etc. and make sure they have outstanding referrals and track record.

Any problems with side effects such as glare or halos around lights at night or in dim light?

[lightworker888]

Just had my 2 eyes done and I was nearsighted (-6). I was at the point that I didn't need my glasses too much for reading esp. the wee small print. I had the option for multifocal or an advanced aspheric monofocal, which was not covered by the gov't insurance.

It is a Crystalens and I chose it because my doctor said that it was the lens that was the most stable and was the one used all the time for anyone with eye disease. It gives more range of vision and the power is determined by all the measurements etc. so they gave me one that would require the least amount of reading added and still give me 20/20 for distance.

I had the 2nd eye done a week ago and I am on the computer and can read the piano music and paperbacks and the telephone book without glasses as well as most labels on cans and even on the supplement bottles, although the really tiny print escapes me.

A magnifying glass seems to be all I need for that and I don't read much that small. So I am thrilled with the lens and it didn't require any additional astigmatism correction surgery which a multifocal would for me.

Another consideration was that the doctor said that often with the multifocal lens, that night driving could be impacted because of halos and I wanted to avoid that if possible. Also she said that as the eye ages, the multifocal lens might require glasses for reading so I figured that if in the long run I might need glasses, that I would save the extra cost of the lens and the surgery and go with the advanced aspheric monofocal.

From my research, it really does appear that opthomology centers deal with different lenses depending upon their preferences. So I would really check out the range of options and the experience with the lenses in choosing an opthomologist and a center.

Just my 2 cents.


LW888

[llaran]

I have 2 neighbors who have the multi focal lens and they have not had good luck