Cataract surgery - should I get single vision or ReStor lens?

Question

My research is not getting me anywhere so I thought I would try Yahoo Answers friends. I am interested in finding out the downside/upside of surgery itself, of single vision, of ReStor lens. I am scheduled to have my worst eye done on 12/6 and then the other 2 weeks later. Am concerned to say the least because I am a computer programmer and without good vision, no money. My eyes, other than the cataracts, are very healthy and I have no other health issues.

It is beggining to sound like single vision is the safest way to go?

Answer 1

You need to first decide what is most important to you to have following cataract surgery. Every choice in life (that's no different for cataract surgery) involves positives and negatives. There are positives and negatives to both the Restor IOL choice and the single vision IOL choice.

If you want the clearest possible vision with the best night vision then hands down the choice is the single vision IOL. BUT, you will be dependent on reading glasses when you read. If what you want is a level of independence from reading glasses then the Restor IOL may be your choice. BUT, the overall quality of your vision will NOT be as high quality as the single vision. OR, you can try (as the other doctor said) one in one eye and one in the other. This will give you some of the benefits of each but you will also have some of the drawbacks of each.

So, I didn't help much did I? If you want my personal recommendation --- I would always defer toward the highest quality vision possible. That's why I am personally not a big fan of the multifocal or accommodating IOL. I hear many more patient complaints from these than the single vision IOL. And remember --- once the implant is in the eye if you don't really like it well there's not much you can do to fix it. A surgeon will simply not re-enter the eye for anything other than a health related complication.

Answer 2

Restor Lens For Cataract Surgery

Answer 3

One method that works well for my patients is the ReStor lens in one eye, and the ReZoom lens in the other eye. The lenses are both multi-focal lenses, reducing (hopefully eliminating) the use of reading glasses after cataract surgery. The two different lenses do a good job complementing each other, providing you with good distance and near vision (I have multiple patients that see 20/20 far and near without the use of corrective lenses).

If you get single vision lenses, you will still get a good result, but you will likely need reading glasses afterward for anything about an arm's length away and closer.

Another thing you may want to ask your surgeon about is "monovision." Simply stated, that means one eye focuses at distance, the other at near. It sounds wacky, but it works about 80% of the time in my experience.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Restore implant is a multifocals lens. If you do not want to wear reading glasses, it may be an option. Single power lens will give you the best quality of vision but you have to deal with reading glasses. Multifocals lens are not for everyone and if you don't like it, you have a very limited time span to have it remove and exchange for a single power lens.

Answer 5

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And I'm sure that you will not regret your decision

Answer 6

I'm with Yagman on this.

I'm considering having cataract surgery in about five years time, when my accommodation has virtually gone, purely to re-set my refraction down from -10.00, -14.00.

I've considered the advantages of multifocal implants, and note that those who are happy with them tend to be very happy with them, but I'm not prepared to take on the risk of reduced contrast, glare... And there are certainly people who regret having gone that route.
I'm going to opt for a single vision correction, unless I can be convinced that a genuine accommodating implant (Crystalens type, not the multifocal concept) is effective and reliable. I don't think it is, yet: I took the opinon of my local surgeons at a meeting about a year ago.

A few years ago my local hospital started doing bifocal implants in appreciable numbers, but they have now stopped.
(to the relief of us optometrists, because after-surgery refraction wasn't fun at all: When the patient had been expecting good vision at all distances without glasses, and we were struggling to find the best distance and near over-refractions because the vision wasn't that good...)

Answer 7

Blurry vision after cataract surgery is usually a common complication called Posterior Capsule Opacity. It is easily corrected with laser surgery. She needs to go back and have the surgeon check for this condition.

Answer 8

If the Restor lens is the crystal kind, I would avoid it. My uncle had them put in and 5 surgeries later on both eyes, he still cannot see. I don't think the newest procedures are as safe because I don't think they are tested long enough for side effects. Talk to your Dr. to find out all the pros and cons or each.

http://www.acrysofrestor.com/default.asp