Cataract IOL Myopia and Galsaase

Hi:
I'm 44 years old
High Myope. Glasses of -13
My right eye is blind. Had a Massive retinal detatchment 10 years ego.
My Left eye developed cataracts and had Surgery /phaco/lens replacement with Monofocal IOL.
The cataract surgery was done 6 days ago.
I was told that I will not needn Glasses for far.
I can wonder around and I'm able to do things like driving with no problem but my visual acuty is not as sharp as it was before the surgery when I was using my -13 correction Contact Lenses.

As an example. Before surgery I was able to read a car Number plate from 25 meters far. Now, with the IOL I can read a car number plate from 18 meters far.

I tried glasses over the counter and with +1 have a much sharper image on far distance objects.
For reading I'm usinf +3 glasses.

I was told that after the IOL implant I will not need glasses for far, but the fact is that I see better with a +1 correction. I'm very dissapointed about this.

Questions:

1- The surgery was done 6 days ago. Is is too soon to have the final refractive stabilisation and visual acuty?. I do not think that this will change significantly.

2- Is it true that because of having a high myopia (-13), then the IOL implant will give me a correction with some sort of error?. (I am needing a +1 glasses to have a good far vision)

Thanks very Much

Walter

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Just because the doctor said you would not need glasses for far does not make that a fact written in stone.  I suspect that he was making an overall assessment that the implant was put in to maximize the distance correction but that in the end some glasses prescription might be needed to fine tune the vision.  What is important for you is that you have a safe surgery with a good outcome. I would try not to dwell too much on needed glasses just a little (which it sounds like the case.)  With only one good eye, safety is the main concern.  WIth a minus 13 prescription pre-op, you know going into the surgery that there is a pretty fair chance of still needing glasses after surgery.  Some percentage of patients may see quite well or near 20/20 without glasses but that does not mean that you will be one of those patients.  What I always tell my patients is that I will do the very best possible surgery and even though something like 85% will be able to see to drive without glasses, that still doesn't mean anything to them because they could be one of the 15% that might not.  No surgeon or patient is perfect but we attempt to maintain a system of excellence.  Anyway it sounds like you are about a plus 1 or so and that is pretty close to the intended target (though not perfect.)

MJK MD