Is anyone ever happy with any kind of IOL replacement?

[EyeSeeStars]

I am doing my best to put off having cataract surgery because of how many negative comments I've read regarding problems during or after cataract surgery with IOL's of any kind. Are the results skewed here because people mostly write about the negative rather than the positive? After careful analysis, when I do go through with it, I will only consider monofocal IOL's. I will probably go with modified monovision, which my optometrist and I have been trying now with the use of contact lenses. I absolutely will not entertain the idea of Crystalens or multifocal lenses.

My eyesight is still pretty good over all. It's just that I have much difficulty driving from early twilight hours through night time, with the very large starring, halos, loss of contrast, etc. As a matter of fact, I have stopped driving at night altogether. Glare from sunlight during the day also provides me with me a "light show" that is definitely not entertaining. I am only 56 and work full time.

I have what is essentially a world renowned surgeon that would do my surgery, but that still doesn't stop me from being scared to death. I don't want to trade something reasonably good for something horrible. What are the real odds of something going wrong during or after, even a few years after surgery?  This has become such a difficult decision.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

This site and others like it draw unhappy people like a magnet attracts metal. It gives a totaly skewed view of cataract sugery. I'm working and this AM I've seen 5 people that have had cataract surgery on one eye and wanted to schedule their other eye ASAP because of the dramatic improvement.  Cataract surgery is the most common surgery done on adults (3.25M in USA in 2011), the most successful and the safest (bear in mind no surgery is ever completely safe.

JCH MD

[achillea]

In general, people come to this site because they are having some kind of problem, so you are indeed seeing a skewed population.  If you search this site diligently, though, using the right terminology, you will find a few customers who are happy with their surgeries and their IOLs.

I am one of them.  About two years ago, I had bilateral cataract surgeries for fast-growing cataracts.  I had been 'far-sighted' all my life, and after my thoughtful surgeon had examined my eyes and measured them seven ways from Sunday, he chose the ReStor D1 for me.  Yes--the hated and reviled ReStor

My surgical outcome was perfect vision--near, medium, and far, without the need for reading glasses except perhaps twice a year in dimly-lit restaurants.  I drive at night with great pleasure now, too.

The key is to do a lot of research beforehand, and then to find a careful, precise surgeon who has the habit of THINKING and who considers his patients' eye anatomy as well as their needs and expectations.

[EyeSeeStars]

...Wish there was an "Edit" function!  My title was misleading.  I just meant is anyone ever happy with any IOL after cataract surgery, or ever happy with cataract surgery in general...