My daughter's cataracts

[GeneKissinger]

My 30 year old daughter had cataract surgery on both eyes in May, 2010. Shortly after the surgery, her close up (reading) vision became seriously diminished and she now needs reading glasses and very good light in order to read. She had no problem reading prior to the surgery. Is this a common side affect of cataract surgery in patients her age?

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

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

The above is not entirely true. Many people with monofocal IOLs can read or use a computer after surgery but the residual refractive erros must be about -1.00 to -3.00 and then the distance vision is not good and glasses are needed to see down the road.

Another common cause is that the most common type of cataract (nuclear) causes the eye to become myopic (nearsighted) so they can read without glasses ("second sight"). When the IOL fixed for distance is put in the eye then the myopia is gone and reading glasses are needed.

As long as she reads will with glasses no problem

JCH MD

[AntonReiser]

Yes, standard intraocular lenses do not "acommodate" so everyone who gets such a lens looses near vision.