One cataract IOL and one contact (anisometropia)

[GaryFx]

I have one cataract that needs surgery, the other eye could wait.  Because my prescription is so strong (-4.25 in the eye that can wait), I've been told I won't be able to wear glasses after the first eye is done, because the two eyes will have images of different sizes that the brain won't be able to fuse.  I've worn contacts for years, so I'm not worried about being able to tolerate a contact in the other eye, but I've rarely been able to wear them a full day.   So I expect that for a few hours each day, I'll either have to wear glasses or else leave that eye uncorrected.

I've also been told that because of this imbalance, my insurance will cover the cataract surgery in both eyes, even though the second eye, by itself, doesn't need it yet.  Because of my schedule, it will be at least a month between operations.

So the question is what can I expect for that month?  Will a couple of hours in the morning and evening, either with glasses or nothing, be tolerable?  Would it be worth splurging on disposables contacts for that month, since I can usually tolerate a fresh lens for more hours?  What are the odds of it being better than expected, so that I could go indefinitely like that, until the other cataract got too bad?

Many thanks

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Agree that tryng contacts for a month sounds fine.  Disposable contacts are often more comfortable so that may be an excellent idea.

[JodieJ]

Yes, yes, yes--splurge on disposable contacts!  Even though my eyes are slightly dry, I can wear an Acuvue 1-Day Moist comfortably all the time.  (These contacts are so comfortable that I've occasionally forgotten to remove them at night and then inserted a second contact the next morning.  Even wearing two contacts in the same eye was comfortable--although probably not optimal for eye health.)  There are also some new one-day disposables on the market.  Your other vision options aren't as good.  Some people adapt to wearing glasses with an opaque coating on one lens when they don't have a contact lens in their unoperated eye.