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Time between cataract surgeries /what to wear?
I found out that the center where I plan to get cataract surgery done later on this year usually recommends one to two weeks between the eye surgeries. In my case I was already told I would not be able to try contact lenses to 'try out' anything due to the cataract. What about how to see as safely and as well as possible whether the interval is one to two weeks or five weeks as Dr. Hagan's pts. often have? My unoperated eye would be very myopic (-7 or -8) and I haven't worn contacts in years, just glasses. I noticed one poster's comment about not feeling steady on his/her feet after the one eye was done and hopefully that's rare but any suggestions? Does one wear an eye patch for a while and wear one's old glasses for the unoperated eye then? Wear your old glasses with the operated eye's lens taken out? Also I assume 'anisometropia' refers to eyes not working together, so how best to avoid that?
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OK.... when I see the phrase 'set for distance' or 'distance bias' I assume what that means is that you want good distance vision. However, if it is 'set for distance' with both eyes at -2, then that means one would still need glasses for distance....?
Set for near/intermediate in one eye and distance in the other would be mini mono vision, I assume.
I'm still trying to understand the basic definitions so I understand what people mean in these posts.
Set for near/intermediate in one eye and distance in the other would be mini mono vision, I assume.
I'm still trying to understand the basic definitions so I understand what people mean in these posts.
Distance means 20 feet away or further. Post op refractive error is 0.00 Anything closer than 15 feet will look blurry. Intermediate is shooting for refractive error about -1.50 diopters. The range of clarity cannot be exactly calculated like on an optical bench because it has to do with the optics and how active the pupil is. Most people with refractive error -1.50 can see computer, shop, see speedometer without glasses. In good light and with good print they can usually read 12-14 pt fonts. Prolonged reading, very small print, poor contrast usually requires reading glasses. With a -1.50 refractive error TV at 12-15 feet would be out of focus.
So with a -1.50 post op in both eyes, one gets glasses for distance. Maybe to allow for that margin of error, it's wise to opt for the -1.50 intermediate b/c one needs distance glasses anyway.
No with the distance glasses on and the -1.50 corrected you can't see any closer than 20 feet than so could not see to read, speedometer, etc. For most things would need progressive bifocals RX RE -150 LE -1.50 Add +3.00 each eye progressive no line type. You must grasp this clearly to understand your options.
What I have read on the site is that people who are already nearsighted sometimes like choosing monofocal for distance, but more often they do not, regretting that they can no longer see up close as they have done all their lives as nearsighted people. So, if one wants to remain slightly nearsighted after cataract surgery, and has a monofocal lens and not a multifocal or accommodating lens,
unless it's mini mono vision, the 2 eyes will have the same number like -2.00 post op refractive error. -1.50 or -2.00 error post op would mean you would still need progressives for everything not very close up then (kind of like the way things are now, as I use progressives successfully for both myopia/presbyopia). So maybe you mean progressives for intermediate and everything that is not super close up (which is the case now as well, pre-surgery).
unless it's mini mono vision, the 2 eyes will have the same number like -2.00 post op refractive error. -1.50 or -2.00 error post op would mean you would still need progressives for everything not very close up then (kind of like the way things are now, as I use progressives successfully for both myopia/presbyopia). So maybe you mean progressives for intermediate and everything that is not super close up (which is the case now as well, pre-surgery).
Most people that have cataract surgery have some distances and some things that they see well without glasses. If your Rx was -2.00 in both eyes post op you would likely be able to read and use a computer quite nicely as I am doing now without glasses. With your distance RX -2.00 you would not be able to read and a TV 15 feet away would be blurry. So your glasse would need to be progressive BF with RX -2.00 OU and +3.00 Add. With them on you would be able to see well at all distances (assuming a healthy eye) and for extremely small print see better to read than without glasses. By going to a mini-monofocal near bias say -1.00 in dominant eye and -2.00 in non-dominant you could extend your clear vision without glasses to make intermediate clearer. As you said most myopic people are use to wearing glasses for distance and seeing clear up close without glasses and doing that post cataract is usually what makes them happy. I was recently consulted by a -3.00 myope that thought it would be the greatest thing in the world not to have to wear glasses to drive or go to the movies she was 65. She either didn't understand or the surgeon did not explain she would no longer be able to read without out glasses. She was miserable even though her distance vision was 20/20 without glasses in each eye.
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I already wore (and continued to wear) contacts in the interim in the other eye. At night and in the morning I either wore nothing and used the operated eye, or wore my old glasses and used the unoperated eye. Not ideal, but in your case it sounds like the interim period will pass quickly.
I tried the old glasses with lens removed, not an ideal solution, but workable for the short time. After a few days, I did without the glasses and let my brain sort out the best image. The period between the operations is definitely a PITA, but it's only a short time, so really not something to be overly concerned about.
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Most of our patients find that within 1-3 days the operated eye is clearer and wear no glasses during the healing process for distance and use over the counter reading glasses.
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One concern is that often they recommend you not wear contacts for a few days before surgery, or at least before the pre-op measurements since even soft contacts might alter the corneal measurements. Its likely however that if both your surgeries will be done in that short a time that they can do the pre-op measurements for both eyes before your first surgery, so you can wear a contact lens in between.
Anisometropia refers to eyes having different prescriptions. Aniseikonia refers to the resulting problem with glasses, that the different strength lens powers lead to different image magnifications and each eye seeing a different size image. The brain can compensate for some difference in size between images, but if you wore your glasses with one lens taken out, the -7D difference might be a bit more disconcerting and headache inducing. A contact lens is closer to eye and so there is much less difference in image size so its usually not a problem. I had my eyes done a day apart, and wore contacts anyway, so I can't comment directly on trying to use glasses.