mono lens implants

I wore monovision contact lens for years with no problems at all so when I had cataract surgery I had mono lens as close as possible to what I had been wearing implanted. At first I thought the lens were going to be fine but after a short period of time I realized I could not focus the distance lens and reading lens together as I had before so I see double unless I am reading. I don't understand why I can't, my doctor doesn't understand since I had no problem with the contact lens but it is very unnerving when I am driving especially. I am seriously thinking of redoing my close vision with a distance lens and just wearing reading glasses. I am currently wearing a distance lens in my near vision eye to try this out. Any problems with redoing my lens implant in this way?

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

First, your range of focus with a natural lens is different compared to a monofocal IOL.  Do you have the same refraction (with contacts) as before surgery. E.g.  if your distance eye was about 0 plano) before surgery, it should be about the same after the lens implant. If you near eye was -1.50 or so, after the cataract surgery, it should be about the same amount or a little more myopic.  Also, astigmatism needs to be correct.

Before doing anything, see if fine tuning with contact lens can restore your previous monovision.  If so, have laser vision correction.


Dr. O.