refractive lens exchange

I am 67 years old and have used monovision soft contact lenses since the early 1980s to correct myopia. Since I have been told I'm not a candidate for LASIK or PRK, I'm looking into IOLs to be spectacle free.  I live in a small town and the ophthalmologist who does most of the cataract surgeries here has not done many RLEs. He at first recommended RESTOR, but has since suggested monofocal IOLs with corrections similar to my contact lenses prescription, since I am used to monovision. I have 2 questions. How much of his cataract experience is tranferable to RLEs, both in calculating the correction needed and doing the surgery? How common/succesful is it to do a "monovision type" correction with monofocal IOLs? I have a beginning cataract in one eye which I'm not aware of affecting my vision. While I'd like good vision at all distances, "near vision"  (computer range) and "extra close vision" are the least important.
Thanks for your help.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Experience with cataract surgery IS experience for RLE - because it's basically the same thing, except that you do the cataract surgery a little before the cataract is medically ready for surgery.  I think some tyep of modified monovision with aspheric monofocal implants sound like a great idea.  Just an idea - if you are 67 years old  - why not just wait until your cataracts get a little cloudier - then have surgery.  Will save you mucho dollars.  We do monovision with impants a lot - I'll say about 15% of the time.  Your surgeon should be able to work with you to decide what would be the best balance.  Whatever you do with your contacs is always a good start.  If doctor has ZEISS IOLMASTER - that will give you the best chance of optimum refractive outcomes.  Also astigmatism needs to be adressed as well.  Be very careful about multifocal or accommodating impants - just read forum posts here for some insights.

MJK MD