should I get standard or accomodating lens

I would just like some dr and patient opinions on what i should do.
I'm 40 male and have cataract in left eye. Right eye 20/20
Should I get the standard lens or accomodating lens.
Are accomodating lenses too new with out the kinks worked out?
That's what I feel my Dr's inferring.
The idea of not having the ability to adjust near and far is not appealing.
Am I going to end up unhappy though with an accomodating lens?

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

There are many, many discussions on this subject that you should review and read. you can get them by using the search feature and looking under health topics.

If I were having a cataract operation I would NOT get an accommodating IOL.

JCH III MD

[JodieJ]

It's a bummer, but you will begin to gradually lose your focusing ability in the next few years due to aging.  An aspheric monofocal lens would give you the best chance of having crisp, problem-free vision right after surgery, and you would still have good (though diminishing over the next few years) near/intermediate vision in your right eye.  If your left eye is not dominant, your IOL could be set for slight myopia (AKA "blended vision" or modified monovision) to permanently preserve intermediate vision--ask your surgeon about this.

You can read a recent report about multifocal/accommodating IOLs at www.lachmanconsulting.com/EyeQRpt11.pdf.  IMO, with the current Crystalens model you can reasonably expect very good distance and intermediate vision in the affected eye, and maybe eventually needing weak readers for near vision.  (However, if you read some recent posts on this site, you'll see that the Crystalens is hardly problem-free for some people.)  There is a new (improved) Crystalens model awaiting FDA approval (which will probably come in 2008, if you can wait.)

I think you should do more research before making a decision. (Try Googling "Crystalens" to locate other info sources, forums, news groups, etc.)  If you do decide to go with the Crystalens, please have your surgery with a cataract/refractive surgeon who has had (successful) experience with this IOL.  Best of luck.  

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

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