Cataracts & Toric IOL for Astigmatism

[CurlyButterfly]

I am scheduled for cataract surgery in a few weeks. It appears I cannot have anything but the Toric Astigmatism IOL if I want clear vision. My vision is a -4.25 in one eye and a 5.00 in the other and they are setting me up for a - 2.5 so I can keep my close vision. Will I have any variance to my vision at all or will I only see at about 14-16"? Will I be able to see any closer CLEARLY than 14", or any further than that too? At the present time I do a lot of detail sewing, artwork, jewelry, computer work. This concerns me greatly. I do not want to wear glasses to thread a needle, paint the details on a painting, or do jewelry work (that type of tiny stuff). I was told that if I got a multifocal IOL that there would be a yellow tine, decreased contrast and possible halos. I threw that idea out right away but I am still having doubts about the decision to keep the close vision (as I've always been). Any advice would be immensely appreciated. I also wondered if my 'blurry' distance vision will be worse than my blurry is now (without glasses) and the blurry will be the same amount  whether it's 15 feet or 100 feet. Lastly, if I did opt to get the IOL set for distance, just how close up could I see without glasses. Thank you!

[CurlyButterfly]

p.s. on that 2nd last sentence I should have said 'I am really looking forward to getting the new "eyeglasses" right lens.....(etc)'

[CurlyButterfly]

Hi Nancy, I appreciated seeing your last nice message. Well, here I am alive and well ha ha after the surgery! They did my right eye, set target at -3.00. I'm having the usual fluctuation but right now I'm seeing good at about 12". It's a little farther than I like (I was hoping 10") but it's not bad with my left eye which sees at about 8". Together my eyes can see at about 9". If my left eye's cataract ever gets worse, I think (or at least at this time) I will set it for a -4.00 or a -4.5. I would hate losing that super close up vision.  I am still hoping that when it heals my right eye might come in a little more. That is life I guess if it doesn't and I'd better be thankful for sight at all when I read some of these horror stories about vision that some have after cataract surgery. I suppose my new glasses will be a little thinner with a lesser prescription and no astigmatism which is a plus. The positive thing is that whites are very white -- I knew my cataract was making things very dim before. I truly appreciate the brightness. The surgery was a bit scary and I was awake through it. I'm glad it's over. I have to tell you something funny that happened to me at my 3 day check up. The associate took me back to check the pressure on my eye and have me look through the optical machine, and she asked me if I could read the letters and I said 'no'. Then she changed it, asked me again, I still said 'blurry'. Then after the 3rd time(getting a little worried)and I still couldn't read the letters, I said, 'they have me set up for close vision'. At that moment she asked me my target and I told her -3, she set up the machine that way and I could read all the letters. Boy was I relieved! Anyway I guess they expect everyone takes distance.
So....I am REALLY looking forward to getting the new right lens because it's hard seeing when the prescription isn't right but good old lefty eye takes over as it has been for quite some time!
How's it going with you? Hope to hear from you.

[Nancy_in_GA]

Good luck tomorrow, Erin.  Let us know how it goes.

[CurlyButterfly]

HI Nancy, Sorry it has taken me so long to get back with you. I hadn't realized that you wrote me. I have been truly busy with the grandbaby. It wears the body out and even makes it hurt but he's so cute and gives me so much joy, I don't care!

I don't understand why you've had so much trouble getting glasses to work properly for you. I truly feel for you and I may in in the same boat.  I just don't know why they can't set you up with what is right.

I have been going back and forth all week (surgery is this Friday the 19th) wondering if I've made the right decision to keep nearsightedness. I cannot think of life with never seeing anything close up. If the first eye can't get close enough after surgery, if I ever do the 2nd, I will make sure it is closer. I'm hoping the -3.00 will do the trick. My Dr. acts like that will be about 10-12" or so. I hope not a whole lot more than that. Actually I hope I'm not giving up MORE by NOT having lenses put in for distance instead, but I'm sure that would really drive me crazy.

Do you regret not going for distance vision (only) or are you still happy you chose to keep your close(r) vision?

Thinking of you, Erin

[Nancy_in_GA]

Hey Erin!  I was afraid you'd never come back and tell us what happened.  Got a new grandchild now?  
  
So you're doing one eye on the 19th.  Are you still going for the toric lens?  I probably should have.  
    
I'll update a little...
Got those Progressives changed one time.  Everything is OK now except the computer distance, but I expected that.  I've never had progressives that work well for the computer.  I see starbursts from headlights at night, but no glare or haloes.  I think that has to do with the cornea, not the lens.  Actually I think now that the haloes before might have been just starbursts that looked fuzzy because of the cataracts. Ha!  I can live with starbursts.

Some observations you might be interested in:

I already had a pair of single vision glasses set to focus at about 19 inches out (for the computer) for my *old* eyes and I can see almost everything inside the house clearly with just those now.   Outside at a distance, no, but not too bad surprisingly.   Whenever I get some free time I'm going to try a pair of single vision glasses set to focus about arms length away this time for the computer and see what happens.  

When I got retested for the progressives I told the doctor I wanted to see *crisp* at a distance, for driving.  He did the usual thing with the chart 20 feet away, and said 20 feet is visual infinity and good enough.  I argued that I now have zero accomodation and didn't quite believe it. I think he was anxious to get rid of me by then, so he took the lenses out in the hall and tested my eyes looking across the street.  It made a 0.75 diopter difference in the prescription.  So I can read road signs clearly far out now. I really like that.  
  
Finally, I can read just fine without glasses and thread a needle pretty good, but for *very* close lengthy work (like the other day I was sewing a buttonhole by hand) I had to drag out my dad's old readers. I hated them.

Good luck!  And please update.

[CurlyButterfly]

HI Nancy, I was thinking about you lately and was wondering how you've been doing. How are your eyes and your new glasses?

I'm going for surgery December 19 to do my one eye and it's going to be done at a - 3.00. I HOPE and pray I can see somewhat close up afterwards. I am waiting to do the 2nd eye when it gets bad. My Doctor agreed to this (I had to have a different one than the last time). I like him almost better than the first Dr.! He was going to do my eye at a -2.5 and I asked about a -3.00 and he was agreeable to do that if I wanted to.

So say a prayer for me if you think of it. I hope I can see perhaps 10-12" when it's done. I'm looking forward to a new pair of glasses! :-)

Let me know how you are.