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monovision after cataract surgery

I am a 72 year old female. I had cateract surgery on my left eye in February, had complications of severe swelling and flashes after surgery which healed completely after a few months and I now have 20/20 distant vision in that eye. I am having surgery on my right eye in July and my opthamologist has suggested that I have a standard lens inserted for near vision in my right eye. I wore contacts lenses with monovision for 14 years, however, the contact in my left eye was for near vision and the contact in my right eye was for distant vision. The opposite of the results that I will have if I go ahead with monovision after cataract sugery. She feels that this is not a problem and my brain will adjust to the change. I also do not know which eye is dominant and if that really makes a difference.
I also play tennis and golf and wore a distant contact lens in each eye  while playing these sports. The perscription was stronger in the left eye than the right. In your opinion is monovision that best choice for me?
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Avatar universal
A related discussion, removing monovision lenses after surgery was started.
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Avatar universal
A related discussion, mini monovision was started.
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Avatar universal
Dr. Kutryb,

What would be the minimum measurement of diopters that would be benefical in a mini-monovision situation?  0.5?  1.00?   Or, approximately how much distance (in inches/feet) of improvment are represented by each .25 diopter?  

I would like to be able to see the computer without glasses but wouldn't want to feel "unbalanced."  And when driving into an intersection, I would like to have sufficient distance vision in each eye to be able to safely check the traffic both ways.
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Avatar universal
When I did monovision with contacts, I could use either eye for distance or near vision.  But this does not work for everyone.  If you search the archives of this site, you'll find several posts from people who were very unhappy using their (previously) distance eye for near vision.  Why don't you try wearing a contact lens in your right eye, as Dr. Kutryb suggested.  The one-day disposable contacts are very comfortable.  
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284078 tn?1282616698
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I really can't say.  I don't know if you will like being nearsighted in your right eye.  I would have left the left eye nearsighted possibly since that is the way you did it in the past with contacts.  My decsion would depend a lot on what you currently see in the right eye - in other words what is the current prescription and how are you doing with your vision at present.  Depending on how you are doing, and what you want, it sounds like monovision would probably suit your needs but I am worried about making your possible dominant right eye neaersighted (if it isn't that way now.)  I might try a contact lens trial to simulate the type of vision you mght get with monovision or mini-,monovision.  All in all, not knowing if you would tolerate the right eye for near, I might very well error on side of caution and just match it up with the left eye -that way  you know exactly what to expect.  If you can - post again on an odd number day to me and give me your current glasses prescription for the right eye - it might help me to guide you more.  I would not count on the brain suddenly liking the right eye for near.  It's possible, yes, but you just don't know sometimes until you try it - but you really can't change the IOL like you can a contact lens.

Michael Kutryb, MD
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