what is best way to coordinate my eyes during cataract surgery?

[mb0329]

I am very myopic in both eyes ( -5 diopters in one eye and -9.25 diopters in the other eye). I have a cataract in my -9.25 eye that I am told is making it worse.I soon plan to arrange for cataract surgery  in both eyes, doing the -9.25 eye first. I do not wear contact lenses. I recently tried doing so and decided THEY ARE NOT FOR ME. Given this, what is the best way to deal with the vision coordination between my two eyes while I am waiting for the 2nd eye to be done (cataract surgery). I currently wear eye glasses but because of the big difference between my eyes, the eye doctor said he would prescribe me new eyeglasses saying they would make me dizzy. My current eyeglasses only correct for -7 diopters in my worse eye and -5 in my other. I don't know how long a wait it will be between eyes but I would guess 2 weeks to a month or so. I haven't arranged the appointments yet but plan to start doing so in next couple of days. What is best way for me to handle this? Thanks.

[JohnHaganMD]

There is no ideal solution. Most people do fine. Some rely on the newly operated eye from day 1, others wear old glasses without removing lens, some remove or cover the lens.  You likely will be so happy to see without the thick glasses you've worn for so long it won't make much difference.

[mb0329]

Would it also be possible/useful to remove the eyeglass lens from the operated on eye and continue to wear the eyeglasses...seeing from both your unoperated on eye with the help of the eyeglass and your operated on eye through the eyeglasses with the lens removed?..or would this cause dizziness?

I looked at pictures of occluders on the internet and they all seem to have handles. Wouldn't these get in the way?

https://www.google.com/search?q=occluder&num=50&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMI1fCr17PwyAIVBtNjCh1JDQZ1&biw=960&bih=450

[JohnHaganMD]

First read this: http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/1648102/Consider-ALL-the-Options-Before-Your-Cataract-Surgery-Working-Through-Whats-Best-For-You    ;
Most of our patients cover the lens with an occluder (opticians have these) the first week and use the unoperated eye. Usually at 1 week the operated eye is the clearer eye and the patient wears no glasses and uses over the counter glasses for reading (especially if the operated eye was chosen to have -0.25 refractive error post op (distant eye). Then the second eye is done about 2 weeks later when its evident to the patient and surgeon both the operation was a success.