Question:
About a year ago, I underwent surgery for replacing a cataracted
lens with an intraocular lens (IOL) in one eye - unfortunately, I have
to have surgery on the other eye as well, and am curious about the
pros and cons of implanting an IOL of the opposite focus - that is, my
current IOL is a reading IOL - is there a benefit to implanting a
distance IOL in the other eye?
If there is a doctor that can provide a technical perspective, that
would great. Or if someone has undergone this procedure, I would like
to hear your experiences as well. Has different IOLs resulted in any
kind of double vision? Do you still need prescription glasses to read
or drive? Is there any medical danger in different lens? Is it
better to have the same lenses on both eyes?
Answer:
I had my first cataract surgery about 25 years ago when I was in my early
40's. They said I was to young for an implanted lens so I wear a contact
for distance vision. When I had the 2nd eye done they put in an interocular
lens for close vision. I don't have any problems with the monovision but I
have read that some people cannot adjust to it. I think it causes them to
have headaches. I don't worry about future problems because I could always
switch to a contact for close vision if I had to. I don't know what would
happen if you had implanted lenses in both eyes and couldn't handle
monovision.
