How can I avoid having to wear glasses after cataract surgery?

Question

Dr Yong Ming Por · Accepted Answer

To start off, I think the best thing for you specifically is to listen to your doctor's advice and get a pair of reading glasses.

As I mentioned in my previous answer to your question, there is no cure for presbyopia or Lau Hua-which is the reason why you need reading glasses.

Just for the sake of discussion, people who want to avoid wearing glasses after cataract surgery can opt for either monovision with monofocal lens implants, or multifocal lens implants.

Monovision with monofocal lens implants means that one eye is intentionally made to see clearly in the distance (with blurred near vision), and the other eye is intentionally made to see clearly for near (with blurred far vision)-without glasses. As you might imagine some people could like this while others might not. It is a compromise and people with monovision still sometimes wear glasses in certain situations eg driving at night, or reading fine print for long stretches of time.

Multifocal lens implants can give good far and near vision in each eye without glasses, but do note that halos/rings around lights at night are inevitable with the usual lenses, and some people may notice a reduction in contrast sensitivity, especially if their cataracts were very mild to begin with.

Dr E-Shawn Goh · Answer

Thanks for your question. I'm assuming that you do not require reading spectacles at the moment, since you are still in your 30s and have had both cataract surgery / Lasik surgery in your 2 eyes respectively. You should still be able to accommodate and see near / intermediate with the post-Lasik eye. If that is not the case, and you are experiencing early onset presbyopia (where the post-Lasik eye is having difficulty with accommodation), you should consult with your ophthalmologist who will discuss with you options including wearing monovision where the dominant eye is used for distance vision, and the non-dominant eye for near / intermediate tasks. This may be achieved with contact lenses, or inducement of mild myopia using Lasik surgery in the non-dominant eye. If you are asking this question for a future state where you may need to have surgery performed on the post-Lasik eye, then you have several options. The first is to place a similar monofocal lens but have the power adjusted to mild myopia that will allow good near / intermediate vision and acceptable distance vision (monovision). Some patients have opted with a blended vision approach with their second eye, where they place a multifocal, trifocal or extended range of vision lens in the second eye to be operated on. This allows the second eye to give reasonable distance, near and intermediate vision. It's best to discuss your options with your ophthalmologist! ESG

Dr Natasha Lim · Answer

Advanced bladeless laser cataract surgery with the use of high definition intraocular lens implants can provide patients with a once in a lifetime chance to eliminating their myopia, astigmatism and presbyopia at the time of their cataract surgery.

The choice of the type of lens implant used to replace your cataracts may be in the form of a monofocal lens implant or multifocal lens implant. Both of these types of implants can make you less dependent on glasses post-operatively. The choice should be made with your eye specialist according to your lifestyle, hobbies and visual requirements etc.