It is that time in my life and I need to get it done. I know this is a short notice but I see the local eye institute tomorrow morning for a consultation. I have needed bifocal glasses for years, my far off vision is not too bad but needs help but up close I can not read without glasses. So after looking at the videos, I have so many choices. Mono, bifocal or trifocal? Laser surgery or the blade? Just wanted some input from people that have had it done. Thanks all for any input.

There have been several previous threads discussing the question that might be worth finding for a quicker answer. Having both eyes done several years ago was a huge benefit. Dominant eye good distant vision infinity to within 4-5 feet; left eye in focus from about 18 inches to 10 feet or so, and 20/30 for distant vision.

Medicare provides for free mono vision IOLs. I paid $3,500 for Clareon Vivity IOLs which provide sharp focus from infinity to laptop screen distance. And no halos around bright lights at nighttime driving. Worth it to me.

The paper work out took longer to fill out than the surgery.

My wife had both eyes done in 2025. The procedures were quick and painless. She went with both eyes distance perfect and needs readers for reading now. She’d had mono vision contacts for many years, with one eye distant vision and the other near vision. She liked mono vision but the doc strongly advised against that for cataract lenses. She’s very happy she listened to the doc.

Follow the post op orders.

I had both eyes done some twenty years ago. minimal discomfort, and much better vision. Still 20/20 in my dominant right eye.

Why I did it was that halos and difficulty to focus was making night driving dangerous.

Plain single focus lenses, I do use reading glasses for small screens and close work.

Go for it, you will not regret it, based on my experience.

had mine done 2 years ago and paid $6500 over medicare to get PanOptix trifocal lens. I had mild distance astigmatism but terrible reading vision.

I did not want glasses and now I can read a medicine bottle w/out readers and my distance vision is perfect. There are mild haloes on led lights in the dark. I don't notice them and would buy the same lens again.

My sister had the toric lenses used in 2024 and she is eye-glass free. I had to go the single-focus route because of a collagen tissue disorder that makes my tissues very stretchy and potentially weak. I my case my natural lenses were clouding to the point I couldn't drive at night and computer work was getting darker. I have no-line bifocals for close-up/reading and to clean-up the astigmatism at distance. In most cases I'm fully functional without glasses. This is coming from a -11.5(L) and -10.5(R).

Have some in the left eye that are becoming irritating Doc says to call the man.

Need to make an appointment...

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
had mine done 2 years ago and paid $6500 over medicare to get PanOptix trifocal lens. I had mild distance astigmatism but terrible reading vision.

I did not want glasses and now I can read a medicine bottle w/out readers and my distance vision is perfect. There are mild haloes on led lights in the dark. I don't notice them and would buy the same lens again.

Are the trifocal lenses made for certain distances or do they cover ALL distances ??? Any HALOs or starbursts, etc ??? Thank you and God Bless

I'm good for all distances - closer than 6" vision gets blurry but beyond that clear as a bell out to infinity.

led lights do have halos, incandescents or halogen do not. At first I noticed halos but as time went on they became less noticeable. Brain compensates is what doc said. Not a concern for me and never needing glasses is truly miraculous.

Beware of the up-sell when shopping.
There are downsides to the multifocal lens. There is money to be made so many Dr. offices don't mention the negative aspects of the multi.
Make sure they tell you, and better yet do your own research.

Did you notice the walls of your Doctors office are covered with promo materials all selling the multi lenses?
I had a multi installed and lived with it for about a year. I complained through out that year to the Doctor and all I was told was "You are too picky" and, "when can we schedule you for your other eye". The halo's and glare were unacceptable. The doctor also did a surgical procedure weeks before the lens installment were she said she had to "make my eye rounder"I forget the clinical word for the procedure. I needed a very strong pain killer after that procedure for about a day. When the pain killer began to wear off the pain in that eye was unbearable.

I finally could not stand it any longer and went to the Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. The Doctor there was fantastic, best Doctor I have ever encountered.
He examined and told me I would never be happy with the multi lens. He also said the original Doctor removed too much material from that eye when she did the first surgery to make my eye rounder ( of course so she could apparently install the multi lens). He could not understand why the first Doctor did the procedure.
The Doctor at the Cleveland clinic removed the multi lens and replaced it with the regular lens. I returned a few months later and had a regular lens installed in my other eye. I'm MUCH happier with the regular lens and don't mind wearing reading glasses for close up work.
Again, get ALL the facts, not just the ones that force you to hand over more money.

My eyes have always been vital to my careers.
I worked for over 25 years as a Commercial Photographer in Chicago. I primarily worked on view cameras 8x10 format. Years of looking at objects through the camera with the image upside down, with a hood over my head to see the ground glass and image while stopping down an incredible German or Nikor lens to f= 90 to view focus and depth of field while looking through a lope teaches you the value of good optics and forces you to appreciate the eyes you have in your skull. It also teaches you what a sharp image is.
I worked after that for 30 years as a Law Enforcement firearms instructor, again my eyes and clear vision are a huge part of my life.

A lens (multi) that has a 15% neutral density filter built into it thus reducing the amount of light entering my eye and the lowering of the limit of what I cans see when it gets dark out in my world, won't work. Couple that with the Fresnel looking rings from stray light that enters the eye especially after dark, no thanks.

I blame myself for not doing my homework before I made my choice.
Don't make the same mistake I did, know exactly what you can expect and make a wise choice.