Wife and I both had the multi focal lenses installed (me 2 years ago and my wife has just completed hers) and results are remarkable. Corrected a mild astigmatism on me and I don't need readers. My wife had lasik done about 30 years ago. Her procedure was a bit more complicated but results were outstanding.

When my Grandfather had cataract surgery, the practice was to simply remove the occluded lens. Afterwards he needed thick positive glasses for distant vision, and even thicker ones for reading. How far we’ve come!

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Originally posted by sigfreund:

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Originally posted by grumpy1:
BTW I found out that supposedly 30-50 percent will develop symptoms of "secondary cataracts" posterior capsular opacification within a few months to a few years which can be corrected in office with laser surgery.

That was something I’d forgotten about until you mentioned it here. I was told that I have a bit of that and it could be corrected, but after reading that there could be complications (as with anything) and because it doesn’t seem to affect my vision, I’ve decided to hold off for now.

I asked about it last week and she told me that they check for it with every eye exam I would have but she also said if she felt it was insignificant would not even mention it. If it doesn't affect your vision them yeah just jot it down in memory and hopefully it will not change but good to know if it does cause vision issue there are options.

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Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
When my Grandfather had cataract surgery, the practice was to simply remove the occluded lens.

I recently finished The Surgeon, The Midwife, The Quack: How to stay alive in Renaissance England by Alanna Skuse, and the book mentioned cataract surgery in the era of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Other than no anesthetics or anesthesia of course ( ), the practice was the same: remove the clouded lens with nothing to replace it. In those days there were evidently no usable glasses, so why do it at all? The answer was that without the lens causing an obstruction the person could see shades of light and darkness which was useful, and which was better than not being able to see anything.

If you have astigmatism, splurge on the upgraded lens to fix that. You can also get far and near sided lens so you wouldn’t need readers.

I had mine done in November 2025. It went well, I was -11 left, -10 right and my night/rain vision was really bad. I'm about 20/30 as of now. I do have astigmatism, but we used basic lenses because of a collagen tissue disorder which makes it difficult to stitch my new lenses back in. I do need readers and distance classes to correct the astigmatism.

I apprediate the responses. My vision was too blurry to post. Too soon to tell. Found out I had glaucoma and needed stents to drain the fluid. Thanks again.

I just had my second cataracr done in January. My first was done in Nov ‘24. I had the first set for front sight depth/computer screen depth. The newest is my distance eye. So now I see everything from the phone in my hand to infinity very clearly.

Dr. Sun in Tomball. I didn’t go for the fancy lenses, while I did think about it, but I am very happy with my cataracr lens choices, near and far and my brain does the math.

^^^^^^

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I just had my second cataracr done in January.

“cataracr” seems to be a popular spelling.
Twice in HK Ag’s post, and also the thread title.

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Serious about crackers cataracrs.

I will need surgery in a few years; I'm waiting to see what experience is with the new accommodating IOL's.
If I had to have them done today would probably just get distance vision IOL and use readers for reading. That's what my wife had done; we're used to wearing glasses anyway, they cover up wrinkles and provide some eye protection. My astigmatism is not bad enough to require toric lenses.

My wife had both her eyes done and no problems. She had worn glasses since the 4th grade. Now she only wears readers.
I had my right eye done after her. Same deal no problems. I chose a lens for distant and only need readers.

Our Dr. does the dropless cataract surgery so we didn't have to use drops after surgery.

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Our Dr. does the dropless cataract surgery so we didn't have to use drops after surgery.

I certainly got damned tired of the eye drops. Supposed to wait at least ten minutes between them. For awhile it seemed like half of my day was spent doing eye drops.

I've gotten into this boat. I had my eyeball exam last week and was 2+/4 (seems worse to me) on the cataract scale. The gal who did my exam said that she would be happy to refer me to the surgeon for the procedure at this point, but would recommend waiting a few more years,

I am sick and tired of my cheaters and having to pull over and stop on the road when driving at night because these new headlights are so bright.

I have researched the lens options and it seems that the accomodative lenses are the way to go. The issue is paying for it. I have a $6500 deductible currently and the specialty lenses are not covered (out of pocket), so it'll set me back a bit, but I'm thinking it'll be worth it in the end.

We're going to change insurance carriers in the next few months, so I think I'll wait and see what they offer, but I'm going to get it done sooner rather than later.

Anybody have thoughts on the accomodative lenses vs. other types?

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Anybody have thoughts on the accomodative lenses vs. other types?

Yeah. It’s damned nice to be have everything from 10” to infinity in sharp focus. It cost me $3,500 for toric versions in both eyes. No halos around bright lights, such as oncoming vehicle headlights. Money well spent.

I was up sold on the $3500 lens when I had the first eye done. I found that lens intolerable with the prismatic rings and haze when looking at anything bright. They also cut down the transmitted light about 10-15%.
I finally went to the Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic where the Dr agreed I would never be happy with them, He also pointed out the the first DR damaged my eye by doing a resurfacing to my eye so the up graded lens could be used, so she could make more $$$$$. He removed that lens and put in a standard lens, three months later I went back and had the other eye done.I perfectly happy with wearing a reading glass for close viewing.
Beware of the UP sell!

I will need cataract surgery someday. Not sure what the options are. But sounds like I may need to choose between being near or far sighted - surgery can correct for one but not the other (unless I opt for some sort of special lens?).

Question: seems like it's popular to get distance vision corrected and use weak / reader glasses for near vision. Makes sense in many ways. However, I'm concerned about the case where near vision is needed but without glasses - for example, what if you get something in your eye and you can't see it w/o wearing glasses but then you can't remove it (ie - perhaps an eyelash) while wearing the glasses.

Is it better to correct for near vision and wear glasses for distance? Or correct for distance? Not sure what the pros/cons are for either and what people generally choose. Or what doctors recommend.

Its on my radar, forming in the left eye and when reading or watching tv some times it looks like my glasses need cleaning in spots, for now I have adapted.

But last visit to the eye doc he said the left is a bit worse than before, the first surgeon said to wait over two years ago, and he retired recently.

Have a new one in a referral so need to go see him, and learn about the lens options, has Lasik many years ago that corrected the astigmatism issues that had me wearing Toric lens contacts, got about 20 years out of it before having to go back to wearing glasses but they are no longer thicker since the Lasik.

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Originally posted by konata88:
I will need cataract surgery someday. Not sure what the options are. But sounds like I may need to choose between being near or far sighted - surgery can correct for one but not the other (unless I opt for some sort of special lens?).
<snip>

Didn’t you read my post above? Yes, a more expensive IOL is necessary if you want to have sharp vision from infinity to close distance (~10” with my IOLs). And you need to find a competent surgeon if you want to avoid problems such as member armored reported above.

I will be having my first eye done emnextnweek and the second 3 weeks later. No symptoms, but a routine exam revealed that I have narrow angles and cataract surgery is supposed to be the definitive treatment. I’m using a multifocal lens that will correct for astigmatism. High deductible medical plan means I pay for the first eye and the upgraded lens, then just the upgraded lens on the second eye. I am more apprehensive than I expected I would be.

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Originally posted by konata88:
<snip>
However, I'm concerned about the case where near vision is needed but without glasses - for example, what if you get something in your eye and you can't see it w/o wearing glasses but then you can't remove it (ie - perhaps an eyelash) while wearing the glasses.
<snip>

The usual solution for that problem is a concave mirror.