Cataracts: Anyone get multifocal lenses?

[Passepartout]

I get to meet up with the ophthalmologist in a couple of weeks presumably to take some measurements. I've had lasik and PRK so it's not quite so straightforward. I assume I get to choose whether to take the 'standard' single focus lenses or pay extra for upgraded ones. Experiences? Recommendations? I currently have 'monovision'; one eye focused more for distance vision and the other more for reading distance. I get along OK with it, and understand I'm not going to get the vision I had at 18, but I wonder if multi-focal lens implants might come close.

Jim

 

[rapmarks]

I love my multi focal lenses. I do not need glasses at all. My husband had monovision, and had his cataract surgery the same way, not as successful as mine, he does have glasses although the eye doctor feels he doesn’t need them.

 

[Passepartout]

I love my multi focal lenses. I do not need glasses at all. My husband had monovision, and had his cataract surgery the same way, not as successful as mine, he does have glasses although the eye doctor feels he doesn’t need them.

Do you find that you have to change where on the lens you 'look' to change the distance where you see in focus? I don't know if I made that clear. My perception of these multifocal lens implants is that (for lack of a better example) they are like the front of a B-29 with lots of different little lenses focused in a slightly different angle. How much was the upcharge? Feel free to PM me if you are uncomfortable posting publicly. Thanks

Jim

 

[isisdave]

I've had monovision with contacts for years, so I knew my brain would figure it out. Got the right eye cataract done in January, and it's set for computer distance ... I think +1.0 is the number. I'm planning on doing the left in November, and it'll be for distance vision (I now have a contact in that one that's just a little short of correct adjustment.)

I went for the simple lens because it didn't seem like the fancier ones would give much advantage in my case, because there are reports of having glare at night with toric and sometimes with multi-focal lenses, and frankly because of the cost.

A previous, very long thread here in the TUG Lounge helped a lot with the decision.

 

[rapmarks]

It will be eight years in November and my cost was $4800. I think my ophthalmologist charged more than others. I never had any awareness of needing to adjust my vision, but I never had trouble with bifocals either, I have a small problem with distance, I know where the golf ball came down, but not how far it rolled. I have to be a little closer to road signs to read it completely than I used to . I had terrible glare and halos, but that has gotten so I don’t notice anymore.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I wear transition type glasses when I'm not working, but for work I do wear B&L multi-focal contact lenses and love them. My eyes are quite bad (-6.25 right eye and -6.50 left eye) with "high ad" on the multi. I can see fine with them, and don't have to focus primarily out of one eye of the other.

I do not have cataracts, but do have a pretty bad astigmatism.

The only thing I can't really do with the contact lenses is my photography due to the really close-up vision issues with the lenses. So when out do my photography, I'm usually wearing my glasses.

 

[Passepartout]

It will be eight years in November and my cost was $4800. . . . . I had terrible glare and halos, but that has gotten so I don’t notice anymore.

Thanks. Yes, I had some glare and halos too, shortly after the Lasik, but it passed. The doc told me that there was direct correlation to constant use of the provided the drops and getting past the halos. It worked for me.

 

[heathpack]

I got em. They did not accomplish what we hoped- that I wouldn't need glasses at all. I need reading glasses.

My upgrade for both eyes cost $10,000.

Overall the surgery resulted in much better vision for me, but the multifocal lens aspect of it didn't work for me. I knew that was a possibility going in, so I have no complaints. Thats the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Passepartout]

I got em. They did not accomplish what we hoped- that I wouldn't need glasses at all. I need reading glasses.

My upgrade for both eyes cost $10,000.

Overall the surgery resulted in much better vision for me, but the multifocal lens aspect of it didn't work for me. I knew that was a possibility going in, so I have no complaints. Thats the way the cookie crumbles.

Thanks. That was kind of what I thought. Since I have the same basic situation now (monovision), and for 'better' vision, I have bifocals with virtually no distance correction in one eye, and almost no reading correction in the other one, I'll likely go for the standard fixed focus monovision lens implants and have back-up glasses. No really big deal, glasses have been part of my face for over 60 years, so nobody would recognize me without them.

Jim

 

[JohnPaul]

Thanks. Yes, I had some glare and halos too, shortly after the Lasik, but it passed. The doc told me that there was direct correlation to religious use of the provided the drops and getting past the halos. It worked for me.

Thought you said the halos were from religious use!!!

 

[DebBrown]

I was afraid to try anything "fancy" because I tend to have migraines and thought I wouldn't adjust well to new visual training. I have the standard cataract lenses and have perfect vision indoors. I wear glasses for long term reading (I can read phone texts without) and driving. My vision is less than perfect outdoors but I've gotten used to that and only use the glasses for driving.

 

[Passepartout]

Thought you said the halos were from religious use!!!

That might have been an unclear use of the adjective. I changed it.

 

[Karen G]

I had mono vision lens implanted when I had cataract surgery about 14 years ago and they've worked fine. I was used to the concept having worn mono vision contac lens for many years previously. My far vision isn't the greatest, such as when we're outside at night and my husband is pointing out some constellation and I don't see it. But, I don't really need to see into outer space. It's good enough for driving, and the near vision is good enough to read and do the computer without glasses.

 

[pedro47]

How much does the insurance cover for cataract surgery ?

 

[Karen G]

How much does the insurance cover for cataract surgery ?

When I had cataract surgery I wasn't under Medicare yet, but it seems like my insurance covered the whole cost. I had gone to the opthamalogist to see if I could benefit from lasik and she told me that my lenses were such that I would qualify for cataract surgery which would be covered by insurance & lasik would not be covered.

But I think my mother-in-law had it and Medicare covered it.

 

[pittle]

I love reading the comments because this is on my horizon for next year. One cataract continues to get worse and we have been waiting for the other one to progress to the point that I need it done too.

I wore glasses for distance since I was 16 and transitioned to contacts when I was 30. When I retired at 55, my distance vision started correcting itself, but I started needing readers. The B&L bifocal lenses did not work well for me. I often wore only one a lot of the time, so I could probably do the mono vision OK.

Actually, I now see amazingly well for distance but have to wear progressives with only correction to read and for long periods of computer use. Since distance is good now, I do not need glasses to drive, but wear prescription progressive sunglasses when driving and have one pair of clear ones for night driving to keep headlights from haloing.

 

[Passepartout]

How much does the insurance cover for cataract surgery ?

Medicare covers pretty much 100% of cataract surgery- it's the most common surgery in America. But if you want the multi-focal lenses, they cost extra. Hence this thread- to help me decide whether they are worth the upcharge. So far, I'm leaning toward just going for the 'standard' monofocal lenses, and having the doc set one for distance and one for reading distance, similar to what my vision is now, and use glasses for extended reading or driving- like I do now.

Jim

 

[Krteczech]

How much does the insurance cover for cataract surgery ?

I have basic Medicare coverage and my total cost for cataract surgery with corrective lenses was around $500. Bargain! My correction let’s me go without glasses around the house and read newspapers and books. I wear corrective transition (darkening) glasses outside for distance. Sunglasses are a must where we live now anyway. I also had glasses with progressive lenses made, but wear them seldom. Before the surgery my progressive lenses were a lifesaver for me.
My charges were for Specialist’s office visits and eye drops, which were expensive. Since my surgery in 2018, my plan eliminated office visits charge.

 

[pedro47]

Thanks everyone for your quick responses. It was very helpful.

 

[rapmarks]

Thanks. That was kind of what I thought. Since I have the same basic situation now (monovision), and for 'better' vision, I have bifocals with virtually no distance correction in one eye, and almost no reading correction in the other one, I'll likely go for the standard fixed focus monovision lens implants and have back-up glasses. No really big deal, glasses have been part of my face for over 60 years, so nobody would recognize me without them.

Jim

And they cover the dark circles under your eyes!

 

[rapmarks]

A lot of people talk about recovery time. You are supposed to take it easy the first day, I pushed it, wanted to read the paper and use computer.
The next morning, check up wuth eye surgeon, then on to bridge where it was just wonderful to see so clearly. The next morning, 18 holes Of golf.

 

[Glynda]

This is probably in my not so distant future. I have tried monovision contacts, off and on for short periods of time, over the years. My brain didn't seem to figure it out. They were just too much of a compromise. I could read but my distance sight was not good. I suspect that I will be wearing reading glasses. Lots of cool ones out there to buy, but such a pain to keep track of!

 

[Passepartout]

A lot of people talk about recovery time. You are supposed to take it easy the first day, I pushed it, wanted to read the paper and use computer.
The next morning, check up wuth eyecsurgeon, then on to bridge where it was just wonderful to see so clearly. The next morning, 18 holes I’d golf.

I read this in an earlier post. I can relate. After my Lasik, I got in my truck and drove 8 hours. It got a little skitchy after dark, but they healed up just fine. (lots of eye drops for a while)

 

[Passepartout]

Having my semi-annual eye doc appt. He says it's time, so I'm set up for cataracts out early next year. Could be sooner, but we have some cruises scheduled


Jim

 

[slip]

We just got back from the eye doctor. Kim's cataract lense in her right eye is detached now. She just had the left one redone in July. She has to go to Oahu next week for the preliminary appointment. She can't win.