Cataract Surgery: Which Intraocular Lens Is Right for Me?

Deciding which intraocular lens (IOL), or artificial lens replacement, is right for you might be one of the most important health decision you make. It can mean the opportunity to actually improve your vision following cataract surgery. 

​In our previous blog post, we looked at single-focus IOLs, multi-focus IOLs, and toric IOLs, as well as three types of multi-focus IOLs with different attributes and vision benefits. In this post, we look good who may be a good candidate for multi-focus IOLs. 
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Candidates for Multi-Focus IOLs

You may be a good candidate for multi-focus IOLs if you meet the following criteria:
 

• You are willing to trade some visual distortions for reduced dependency on eyeglasses or the possibility of eliminating the need for glasses altogether.
• You are in good health, lead an active lifestyle, and are looking to reduce or eliminate your need for glasses.
• You are farsighted and / or need to wear reading glasses.
• You are highly nearsighted and are used to living with extremely blurry vision without glasses.

 
Conversely, if you identify with any of the following statements, you may not be an ideal candidate for multi-focus IOLs after cataract surgery:
 

• You have near perfect vision, except for reading glasses, prior to cataract surgery, as you may find the visual distortion caused by multi-focal IOLs to be unacceptable.
• You need a low to moderate degree of vision correction only, as the visual distortion associated with multi-focus IOLs may not be worth the tradeoff.
• You have another ocular disease.
• You drive at night for a living or your occupation or hobbies require good night vision.

 
Some questions you can ask yourself when considering artificial lens replacements are:
 

• What are my vision requirements for work?
• What activities, hobbies, and sports do I enjoy, and what are my vision requirements for each of those?
• Do I mind wearing glasses, and would life be easier without them?
• How do I feel about wearing readers?
• How much do I depending upon good night vision?

 
Having some answers to these questions in mind can help direct your conversation with your cataract surgeon when the time comes to decide on an IOL for you. 

Selecting the Right IOL

Your cataract surgeon will discuss your vision correction needs and goals with you and help you determine which lens replacement is right for you and your lifestyle. At Kadrmas Eye Care New England, we have two highly skilled and experienced cataract surgeons who can help you make the right choice for you:

• Richard W. Strecker, MD, Traditional Cataract Surgery
• Steven A. Nielsen, MD, All-Laser and Traditional Cataract Surgery

 
Please call us at 508-746-8600 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Strecker or Dr. Nielsen. To learn more about cataracts and cataract surgery, please visit our Cataracts webpage, as well as our Cataracts blog posts.

Contact Us for a Cataract Appointment