For many patients, cataract surgery can eliminate or reduce the need to wear eyeglasses. Several factors come into play, including your current eyeglasses prescription, the presence or degree of astigmatism and the intraocular lens implant you choose.

The Cataract Surgery Procedure

During cataract surgery, ultrasonic energy is applied to break apart the cataract-affected eye lens into tiny pieces. Those pieces are then suctioned out, leaving the eye ready to receive a new intraocular lens implant. The ophthalmologist inserts the lens implant through a tiny incision and skillfully moves it into position, providing a permanent fix for cataracts.

As the entire eye lens is replaced with the implant, some common refractive vision problems (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism) may also be corrected as a result of the procedure. This is heavily reliant on your overall vision health and the type of intraocular lens implant you and your eye doctor choose. 

Monofocal Lens Implants

Monofocal lens implants are designed to optimize your vision for one focal depth. Many patients select monofocal lens implants calibrated to enhance distance vision. While this can return distance vision to near perfection, it generally requires the patient to wear reading glasses in order to see details up close.

In some instances, an ophthalmologist may recommend monovision surgery. Typically, this is reserved for patients who have had previous (and successful) experience with monovision, either naturally or with contact lenses.

With a monovision procedure, cataract-affected lenses are removed from both eyes (typically, at separate times). One eye is then fitted with a monofocal lens implant calibrated for distance vision, while the other eye is fitted with a monofocal lens implants calibrated for near vision. The brain then adapts to automatically rely on one eye to provide visual information on objects far away and the other to focus on items nearby.

Multifocal Lens Implants

Multifocal lens implants are an exciting new development in cataract treatment. Working much like multifocal eyeglasses, multifocal implants can provide distance, intermediate and near vision correction from a single implant. For many patients, this makes them preferable to monofocal implants or monovision surgery, often eliminating the need for eyeglasses entirely.

At North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care, we offer two multifocal lens implant options – PanOptix®Trifocal Lens Implants and IQ Vivity™ Lens Implants. Our practice was hand-picked to be among the first practices in the U.S. to offer these lenses due in large part to our track record for delivering exceptional patient outcomes.

If you or someone you love is considering cataract surgery, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300.