IOL Set for Near Vision

Ask an Eye M.D. Answer Archive

Question:
If you are nearsighted and chose to have your IOL set for "near" vision ("14 inches"), will your distance vision in that eye without glasses be worse than it is now, the same, or better?

Answer:
Unless one decides to have a multifocal lens placed, they have to choose either distance or near vision after cataract surgery for each eye. Most patients choose both eyes to be set at distance unless someone has a job where they read or use near vision most of the time. If you decide to have a lens for near vision, the uncorrected distance vision will be blurry, but this can be corrected with glasses. It depends on what your current prescription is prior to cataract surgery to know whether it will be worse than what you have now. The eye doctor can simulate what your vision will be like with contact lenses after cataract surgery. If you are deciding on monovision—dominant eye for distance and reading in the non-dominant eye, I would definitely consider trying this with contact lenses.

Answered by: W. Barry Lee, MD

Categories: Cataracts, Vision Correction

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