Cataracts and lenses

[JohnsonJones]

So, looking at cataract surgery sometime in the future.  The eye doctor gave me several options but seems to be pushing towards me having long distance vision, but needing glasses for near-vision.

A Majority of what I do at work is reading.  I already wear glasses, but if I had a preference I'd wear glasses for long distance and ditch them for near vision or reading.  The lenses offered (or whatever it is they are doing, I think they are replacing the lenses of my eye?) thus far all seem to have long distances as the preferred lense, or one that is not as effective at either.

Is anyone familiar with this and if there is an option to have near vision lenses (so I don't wear glasses when reading, or getting up in the morning to look at the alarm clock, etc.) and wearing glasses for long distance?

What are those lenses called and is there a reason my doctor seems to be pushing long distance and steering me away from anything dealing with near vision?  Should I be considering other doctors that deal with this type of stuff?

[mrmarklin]

1 hour ago, JohnsonJones said:

So, looking at cataract surgery sometime in the future.  The eye doctor gave me several options but seems to be pushing towards me having long distance vision, but needing glasses for near-vision.

A Majority of what I do at work is reading.  I already wear glasses, but if I had a preference I'd wear glasses for long distance and ditch them for near vision or reading.  The lenses offered (or whatever it is they are doing, I think they are replacing the lenses of my eye?) thus far all seem to have long distances as the preferred lense, or one that is not as effective at either.

Is anyone familiar with this and if there is an option to have near vision lenses (so I don't wear glasses when reading, or getting up in the morning to look at the alarm clock, etc.) and wearing glasses for long distance?

What are those lenses called and is there a reason my doctor seems to be pushing long distance and steering me away from anything dealing with near vision?  Should I be considering other doctors that deal with this type of stuff?

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes. There are lenses that allow both reading and long distance vision at the same time. Your brain quickly adjusts to this. I don’t wear any kind of glasses anymore.  And I previously had bifocals.  As I recall, my insurance didn’t pay for the lens upgrade  I don’t recall the cost, but it’s a small price compared to the benefit  

Modern medicine is wonderful. 

[Jane_Doe]

2 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

So, looking at cataract surgery sometime in the future.  The eye doctor gave me several options but seems to be pushing towards me having long distance vision, but needing glasses for near-vision.

A Majority of what I do at work is reading.  I already wear glasses, but if I had a preference I'd wear glasses for long distance and ditch them for near vision or reading.  The lenses offered (or whatever it is they are doing, I think they are replacing the lenses of my eye?) thus far all seem to have long distances as the preferred lense, or one that is not as effective at either.

Is anyone familiar with this and if there is an option to have near vision lenses (so I don't wear glasses when reading, or getting up in the morning to look at the alarm clock, etc.) and wearing glasses for long distance?

What are those lenses called and is there a reason my doctor seems to be pushing long distance and steering me away from anything dealing with near vision?  Should I be considering other doctors that deal with this type of stuff?

My husband just went through cataract surgery this spring, upgrading him from legally blind to now being able to see perfectly.  It has been such a miracle and blessing for our family.

For my husband, we did opt for the distance lenses, giving him 20/20 vision at distance--  for the first time in his life, as even before cataracts he wore corrective glasses.  "Distance" here is defined as anything further than a foot away.  He's fine on the computer.  If someone hands him a printed piece of paper with small font, then he had his reader glasses ($5 at the grocery store).  Though we did recently switch to bifocals that only have an up-close prescription.  

During cataracts surgery, they are indeed going to remove the lens you have naturally in your eye (the cataract-ed one), and replace with a clean artificial one.  Because an artificial one is not as flexible a natural one, it cannot do vision at the same range you would with a natural lens.    You can pay out-of-pocket for fancier ones which have small upgrades, but ultimately man cannot make things as nicely as God can.

I would just be upfront with your doctor about your concerns-- they are their to serve you, after all.