The development of multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) for cataract surgery has been a breakthrough in the history of  cataract surgery and intra-ocular lens implantation.  For the patient, it means even more options are available for reducing or possibly eliminating dependency on eyeglasses both at distance and near after cataract surgery.
During cataract surgery, your eye's natural lens is removed and is replaced with an artificial lens or IOL (intra-ocular lens). Standard monofocal IOL’s probably will give you favorable distance vision, but you usually would require reading glasses for near vision. Presbyopia or near vision-correcting IOL’s with multifocal designs, on the other hand, provide vision at multiple distances so you ca virtually have the best of both worlds.

If you are a good candidate for a multifocal IOL and you choose this option, your cataract surgeon is able to offer you the choice of a multifocal lens implant. A multifocal lens implant provides excellent vision after cataract surgery at a variety of distances. ReSTOR, ReZoom, Tecnis and Crystalens are types of multifocal lens implants your cataract surgeon might suggest. Multifocal lens implants correct both your distance vision and your near vision after cataract surgery. For the vast majority of patients, having a multifocal lens implant means that you will be able to see at distance and up close without being dependent on glasses. So, patients choosing to have a multifocal lens implant will likely find that they can drive, watch television, read or do crafts-without the need for glasses.

How Should I Choose the Type of Lens Implant?

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks as well as benefits.

• During your consultation, examination and cataract surgery scheduling your cataract surgeon and their staff will the spend the time necessary to review you daily activities and determine the needs that are most important to you. This will help you decide whether being independent of glasses for those activities is something that you would like to achieve. As you prepare for your visit to our office, you may want to begin thinking about what those activities are so that you can discuss them with the staff.

• In addition, if you decide to have a multifocal lens implant, the staff will take the time necessary to fully explain any additional fees related to the multifocal lens implant that you might be responsible for. Medicare and most insurances cover the fees of the cataract surgery, including pre and post-op care, however, they do not cover the cost of the multifocal lens and its implantation. In most cases, the additional cost of the multifocal lens is the responsibility of the patient. The cataract surgeon's staff will be able to review the cost as well as the payment options, should you decide that the multifocal lens is your best choice.

What You Should Know Before Considering a Multifocal IOL

While multifocal lenses are a revolution in lens implants, they are not able to work miracles.   Although they will help to achieve clear vision at both distance and near, they don’t claim to produce absolutely crisp vision at multiple distances at all times and in all circumstances.

Particularly with multifocal IOLs, you must be prepared for the possibility of at least some visual.  One particular observance of patients with multifocal lenses is the presence of glare and halos around lights at night. These occurrences are usually somewhat minor and would rarely prohibit night driving. However, in some cases they are prevalent enough that most cataract surgeons would advise against multifocal IOLs for anyone in a profession requiring great night vision, such as truck or taxi drivers .

Some factors to consider that may eliminate you as a multifocal candidate are:

• A high level of astigmatism that cannot be corrected easily with refractive eye surgery.

• Other eye problems, such as retinal diseases or corneal opacifications in which potential visual potential would be less than optimal .

• Excellent vision without the need for glasses, except for presbyopia, prior to cataract surgery. This may sound odd. But people who have enjoyed great vision all their lives tend to find any kind of visual distortion related to multifocal IOLs unacceptable.

• People with just a minimal amount of myopia. Again, in these cases the visual benefit may not be enough to make up for the possible tradeoff of certain visual distortions associated with multifocal IOLs.

Good candidates for multifocal intraocular implants are generally easy-going and practical, as well as realistic in their expectations of the ability of these particular lenses.   They must be aware that there is a slight possibility that they may expect some tradeoffs, such as occasional visual distortions in certain situations, in exchange for reduced dependency on eyeglasses for both distance and near or the possibility of eliminating them altogether.

You may be a good multifocal lens candidate if:

• You have developed cataracts at a younger age and are have good general ocular health as well as enjoy an active lifestyles that would benefit from reducing or eliminating the need for eyeglasses.

• If you have presbyopia or near vision problems caused by hyperopia. In this situation you’ll tend to have more favorable outcomes with multifocal lens implants due to healthier focusing ability. You’ll also appreciate the near vision improvement that you are likely to achieve.

• If you have high myopia. In this case, patients who have high degrees of myopia have been so accustomed to extremely blurry vision without eyeglasses that the visual benefits after surgery outweigh the rare occurance of visual disturbances with multifocal lens implants.