Cataract Surgery: Multifocal vs Monofocal Lens implants
With recent advances in Cataract Surgery
Patients must choose between a Multifocal vs Monofocal lens implant with their Cataract Surgery. Since the inception of Cataract Surgery lens implants in the 1980′s, Standard Monofocal lens implants have been the most commonly used lenses.
Standard Monofocal lens implants
Standard Monofocal works well but have definite limitations. Firstly, they do not correct astigmatism. Secondly, they are only focused on one distance. This means that if they are aimed for the far distance (this assumes the patient with no astigmatism), glasses are required for vision at near and intermediate distance.
A newer implant is the Toric lens implant
These lenses are designed to correct astigmatism. Astigmatism is found in a significant percentage of the population. Their main limitation is their monofocality. If vision is corrected for distance, reading glasses are required for near (reading) and intermediate (computer) vision.
The newest type of Lens implant used with Cataract Surgery is multifocal lens implants
These implants correct vision for near, intermediate and far distance without glasses in most cases. Their main limitation is they do not correct astigmatism. In most cases, astigmatism can be corrected with Limbal relaxing incisions (at the time of Cataract Surgery) or LASIK or PRK (after Cataract Surgery). If a patient wants visual freedom from glasses and has no eye disease, Multifocal lens implants are a great choice. We offer the ReSTOR and Symfony lenses.
As noted above, all the lens options have pros and cons. Ultimately, the patient must choose between the option of a Multifocal and Monofocal lens implant with Cataract Surgery.
Sidney Gicheru, M.D. is a Board Certified Ophthalmologist, who specializes in LASIK and Refractive Cataract Surgery (ReSTOR, Crystalens, and Toric lens implants). His practice, LaserCare Eye Center has two locations in Irving and Southlake. For more information call 214-328-0444 for a Cataract consultation or go to our website, www.DFWeyes.com. This article Cataract surgery: Multifocal (ReSTOR or Crystalens) vs Monofocal lens implant was written by Sidney Gicheru, M.D.