Cataract Surgery for One Eye

Question: I am 70 and only my right eye has a cataract that needs to be removed and vision is bad in it. The left eye has really good vision with a cataract barely starting. Is it necessary to have the good eye done as most doctors recommend doing or wait until it gets bad. If I have the more expensive IOL put in the right eye, will it confuse the issue of seeing out of both? Do doctors ever put the multifocal lens in one eye and one just for distance in the other or would this confuse the issue of seeing out of both.


Answer: The decision on when to have a Cataract removed really depends on how much that Cataract disturbs both your vision and overall functioning. If you proceed in having Cataract Surgery with a Multifocal Lens Implant in the right eye, it is quite likely that the right eye will require no eyeglasses for far, near and arm's length vision. If the left eye does not have a similar functioning Lens Implant or doesn't have any Lens Implant it will probably decrease the overall effectiveness of the Multifocal Lens Implant in the right eye-and it will require eyeglasses to see intermediate and near distance-which means you will still need to wear glasses. Further, the effectiveness and success of Multifocal Lens Implants is generally better when BOTH eyes have the same type of Lens Implant. Your best course of action is to follow the advice of your Cataract Surgeon and if there is any question about what to do, schedule a consultation with another Cataract Surgeon for a second opinion. This is always a prudent path if there is uncertainty in your mind.

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