Cataract Surgery with Astigmatism & Prism

Question: I will be having cataract surgery on both eyes in the next few months. I have significant myopia and prism - which I understand that the cataract surgery will not correct, so that I will still need corrective lenses after the surgery. I also have significant astigmatism. The cataract surgeon has suggested using toric implant lenses to correct the astigmatism but I am wondering whether basic monofocal implants might be a better choice since I will need to wear glasses after surgery anyway and the glasses can correct both the astigmatism and the prism.

The toric lenses would cost a total of $2400 more than the monofocal lensimplants which I can deal with so I am only concerned with making the best long-term choice. 

Answer: The goal of cataract surgery is to give you the best overall functional vision that you can achieve so that you can participate in whatever activities you wish in the most comfortable and safest manner. With modern cataract surgery and lens implants it is possible to correct your nearsightedness and astigmatism-but not the prism correction, upon removal of the cataract. This would be the best choice to consider-even though you will need eyeglasses for the prism correction as it will provide the greatest degree of clarity. Sure, you could have BOTH the astigmatism and the prism correction in the eyeglasses-but as you will likely find out, it is much more comfortable and convenient to see your best even without the glasses. Generally speaking, the less dependent you can be on eyeglasses, the better and safer the quality of life-have the toric lens implant if that’s what your cataract surgeon suggests.

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