Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni 8

On Oct 9, 12:26*pm, wrote:
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for *five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni *8

Have you investigated the new models coming out
IIRC with some type of variable correction system?

dennis
in nca

wrote:
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni 8

My wife just had both eyes done and opted fo the distance with
reading glasses. She has been wearing glasss for most of her
life (like me ) and still looks odd without them. :-)
...lew...

On Thu, 9 Oct 2008 13:52:57 -0700 (PDT), rigger wrote:

On Oct 9, 12:26*pm, wrote:
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
Have you investigated the new models coming out
IIRC with some type of variable correction system?

dennis
in nca
The evaluation visit to the surgeon is in a couple of weeks, I'll need
to ask a lot of questions.

rigger writes:

Have you investigated the new models coming out
IIRC with some type of variable correction system?

Not variable, multi-focal. You see multiple superimposed images of the
world, each focused at a different distance. Of course, and this what they
will try not to tell you, you also see just as many multiple superimposed
UNfocused images. The idea is that your perception can sort out the
focused and unfocused information and selectively perceiving the focused
information and ignoring the unfocused. This is kind of like seeing
through a cataract to start with, where you have a focused image but
superimposed with a hazy glare, and you try to make the best of it.

Thus the multi-focal principle sacrifices acuity for convenience.

One also has to be skeptical as these are patented products being heavily
promoted at a multiple of the price of conventional IOLs.

On Thu, 9 Oct 2008 13:52:57 -0700 (PDT), the infamous rigger
scrawled the following:

On Oct 9, 12:26*pm, wrote:
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for *five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni *8

Have you investigated the new models coming out
IIRC with some type of variable correction system?

Varilux? RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY! If you look straight ahead, they work
just fine. If you use any of your peripheral vision, turn your head at
all, move around, change focus a lot, or drive, they suck the big one.
80% of the lens is totally uncorrected. I fought them for two weeks
and made the optical office make REAL bifocals for me.

Varilux? JUST SAY NO!

--
"Given the low level of competence among politicians,
every American should become a Libertarian."
-- Charley Reese, Alameda Times-Star (California), June 17, 2003

Larry Jaques writes:

Varilux?

He's asking about intra-ocular implant lenses to replace his cataracted
natural ones. Not eyeglasses.

"Richard J Kinch" wrote: He's asking about intra-ocular implant lenses to
replace his cataracted
natural ones. Not eyeglasses.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Furthermore, the progressive focus eyeglasses work very well for most
people. My son says it took about a week to get used to them.

writes:

Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Hmmm, I've been pretty much as nearsighted as you all my life as well
(-4.5/-5.somethingorother -- so better in the bad eye, not so good in
the good), and I've hit the Age of the Reading Glasses. I'm not
looking at cataract surgery, but the cost of lasik has come down far
enough, and the price of contact lenses has gone up enough recently,
that lasik is looking good to me. Anyway, speaking only for myself,
no question: if I have surgery, I want Distance Vision. For that
matter, I have them make my contacts for distance, and use glasses for
close up.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni 8

Richard J Kinch writes:

rigger writes:

Have you investigated the new models coming out
IIRC with some type of variable correction system?

Not variable, multi-focal. You see multiple superimposed images of the
world, each focused at a different distance. Of course, and this what they
will try not to tell you, you also see just as many multiple superimposed
UNfocused images. The idea is that your perception can sort out the
focused and unfocused information and selectively perceiving the focused
information and ignoring the unfocused. This is kind of like seeing
through a cataract to start with, where you have a focused image but
superimposed with a hazy glare, and you try to make the best of it.

Thus the multi-focal principle sacrifices acuity for convenience.

One also has to be skeptical as these are patented products being heavily
promoted at a multiple of the price of conventional IOLs.

This strikes me as a prescription (get it?) for a headache. No way.

wrote in message
...
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni 8

My wife had hers done within last two years. She has distance with glassess
for computer and reading (bifocals). She seems very happy. Moreover, she is
very glad she had the surgery when she did.

Good luck.

--
Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

On Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:26:15 -0400, wrote:

Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed.

I was extremely nearsighted (~ -10) when I had mine done two years
ago. The ophthalmologist said he aims for 20/20 distance, but tries
not to overcorrect, since a little nearsightedness is useful, if not
perfect vision. (Farsightedness is mostly inconvenient all the time.)

Two years ago, the surgeon recommended NOT getting the multifocal
implants. The group had done some at patients requests, but some
patients weren't satisfied with the outcome. The optometrist who
makes my glasses said that he'd had some of those patients after
surgery and making glasses for them to see better was problematic.
My recollection was that they worked OK for people whose goal was only
to see well enough to read a book and distances well enough to play
golf, but for anything requiring sharp vision, they didn't work very
well.

Discuss the variable lens implants with your surgeon. Maybe they've
improved, but do a lot of reading and checking to see if they've
improved.

About a year after the cataracts I got a deal on laser surgery (Lasek,
not Lasik) and had that done to bring my vision to 20/20 and get rid
of the astygmatism. Very worthwhile and a big improvement. I haven't
seen like this since I was 12 years old - except I need reading
glasses to see up close - but hey - only $3 a pair at the local
bargain store and I've got them scattered all over the house.

1.25x for the computer
1.50x for desk work
3.0x for close bench work and small parts


RWL

On Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:13:43 -0500, the infamous Richard J Kinch
scrawled the following:

Larry Jaques writes:

Varilux?

He's asking about intra-ocular implant lenses to replace his cataracted
natural ones. Not eyeglasses.

Oops. I thought the thread had drifted to (or back to) glasses.

--
"Given the low level of competence among politicians,
every American should become a Libertarian."
-- Charley Reese, Alameda Times-Star (California), June 17, 2003

GeoLane at PTD dot NET writes:

Discuss the variable lens implants with your surgeon.

They're not variable. They're multifocal. It is a holographic lens with
two fixed focal points. This is a genuinely novel device in optics,
whether or not it is a good thing for an implant. Think of a Fresnel lens
where the alternate rings focus at alternate focal points instead of the
same focal point. This is unlike any other lens made by forming a simple
curved surface.

1.25x for the computer ...

That's 1.25D, not x. The number is the power in diopters. It's not a
magnification.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni �8

Kabow

I had cataract surgery a few years ago. One eye one week and the other
eye a few weeks later. All went well.

Start by asking around everywhere you are able to until you find a
doctors name coming up regularly. Ask older folks as cataract surgery
is an old folks thing. There is probably a web site for this and where
I live in Tucson there are lots of both newspaper and TV ads from lots
of doctors who do cataract surgery. Keep up the asking until you get
results.

In my own case I found that my left eye was seeing yellow al the time.
When looking at the stars my left eye twinkled and my right eye was
fine. The headlights on the car were yellow. So have your eyes
examined as often as needed to be sure you have determined the exact
difficulties or symptons. Don't skimp on examinations. Repeat as
necessary. Be sure to know exactly what is wrong.

I never needed any glasses but for reading and closeup. I have the
generic implants and the doctor never considered anything else. When
I visited his place the nurse showed me throughout the building.
Answered all may questions and invited me to return for more visits
before making up my mind. In my case the recommendations for the
doctor were 99%. I am sure there are others as competent but his
personality meshed with mine and I went with him. Took me a few weeks
to schedule the first eye and after that all went as planned. Be sure
to have someone to drive you home after each surgery. I did not drive
for a week after each surgery. I do tend to be more cautious than most
but I did not want to have any future liability problems.

Write back if you would like.
and the doctor

wrote:

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni 8

I've had both eyes done; the left one just a year ago and the right one
in March. I had extreme long sight before the surgery and needed glasses
for everything: varifocals for normal use (driving, reading, walking,
etc), and special high-power ones for close-up work (I make jewellery).
I used contacts for sports and tried both types of multi-focal in a vain
effort not to wear glasses. I couldn't get on with either type: the
contrast with the refraction/diffraction type was too low, and the
toroidal type was just bad - for me. There was no way I could make
jewellery with them

I wasn't given the option of multi-focal implants, but would not have
chosen it after my experience with the contacts. I chose the 20-20
distance option on the implants and haven't regretted it. I don't have
to use contacts for sport but got so tired of putting on glasses for
reading that I've reverted to varifocal glasses for normal use (the
distance prescription is about zero); they are photo-chromatic so double
up as sunglasses too. I still use my special glasses for close-up work
and they work even better than they did before.

Just my experiences.

--
Regards, Gary Wooding
(To reply by email, change feet to foot in my address)

wrote in message
...
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.



I had both eyes done 4 & 5 years back. I went with distance, and
transition lens, (no-line) bifocal. Same reason, I wear safety glasses much
of the time. I'm happy with my choice. Machinist by day, cobbler at night.
Wish my woodworking skills were as good as my machining skills are.

wrote:
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

Of course the glasses will come from Zenni 8
Stick with "soft" (foldable) implants, and go for distance vision.
My cataracts were lighting up like a shower curtain in oncoming
headlights, so great improvement.

I also had astigmatism which is a bugger for "progressive" (on your
nose) eyeglasses, which work fine for most people who DON'T have
astigmatism. The doc made a few cuts in my cornea and when these
healed back up, most of the astig. was corrected.

I'd rather use glasses for computer and reading than for driving.

Just got a few pair from zenni, see my earlier post.

On Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:26:15 -0400, wrote:

Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
one in my right eye for five or six years and nothing in the left. In
the last six months vision in my right has gone down the tubes. The
doctor says I now have three in the right eye and the left is almost
ready too. I've been nearsighted (-5.5/-3.5) all my life.

Any suggestins for the implant? Implant for distance and do reading
glasses, or stay nearsighted and do distance lenses? My first impulse
is to go for distance since I would still need safety glasses for most
of what I do.

I was also shortsighted (-3.5/-3.0) from about age 25 and wore contact
lenses for more than 30 years, starting with the hard plastic
(horrible but better than glasses) through bi-focals ( could not get
used to them ) and finally long life lenses, with left eye set for
reading and right for distance. I went for laser surgery but my
eyes were unsuitable as I also had minor cataracts. The surgeon
replaced both lenses with plastic about 6 months apart over three
years ago and I have had no trouble since. My eyes were set for
distance vision and I now have 20/20 at over 3 metres. I can read a
book at arms length without reading glasses but get tired quickly. I
find it more comfortable to use a range of lenses depending on
distance, +1 for metal & wood work, +1.5 for computer screen at arms
length, + 2 for my laptop and +3 or +4 for model making. This makes
my close vision clear, but I do need plenty of light and do not
attempt to read without a desk lamp or do metal/wood work without
additional lighting unless in sunlight.

I suggest that you do the same as me, set for distance, as most of the
time you are not reading or doing close work and will not have to wear
glasses. Most relatively close tasks like eating etc. do not
require glasses as you do not need concentrated vision as in reading.

You can get prescription safety glasses but I prefer ordinary glasses
and a face mask, especially for the wood lathe, router and sawbench.

HTH
Alan

On Oct 9, 3:49*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 9 Oct 2008 13:52:57 -0700 (PDT), rigger wrote:
On Oct 9, 12:26*pm, wrote:
Looks like it's time to get my cataracts fixed. There's been a small
Have you investigated the new models coming out
IIRC with some type of variable correction system?

dennis
in nca

The evaluation visit to the surgeon is in a couple of weeks, I'll need
to ask a lot of questions.

Living in a very rural area we were unable to find anyone who
was familiar with them. She opted for reading glasses as
well.
It turned out well: She just got her new drivers license, with-
out any eyeglass restriction, for the first time in her life.

dennis
in nca