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I am considering getting cataract surgery in both eyes. I have visited my ophthalmologist several times now, but not sure which type of surgery to select. There are two types: the regular surgery, which corrects distance only, not close vision, and the advanced surgery, known commonly as Restore, which can enable one to see both distance and close- up. I need the surgery for distance vision, but have no problem with close up, and I presently do not use reading glasses.
The cost of the regular surgery is covered by Medicare. However, it means that your close up vision will be blurry, which necessitates reading glasses. The advanced surgery is not covered by Medicare and is very expensive. However, it corrects both distance and close up vision.
I wanted to get some opinions from any of you who have had the surgery. Are you satisfied with the results? What were your experiences? If you had the Restore Lens, was it worth the extra cost? If you had the regular surgery, do you find that your close-up vision is blurry?
I havent had that surgery but I did have lasik 10 years ago and opted, because of my age, to have monovision -- where one eye is corrected for distance and the other eye is corrected for closeup. It took me a little while to get used to the monovision but I truly love it. At the age of 70, I dont need reading glasses or glasses of any kind. I had an eye exam recently and my eyes are still the same (20/20 in the distance eye and 20/40 in the closeup eye) as they were right after the surgery.
My wife and I recently had the Toric lenses put in to correct the astigmatism and eliminate the cataracts. They are the expensive ones not covered by insurance, but worth it. Their sharpness and brilliant colors are phenomenal. But we do need 2.50 readers for close up reading. The readers are non-scrip you can get cheaply at Walgreens or other similar outlet. Contact Lenses for Astigmatism - Toric, GP and Hybrid Lenses
I am an ophthalmic technician/optician and have assisted in many cataract surgeries. Restore is a multifocal intraocular lens (IOL), which is designed to both replace the cloudy natural lens of your eye and correct the refractive error you had before the cataract surgery. Even though the cost of the special lens isn't covered by insurance, here's something to consider: Medicare will only pay for one pair of glasses after cataract surgery. After that, you're on your own. You will either have to pay out of pocket for glasses/contacts which you will eventually need unless you die prematurely, or pay for vision insurance and purchase them that way, which is really a backhanded way that you're still paying for them Thus, it may well be worth the money to pony up the dough on the multifocal IOL up-front. It's the cataract patient's form of LASIK surgery, only it works on the back of the eye rather than the front. And my patients have told me it's quite effective.
Thanks for the replies. I thought maybe Medicare would cover part of the Restore lens surgery but I guess they don't. There is a big difference in price between the two types of surgeries. I think Medicare does not think the Restore is medically necessary.
I had a friend who paid for the multifocal lens, quite expensive. She was NOT happy with the results for many months, complaining she had blurry vision. I moved so I don't know if it ever got better.
Some people get confused with vision adjustment of Lasik surgery and lens replacement to get rid of cataracts.
i had the lens replacement and am happy with the clarity of distant vision,for reading a $10 pair of reading glasses from the pharmacy suffice.
I found it odd that my Canadian healthcare would pay for the entire cost if the surgeon used an ultrasound cutter but would pay for none of the cost if the surgeon used a laser cutter. Needless to say i opted for the ultrasound procedure, while i was awake through the 10 minute procedure i saw nothing and felt nothing..
I appreciate all of the comments. I'm thinking of postponing the surgery for awhile. The standard cataract surgery would be fine for distance vision, and Medicare does cover it. However, I'm not really sure I want to lose the ability to read and do close-up work without glasses.
Jambo101, I'm happy your vision improved with your surgery and that your healthcare paid for it. I think I just need more time to think it over. Thanks.
Have you had exams to make sure you are a candidate for all forms of the surgery? When I had cataract surgery, I was told my distance vision and astigmatism made it impossible for surgery to restore my distance vision so I wouldn't need corrective lenses.
I chose to have the doctor restore my close-up vision so I no longer needed reading glasses. But this has proved to be even more annoying than having corrective bifocals.
... I'm not really sure I want to lose the ability to read and do close-up work without glasses ...
I don't understand why this should be the case. Just removing your cataracts should NOT ruin your close vision. As I said above, in my case the doctor restored by bad close-up vision, so I no longer have to wearing reading glasses at all. If you don't currently need reading glasses, why would removing your cataracts make you require them?
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Thus, it may well be worth the money to pony up the dough on the multifocal IOL up-front. It's the cataract patient's form of LASIK surgery, only it works on the back of the eye rather than the front. And my patients have told me it's quite effective.
Needless to say i opted for the ultrasound procedure, while i was awake through the 10 minute procedure i saw nothing and felt nothing..
