[Rainwaltz]

Interested in opinions of musicians who have had cataract surgery about what is best choice for implanted lens. I play mostly clarinet - standing, sitting - as well as saxophone where in big bands the fronts can be low and you're standing/half crouch looking at the sheet.
Having cataract surgery this Tues and have choice of far, intermediate, or near focal length monofocal lens. Multifocal lens apparently is not an option for technical/medical reasons.
Since I spend a LOT of time practicing, and pre-COVID performing- I thought maybe intermediate lens would be best since I wouldn't need glasses to play, and hopefully wouldn't have to stay immobile while playing, but I would need glasses for driving. Not sure about what to do about seeing the conductor. If I get distance lenses, then I would need glasses to play. It also occurs to me that if intermediate implanted lenses don't work well you're stuck with them. Also considered different focal length lenses for each eye, with the notion that brain eventually gets used this and corrects the images. Again if it doesn't work out - stuck with them. Opthalmologist basically says its my choice.
What has been the experience here. Suggestions?
Thanks.

 

[chilehed]

I haven't had such surgery, but my wife recently did. She went with distance on both sides and is a bit frustrated at needing reading glasses up close.

I came from the factory with different focal lengths: one eye is quite nearsighted and the other is not. Having no depth perception is second nature to me so I have no idea how long it would take to adapt, but if I ever need new lenses I'll go with the strategy God gave me. Glasses provide depth but I can judge distance well enough without them, and if I lose my glasses I can still do everything I need to. I see no real downside - and my work involves a very dynamic environment in which I have to constantly shift focus from near to far and pay attention to rapidly moving objects.

 

[1saxman]

I'd rather have distance and have to use reading glasses - essentially my current natural state. I haven't had cataract surgery but probably will have to before long.

 

[notes_norton]

Some people do one eye for close and one eye for distance.

I would imagine the problem with that would be if you can't adjust to it.

I have no experience with that so I can't say for sure, but it is another option you might discuss with your doctor.

Notes

 

[RomBl]

I had a cataract surgery 3 years ago and I choosed the right eye with 100% for distance and the left eye with 80% for half-distance.
The choice was good for me, I don‘t need glasses anymore for driving, working at a PC and reading notes. I only need glasses when I read a book in a very close distance.
When the light is not too good, e.g. when we play a gig, sometimes I need glasses because of my astigmatism.

 

[milandro]

I have recently had both eyes done ( and by the way there are many threads, even recent on the subject), I chose for both eyes far, the doctor also advised this a s a better solution , the only drawback is that I need reading glasses.

Having a different distance can be done but is not for everyone.

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?368130-Cataract-surgery-best-lenses-for-reading-music

 

[wanderso]

From a retired cataract surgeon and occupational ophthalmologist:
I knew of a vascular surgeon who needed cervical spine fusion for a neck injury--he chose a fixed flexed position so he could continue to look down while operating but then spent the rest of his existence permanently stooped over.
My point is that you enjoy your sight for 16+ hours a day yet play music for just a few... Is it really so important not to wear spectacles while playing, but need them for almost any other activity?
You don't have much time, but the great news is that you can simulate any outcome with trial spectacles BEFORE surgery.
You mention mono vision--one eye corrected for distance and the other for near. This works for some folks who are NOT obligate binocular vision types (like me--I need simultaneous sharp vision from both eyes or I am very unhappy!). Many politicians employ this: use a near-correcting contact lens in one eye to read speeches or the teleprompter but avoid spectacles to retain their vanity. Again, try this with spectacles first to see if it could be a solution for you. You will always perceive one blurry and one sharper image superimposed on it, and must mentally disregard one of them.
One important thing to make very clear to your surgeon! A musician's "near" to see a score is actually what in eye care we would call INTERMEDIATE distance. Reading distance is considered 14-16". In dim light with pupils dilated your depth of field will be narrow--if you have a fantastic refractive result of sharp "near" vision in both eyes, the score may still be blurry at arms' length, to say nothing of seeing the conductor as more than a smear.
Aside: commercial pilots sometimes get trifocal lenses! Intermediate correction on top to see the overhead panel, far in the middle to look out the windscreen, near on the bottom to read charts. The perfect musician equivalent would be far on top to see the conductor and the room, intermediate in the middle to read score, and near on the bottom to make notes or see up-close fine print most clearly. Also the most versatile solution for tourists and art lovers to see the museum exhibit or painting through the middle segment...
Your visual life is yours to see with. For me, when I need cataract surgery, I will desire sharp distance vision in both eyes, and wear tailored appropriate correction to see near or any desired intermediate distance. For musician work, I would then wear half-lenses, or a bifocal with clear lens on top, and appropriate correction for a sharp chart at arms' length on the bottom.
I do not recommend multifocal or "no-line" spectacle lenses. The sharp near vision is a narrow band at the bottom which when precisely-fit is acceptable for static reading a book for instance but terrible for the wide field of vision you need in orchestra--you don't have time to be moving your head around hunting for the sharp image through your lenses. For that reason these are also prohibited in military aviation duties.
The prediction of required end-result refraction to choose a fixed-power implant is good but not perfect; ending up too far-sighted is really undesirable because then you need correction to see sharply even at distance, as well as all closer distances. So most surgeons will fudge a bit closer than perfect distant correction to allow for error. Another operation to exchange lenses after a bad "refractive surprise" is possible but complicated. Finally, corneal refractive surgery to remove residual astigmatism or fine-tune the refractive result is an option.
Good luck with your surgery, truly one of the miracles of modern medicine.

 

[notes_norton]

Thanks for that. As one who is just starting to get cataracts and might someday be able to benefit from surgery, I'll keep all this in mind.

Notes

 

[BH9]

I currently wear bifocals, and have a pair of single vision intermediates for reading charts but my cataracts are making all that practically irrelevant. So, my ophthalmologist has opened back up and my first eye is scheduled for next week. Complications are, I'm practically blind in my left eye anyway-it's only good for peripheral vision, and I have glaucoma. So, I'm sweating it, especially after the problems my wife had with hers. She elected for multifocals and has had nothing but problems. She's had four surgeries on one eye, and now has a multifocal lens in one eye, and distance correction in other. That is not a good outcome, but she's afraid to risk more surgery. I'm not a candidate for multifocal lenses or monocular vision, but wouldn't do that anyway.

 

[milandro]

good luck, the bandage is only for one day and the morning after you will be taking it off but being this the only functional eye you probably are undergoing now one of the wort periods of your life, make sure you have enough spectacles everywhere because there is a lot of walking up and down back and forth otherwise involved.

I wore multifocal progressive glasses for quite some time , even those give problems to some volks which never get used to them, but unlike glasses, getting a second operation is not something that one does lightheartedly there fore the nuisance of wearing spectacles for near is a price that I am willing to pay

 

[wanderso]

my first eye is scheduled for next week... I have glaucoma

After cataract surgery, many folks with glaucoma can stop one of their medications if on several drops because removing the stiff "senile" native crystalline lens seems to lower pressure a bit on its own, so that might be a silver lining. And of course there are combined cataract-glaucoma operations if indicated which are not as straightforward but usually still have good outcomes.
If you have a self-sealing corneal incision type cataract surgery, you probably won't need a bandage but will be given a Fox shield (eye surgery lingo) to wear especially at night to prevent rubbing your eye when sleeping. These shields are available in clear plastic with pinholes; that is what I would give a single-sighted person.
Your wife had a rough time! I'm sorry to hear about that.
Best of luck, odds are with you that it will turn out very well.

 

[Tonerbust]

I'm retired and have the luxury of spending the majority of my day on music, reading, and the computer. I had laser cataract surgery on both eyes, and opted for lenses that allow me to read music at arms length. I can read tiny print at a third that distance. I use glasses for driving and long distance vision. I am happy with my decision. It allows me to do what I could before surgery - use single lens glasses for distant vision and read books and music by removing my glasses.

 

[Reet McVouty]

I've had lasik surgery to correct my distance vision. I was told at the time that I could get lenses put in that would also correct my close-up vision but it was 10K at that time to get it done, so I opted out. I chose the distance vision because there were more advantages with that, driving, watching TV, golfing and the like. I do need readers to see anything under two feet. At my last appointment I was told that I had just the start of cataracts but nothing to be concerned about yet. So, I guess when the time comes I will get the lenses to fix my close-up vision.

 

[BH9]

I'm retired and have the luxury of spending the majority of my day on music, reading, and the computer. I had laser cataract surgery on both eyes, and opted for lenses that allow me to read music at arms length. I can read tiny print at a third that distance. I use glasses for driving and long distance vision. I am happy with my decision. It allows me to do what I could before surgery - use single lens glasses for distant vision and read books and music by removing my glasses.

That's what I want!

 

[milandro]

well, I wanted to wear sunglasses without having to have them prescription made every time I want a new model and watch telly without glasses. ( always forgetting where they are)

I spend many hours on the computer but many more existing in life watching things around.

 

[Manitou]

That's what I want!

as wanderoso said, just be sure that you and your doc are on the same page as it relates to what is the target distance for each type of lens. i have the long range lens and use reading glasses for everything else. good luck.

 

[BH9]

First surgery went very well, no complications. I don’t really see a change in vision yet, because that eye was all but useless. My other, good, eye is scheduled for next week. The surgeon says it’s best for me to go for the standard distance correction, which is kind of disappointing.

 

[milandro]

the surgeon know most people will find difficult to adapt to dual distance vision.