Cataract Surgery Procedures
During cataract surgery, your doctor will replace your cloudy natural lens (cataract) with a man-made intraocular lens. You can choose from a wide variety of replacement lenses, and the results can be extraordinary. We offer an array of lens choices for both distance vision and near functioning. Before surgery, you will want to review the choices below and talk to your doctor about the lens that will best fit your life.
Types of Cataract Procedures, Advantages and Costs
Learn more about the procedure options, advantages and costs.
Standard Monofocal Lens
Advantages
- Is covered by health plans
- Treats most nearsightedness and farsightedness
- Helps distance vision
Disadvantages
- May still need glasses (especially those with astigmatism) for best distance vision
- Will need glasses for reading or near activities (readers or bifocal). See monoeyesight choice below.
Cost per eye
Toric Lens
Advantages
- Corrects astigmatism as well as nearsighted and farsighted vision
- Gives better distance vision than a standard lens for patients with astigmatism
Disadvantages
- May need to adjust for rotation after surgery
- May need small corrections
- Will need glasses for reading or near activities (readers or bifocal). See monovision choice below.
Cost per eye
Multifocal Lenses
These include ReSTOR, Tecnis Multifocal, Crystalens and Trulign.
If interested, talk to your doctor about the differences between brands of multifocal lenses.
Advantages
- Offers good distance and reading vision
- Can lessen or even remove dependence on glasses
Disadvantages
- May provide slightly less crispness of vision than other lenses
- May notice glare and haloes at night
- May need laser vision correction, such as LASIK, at a later time
Cost per eye
Monovision Procedures
Monovision is where one lens implant corrects for distance vision and the other for near vision. With both eyes open, a blend of near and far vision is reached without glasses. However, it is not possible to have clear distance, near and intermediate vision at the same time, so please review the choices below. Monovison may be used for standard lenses and toric lenses.
Blended Monovision
This is also known as “mini-monovision."
Advantages
- Allows for good intermediate vision for hobbies, shopping, computer, etc.
- Is well-tolerated by most patients
Disadvantages
- Will need glasses for fine print
- May feel the overall clearness of vision is not as sharp as both eyes for distance
- May opt to correct the reading eye for distance, with glasses for some activities such as driving
Cost per eye
Full Monovision
Advantages
- Allows for good near vision, such as reading fine print
Disadvantages
- May need glasses for intermediate eyesight, such as for the computer.
- May be less tolerated than mini-monovision
Cost per eye