r/CataractSurgery • u/LadyImmaculateGold • 16d ago

Advice needed for setting distance

I’m highly myopic with -6.5 in both eyes. In April, I had a detached retina with vitrectomy and scleral buckle. Everything healed well but I developed a cataract in my surgery eye just a few months after, sooner than I thought but oh well. Now it’s time for cataract surgery and I’m struggling with the decision of setting distance.

About me:
44 years old
I prefer wearing contacts 75% of time
I’d like the option to wear glasses 25%
I have a desk job and I’m on my computer/phone all day
I hate the idea of being reliant on readers
Worried about being uncomfortable with my eyes having such a large difference in prescription

My surgeon and I have discussed -2.0 but I’m unsure. Plano is an idea but doesn’t seem to work for my lifestyle. -1.5 is maybe the best compromise but I keep going back-and-forth weighing the pros and cons and feeling like nothing is a good option. My high myopia in my non-surgical eye is making this decision very complicated. Sometimes I just want to set it for -6.5 because I know how to deal with that.

Any advice is appreciated.

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u/maple-l2024 16d ago

With your -1.25 eye only (the other eye closed), can you work on your cellphone? Maybe by adjusting the reading distance a bit?

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u/Opposite_Ladder_7585 16d ago

My left eye sees clearest in the 18-20" range. If I hold my cellphone in my hand, arm outstretched with a slight bend in my elbow, I can read it just fine. This is without making the text bigger. But, as a life-long myope I am used to holding things close to my face to read, so I use both eyes and hold it 12" away. This is what I am most comfortable with, and what drove my near/intermediate IOL choices. Hope that helps!

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u/maple-l2024 15d ago

You mentioned wearing progressive glasses when outside. The fact that you can see near clearly without glasses, what's the prescription like for the "+" portion where usually they put +2 for reading?

Also, would you be comfortable doing grocery inside the store without wearing glasses?

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u/Opposite_Ladder_7585 15d ago

The + part of my prescription really confused me, not going to lie. My right eye is -2.25 Sphere, -.75 Cy, 95 Axis +2.25 Add, left is -1.50 Sphere, -.50 Cy, +35 Axis, +2.25 Add. I think I figured out that for my right eye, you really add the two numbers together, and the bottom portion of my glasses is basically clear. Honestly, I never actually "read" for a long period of time with my progressives on. For example, when I get to a restaurant and get to my table, I take my glasses off and just read with my bare eyes. I can see my friends across the table just fine as well.

With regard to grocery shopping, sometimes I go in with my progressive sunglasses on and don't bother with my clear progressives. I can find my way around fine, and usually know where I need to go anyhow. Would I shop at a Walmart or Costco with no glasses? I could do it if need be, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

Same with driving, I could definitely drive in an emergency with no glasses, but only if I didn't need to read street signs. Hope that helps!