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The world is full of choices—from what to eat to what to do each day. While many decisions are minor, one that deserves careful consideration is choosing the right lens for your cataract surgery.
Your surgeon can offer a variety of lenses, but two types commonly considered for patients are monovision and extended depth of focus.
During cataract surgery, your surgeon removes your eye’s natural lens and replaces it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). One option available to patients is monovision lens implantation, where each eye receives an IOL with a different focus point.
This approach allows the eyes to work together to create blended vision for both near and distance vision.
An extended depth of focus (EDOF) lens, by contrast, uses an implant designed to provide an extended range of vision. Both eyes can see clearly at distance and intermediate ranges. Unlike multifocal lenses that focus on distinct vision points, an EDOF lens creates a continuous range of vision from distance to intermediate.
To determine which lens is best, cataract patients should consider factors such as:
Dr. Wei Huang, a cataract surgeon practicing at CEENTA Huntersville, explains how preexisting conditions can limit your lens options. "Your eye health plays a role in which IOL you can receive. Patients with conditions like macular degeneration or glaucoma may not be suitable for an extended depth of focus lens.”
However, these conditions typically do not limit monovision lens use, making it a good option for many patients.
Your lens choice may depend on your hobbies, interests, and daily routine. A monovision lens compromises one eye’s distance vision to improve near vision, while patients with jobs requiring clear distance vision in both eyes may prefer an extended depth of focus lens.
For hobbies involving fine detail—such as pottery or woodworking—monovision lenses can be a better choice. However, monovision may cause eye strain during prolonged reading since near vision relies on one eye.
If minimizing glasses use is important to you, monovision lenses can reduce your dependence on them because of the two differing focal points.
However, some patients find switching between eyes for near and distance vision challenging.
An extended depth of focus lens can reduce the need for glasses for distance and intermediate vision. However, this IOL does not fully correct close-up vision, so reading glasses may still be necessary.
Choosing a lens for cataract surgery can feel overwhelming, but CEENTA is here to make the decision clearer. Our board-certified cataract surgeons will consider your vision needs and eye health to recommend the premium IOL that’s right for you.
To get started, schedule your cataract surgery consultation with Dr. Huang at CEENTA Huntersville online or through myCEENTAchart.
Find out why premium IOLs can make a difference for your cataract surgery with surgeon Kashyap Kansupada, MD, FACS.
Knowing what to expect after your cataract surgery is important, especially when it comes to your post-op care.
