Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Monovision Cataract Surgery & Near Vision

Birmingham Cataract Surgeon & Cornea Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center commented on monovision cataract surgery, lens implants and near vision correction. “Monovision Cataract Surgery is a technique that is used to help patients improve their near vision and increase their range of clear vision after a cataract operation. The technique of monovision has been used for many years by contact lens wearers as well as patients with presbyopia having Laser Eye Surgery for the Laser Vision Correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism,” said Dr. Michelson. 

The monovision technique is simply adjusting the optical correction in each eye so that the dominant eye is corrected for clear distance vision and the non-dominant eye is corrected for improving near or intermediate range vision. For patients who have been wearing monovision contact lenses successfully or who have had monovision LASIK and are pleased with the vision, taking the step into monovision Cataract Surgery is a natural progression. For others, they must consider the possible benefits as compared to those provided by near vision presbyopia correcting multifocal lens implants as some 30% of monovision patients fail to adapt adequately to the “blended” vision. Researchers reporting in the May 2011 Journal of Refractive Surgery studied the optimal monovision prescription that should be used in order to get the highest levels of patient acceptance and overall visual acuity and depth perception. They concluded that the prescription range of 1.00 D-2.00 D of monovision correction was the maximum range and that the optimal prescription for monovision Cataract Surgery was 1.5 D. While this is useful information, patients should understand that a 1.5 D near correction may very well be insufficient for them to perform their daily tasks comfortably without needing readers or bifocals.

The best way for you or someone you know with a cataract to find out if you are candidates for monovision cataract surgery or near vision presbyopia correcting lens implants after cataract surgery is to schedule a cataract and lens Implant evaluation at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.