Anyone have cataract surgery in last few years?

[MandysMom]

Saw my eye Dr today. He is not pushing for my having cataract surgery! Said its my choice as I'm not impaired yet even though I have glare at night, he wants me to take my time and think about it and read and research. I still have near 20/20 with current glasses. He said he has completely stopped recommending the much touted Symfony multi focal as too many patients did not have good results. He said the Femtosecond laser is being replaced by the newer, more accurate LensSX laser system . Also he likes to use the ORA system which is for intra-- operative abberometry system- normally they do measurements before surgery, choose IOL (lens) then you go to the hospital and the remove old lens and replace with he one they measured for at pre- op. with ORA - they remove your lens, then ORA is used to do exact ( no fuzzy lens making it guessing) measurements of your eye and prescription then install lens to match which may be different than pre- op visit. In addition, using LensSX laser they can correct astigmatism right during surgery. Their goal is to get you as glasses free as possible. He also suggested using those systems I would likely do really well with mono- vision, with two different prescriptions made just slightly different than each other. He said previous mono- vision the lenses were one close and one distance but way far apart from each other in RX. Today's LensSX puts the two RXs much closer giving glasses free or close in all who can adapt to mono- vision. he said when I'm ready, call and make a pre- op appointment and he will fit me with mono- vision contacts like he is currently wearing to "test drive" for a week or two. If I am happy we will proceed with that option for surgery the big pluses: while we have the $ to pay for the upgrades, it was grating my craw to face about $5000 per eye in extras to get multifocal IOL's . With LensSX, ORA, and Mono- vision ( which mine does not add), the add on it about $1695 per eye vs $5000 per eye! Win win if I like he custom mono-vision. Additional bonus, in the 16 months since my last exam, the LenSX and ORA have arrived and been used on thousands of patients and the then new Symfony IOL has been tested enough that he discarded it, which saves me getting wrong lens!
If there are errors here, sorry my eyes are still dilated.
Velda

[JudyJB]

Thanks for the message. That is a lot of information. In fact, it sounds like more and more good stuff is coming out, so waiting a while might be worthwhile. I am definitely waiting and also going to get a second opinion in a year or so at a major eye institute.

[MandysMom]

Glad I could help. I'm still mulling it all over and reading. Depends on how annoyed I get with my night vision and need for brighter light reading, etc. safe travels Judy. Hope some day to meet you in person. If you ever pass through Sacramento, let me know if you have time for lunch or a quick visit.
Velda