Vision Goals

Surgical Eye Care: Vision Goals & Lens Options

Lens choices are incredibly specific and customized for each patient and their vision goals. Upon reviewing the following options, please keep in mind which activities you partake in daily and which of these activities you would like to improve with your corrected vision. Please also keep in mind that glasses or contacts may still be needed after cataract surgery depending on your specific case and the severity of your cataract(s). At the time of your cataract evaluation, your ophthalmic technician will go through your daily activities with you to determine your vision needs. After the appropriate testing, you will consult with your surgeon to decide which option most appropriately suits both the complexity of your eyes and your lifestyle to ensure your best possible vision.

• Multifocal Lifestyle Lenses
  • Multifocal Lifestyle lenses offer a full range of continuous vision with astigmatism correction. They are designed to correct near vision, intermediate vision, distance vision and astigmatism.
  • These lenses are implemented to improve activities including but not limited to:
    • Near Vision: reading, crossword puzzles, knitting/sewing, etc.
    • Intermediate Vision: painting, computer work, cooking, gardening, etc.
    • Distance Vision: driving, running, watching TV, golfing, etc.

• Toric Lenses
  • Toric lenses correct astigmatism and offer the choice of either near vision correction OR distance vision
  • This type of lens is used to improve activities including but not limited to:
    • Near Vision: reading, crossword puzzles, knitting/sewing, etc.
  • Distance Vision: driving, running, watching TV, golfing, etc.

** Please note that Toric lenses can only correct one range of vision. A choice must be made as to which range of vision is most appropriate for the vision goals of the patient.

• Basic Lenses
  • Basic lenses offer the choice of either near vision correction OR distance vision correction ONLY in patients that have little to no astigmatism. If you do have astigmatism, the Basic Lens will not help provide any clear vision without glasses. With glasses, Basic Lenses can provide good vision dependent on the health of your retina.
  • With very low astigmatism, this type of lens is used to improve activities including but not limited to:
  • Near Vision: reading, crossword puzzles, knitting/sewing, etc.
  • Distance Vision: driving, running, watching TV, golfing, etc.

** Please note that Basic Lenses can typically only correct one range of vision. In the instance that you are a candidate for monovision, your surgeon will correct one eye for distance vision and one eye for near vision, creating a compromise for seeing both at a distance and up close.