Crystalens or Restor as a Multifocal IOL After Cataract Surgery?
April 1, 2010
I am 40 yrs old and in need of cataract surgery. I have taken prednisone and inhaled steroids for asthma, which may have contributed to the formation of cataracts.
I knew nothing of monofocal or multifocal IOL’s when I started to suffer degraded vision in my left eye. I received opinions from 2 optometrists. One was for Restor and one for Crystalens. It may have just been the $3000 extra per eye over a monofocal IOL, but my initial impression was that the multifocal lenses were some sort of shady up-sell.
Now after thinking about it, I really do not want to have to rely on 2-3 pair of glasses and feel the extra $$$ might be worth it. I have worn glasses or contacts since grade school and am a pretty active guy. I set my mind on getting a multifocal lense after my second opinion (better bedside manner). This second optometrist recommended Restor, while the first optometrist had recommended Crystalens.
I am all bet set to get this done next month, but I am second guessing now. Can you recommend some impartial reading on the subject? My right eye is supposedly about a year behind in needing surgery.
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146 Responses to “Crystalens or Restor as a Multifocal IOL After Cataract Surgery?”
considering your problems, i would go with standard iol for 2nd eye.
Ari,
I have seen 2 other doctors for second opinions and will see another one in Sept. They all say it looks perfect. The last one said the same thing; that these symptoms are usually with the Restor. I have hopes for the doc #3 as he told my friend he has heard of these problems. I’ll keep ya posted. Meanwhile, doc #2 is sending my reports to specialist in other states who deal with cataract surgery problems. I have not heard back from him.
I see your advise to not mix the Restor with another lens. What do you think about using a basic (mono) lens with the Crystalens? I still have to do the left eye at some point but I am afraid to use aonther Crystalens.
i dont understand your symptoms CM. it may be that the crytalens is de-centered? i have never heard of these symptoms in crystalens- only restor. i advise strongly a second opinion, as i suspect something else is going on.
it may be related to the edge design of the implant. doing the other eye wont make a difference,. the restor works best when implanted in both eyes.
Hi! I am 24 and had steriod induced cataracts in both the eyes. I have undergone surgery on 25th April 2012 and doctor has implanted multifocal restor lens in my right eye. After my surgery I have excellent distant vision, good near vision. But now I have joined my office after 15 days of rest, I am facing problem of darks spots around my eye while I am doing the computer work or sometimes I feel it in sunlight too. Now, I have to undergo left eye surgery on 31st August, after 1 month of previous surgery. Wanted to know would that dark spots reduce or it would increase. I dont have any problems with Halos while driving at night. But I think that gave me better vision.
Please tell me about this dark spots or blurry spots around my right eye?? and should I go ahead with the left eye surgery using multifocal lens or any other lens??
Regarding Crystalens….
I had my surgery in March 2012 for my right eye. I am one of those people who does not do well with this lens. I have been searching out more doctors to see if there is a solution for my problems. So far no answers. The problems are as many people have written. I have horrible night glare, halos, stars, and circles of light rushing at me when I drive past street lamps. It’s more noticeable at night due to the contrast of light and dark. Anytime there is a light source off to the side or top of the lens, it refracts and causes rays of light across my vision. I have asked the Dr to shine his little flashlight from the side of my face to prove to him it creates rays of light. Many times it’s like the prism effect, rainbow colors. He still has no solution. Needless to say, this is very, very depressing. So with this experience, I write to warn people to consider the mono lens and not the Crystalens.
depends on her motivation to be less dependent on glasses. crystalens can be unpredictable, and is better for intermediate vision. multifocal more predictable and better for near, but has some side effects. monovision is often a good compromise and has no extra cost. you really have to sit down with the surgeon and discuss all the options.
Hi, My mother has got cataract in both eyes with more snowy vision in the left eye. She is 61 yrs old and has been wearing glasses for more than 15 yrs both for distance and reading. She uses bifocal glasses at times and at times wears them separately as per her convenience. In all she owns 3 pair of glasses.
Which lens she should go for – mono focal or mulltifocal or Crystalens? Is the extra money for crystal lens worth it? Please advise. She has not yet been tested for astigmatism or undergone any retina test.
not easy to get the right power of the crystalens implant, esp. after lasik– so good chance you will need touch-up with lasik after the crystalens to get 20/20. also, the accomodative ability of this lens can be unreliable. some swear by it, some dont. consider monovision, if cost is an issue.
I have fine tuned my question to this. Should I get Mono-focal which Medicare covers or Crystalens? Most frequent activities include lots of reading, computer work, watching TV and I have to drive, too (and pass the driver’s test). What are most people happier with?
I am 68 years old and need cataract surgery in both eyes. I am nearsighted since 4th grade, wore glasses and contacts, both hard and soft lenses, then permeable, then contacts with monovision. I now test -4.00 both eyes. I had lasix done about 10 years ago and was corrected to 20/20 vision. It was like a miracle. I could see close up and far. The last 5 years my nearsightedness came back. I can still see close up (love it) without glasses. Within the last 2 years, I went from -2.00 to -4.00, both eyes. I read a lot, am on the computer a lot, watch TV and, of course, drive. I have had halos around lights at night ever since the lasix, but have adjusted until recently when it got worse. My doctor has suggested Crystalens, but it is $2600 per eye. What to do?
monovision would give you least side effects, but vision may not be as good as the multifocal. its a hard call!
I am 50 and have cataracts in both eyes (left has more). I have worn glasses and contacts since I was 10. I am near sighted; -7.75 in my left and -7.50 in my right; I wear soft contacts the majority of the time. I work on the computer and have to wear reading glasses. I would like to be able to see without glasses even readers. Which would give me the better chance for that multi-focal or mono-focal with the least amount of side effects?
we typically dont go for the full monovision- the asymmetry would be too much for most people. getting 1 eye to about -1.25 seems to be ideal monovision. good luck!
Ari, I am really intrigued by your response above to Nancy…about asking her surgeon to make one eye a little nearsighted. This sounds like something I would like. If I could achieve good distant and intermediate vision with monofocal lenses…and then rely on reading glass for near vision, I think I would be a happy camper. Is what you suggested to Nancy true monovision…or more of a “compromise” somewhere between monovision and all distant (or all near). I hope that makes sense. I have some concerns about monovision and whether or not I could adjust…but your suggestion to Nancy sounds reasonable to me…and I want to find out if it would work for me.
Hi,
My Dad needs to get a surgery for cataract. I am doing my part of research to find the best lens available for it. Are there any one who is really very happy with multi–focal lens. Reading all about it, it seems to be that this is still not completely evolved and I should stick to mono focal lenses..
Can someone suggest what are the different make available and which one is better… Something like if you need table you think of ipad, so if someone thinks for lens what should be there idle choice..
Thanks in advance..
Dev
ask the doctor to make you a litle near-sighted in one eye- like -1.25. it will give you good intermediate vision. i think you will be happy with that and with the overall vision
Thanks Ari. The glare is there with and without glasses, it is the cataracts. So long as i wouldn’t need to wear glasses for intermediate vision, I think I’ll go with the regular implants. I just wouldn’t want to need glasses for other activities.
if you are concerned about depth perception, then monovision may not be for you. crystalens has the fewest side effects like glare, but you may need to use reading glasses more than you might like.
not sure why you have so much glare problems with reading glasses. i really dont think its the glasses- i think the glare is the cataract. good quality reading glasses should give you little glare trouble. so since you are ok with reading glasses, my feeling is go with regular implants.
I am 67 and had perfect vision until my 40’s, at which time I added reading glasses. In my 50’s, I added computer glasses. Now my cataracts, both eyes, right eye dominant and worse, are causing glare and night driving issues, and reading glasses dont work, so i read everything on an ipad. One ophthalmologist is recommending Crystalens HD, another Tecnics, of course for a lot more money. I’m considering Crystalens, but wonder if I should just go with monofocals. I’m OK with reading glasses, but hate the glare. I’m also concerned with depth perception, as I have balance issues as well. I’m told I am a good candidate, no glaucoma or diabetes, very slight astigmatism. What do you think, Ari?
