Cataracts cause a foggy area on your eye's lens, making it challenging to see clearly. As they progress, they can impact your ability to see while driving at night or identify people's faces. By undergoing cataract surgery, your vision can be restored by replacing the cloudy lens with a synthetic intraocular lens (IOL). Your cataract surgeon might suggest one of these four IOL types.
1. Monofocal Intraocular Lenses
Monofocal intraocular lenses are the most common type of lens used in cataract surgery. They are suitable for people who have no other eye diseases or eye problems. The main advantage of monofocal IOLs is that they are easier to implant and remove. However, these lenses only provide a single focal length which means you will only be able to see clearly at one distance. You may find this difficult if you work in an office where you will be moving around or if you need to read small text or watch television from different distances.
2. Multifocal Intraocular Lenses
Multifocal IOLs provide multiple focal points so that you can see clearly at all distances without having to move closer or farther away from an object. They also allow older people who may have lost some vision due to macular degeneration or glaucoma to see better in low light conditions such as at night or inside buildings with dimmer.
3. Accommodating Intraocular Lenses
Accommodating IOLs are pretty cool because they try to mimic the way your eye naturally focuses. They change shape and position inside your eye, helping you focus on stuff at different distances. This type of lens can be a fantastic choice for folks who want a more natural range of vision without depending on multiple focal points. Accommodating IOLs make it easier to see clearly at various distances, which comes in handy for people who often switch between near, intermediate and far vision. When you chat with your cataract surgery doctor, they'll help you figure out if these lenses are a good fit for you.
4. Toric Intraocular Lenses
Toric IOLs are specially designed for those of us dealing with astigmatism, which is when the cornea or lens of your eye has a bit of an odd shape, causing blurred or wonky vision. These lenses have different powers in various parts, helping to fix the uneven focus that astigmatism causes. By tackling both cataracts and astigmatism at the same time, toric IOLs can really improve the quality of your vision after cataract surgery.
Your cataract surgery doctor will guide you through your options and help you decide which intraocular lenses are best for your situation. For more information on cataract surgery, contact a professional near you.