Have any type 1’s had cataract surgery and used multifocal replacement lenses? I am 65 and am looking at this surgery in the next couple months. I have no retinopathy. I have had my vitreous detach but have decided to live with it. My ophthalmologist who will do the surgery has no problem with putting in multifocal lenses. My retinal specialist advises against it because they are more difficult to see around if you need retinal surgery down the road. I have worn multifocal contacts for years and love them. Any opinions out there?
My retinal specialist said the same thing. I went with advice of retinal specialist.
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I had cataract surgery 3 years and used the multi focal lens. Not cheap and no guarantees on outcome.
My doc said the same thing. I opted for having my eyes corrected to 20/20 at distance. I need to use reading glasses, but I believe in the KISS principle.
Did they work out for you? Would you do it again? Thanks.
I had cataract surgery about 3 yrs ago. I see up close out of my right eye and distance out of my left eye. For the first year or two I absolutely loved it. About then I started getting strings of floaters which might have been caused by the surgery. My vision as of yesterday was about 20/25 and 20/30. I am disappointed that they both aren’t 20/20 anymore. I don’t regret the surgery though.
I was dx type 1 in 1959. I had a tiny bit of retinopathy after 22 years of urine testing. Once I switched to testing my blood, my eyes cleared up and haven’t bothered me, so I don’t expect to have retinopathy in the future. I have been very, very lucky.
Floaters nearly pushed me to getting a vitrectomy but after learning about the possible downsides I opted not to have it done. When they got really bad I went to a retinal specialist because they bothered me constantly. After many years of having stable floaters (I mean that they haven’t gotten worse) I can usually ignore them.
My first floater appeared as a single black dot when I was about 10 years old. Gradually they got worse until in high school they’d obscure my central vision, interfering greatly with test-taking as I’d look down at papers on my desk.
Dave44, your floaters sound quite bad. I have had the black dots which I do not notice but they are few and not in the center of my eye.
The string of floaters bother me when I am in sunlight and I can see the strings. My optometrist said that they would drive her crazy. My retinal specialist didn’t seem to think that they were a big deal, so he offered me no solution. I suppose at almost 70, that I can’t expect my vision to be perfect any more.
Yes, they are chains and strings and clumps that float all over. My brain has finally managed to ignore them most of the time, but it took years after the worst of them began to bother me more than 15 years ago.
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Just had second cataract and replaced lens with monofocal (one eye for distance the other for reading. Had worn contacts to achieve this a few years back so knew it would work for me. 22 years T1 no retinopathy. I had a vitrectomy a couple of years ago-seriously massive, couldn’t see out of that eye. Initial consult doc said “no one will remove that, live with it.” Second doc said-“holy cow-that’s gotta go, how can you see!” Balance your doc’s opinion with your needs.
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I agree. If and when you have retinal issues, it would be preferable that the surgeon has a clear view of what he’s dealing with.