EyeRunMD wrote:
pixel_eater wrote:
Aloha
I'll be undergoing cataract surgery in a few months and my surgeon is recommending the Panoptix multifocal IOL because of my relative youth (55) and active lifestyle. In general the info on the interwebs is positive about these IOLs, but clearly a lot of it is marketing. Are there any particular challenges these lenses might pose for me? I guess I'm mostly concerned about photic events and night vision as those are the most often cited side effects. Your collective experience and wisdom are most appreciated!
I guess the biggest questions are how much are you willing to pay out of pocket and what are your goals with your vision?
The extra costs for these special lenses can get really expensive. Anywhere from $2-3,000 per eye, and up. This is out of pocket. Insurance will cover the basic lenses but not these "special" ones.
As someone else pointed out, if you are good with never needing glasses, except when you read, then you would be good going with just a regular IOL........this is what the majority of cataract patients end up getting. It corrects for your distance vision but means you will need reading glasses for up close activities.
I've seen patients who are exceedingly happy with their multi focal lens replacements and others who wish they could have em taken out and a "regular" IOL put in its place. Problem is, it's very easy to put any of these lenses in but it's A LOT more difficult to take them out and replace.
Cost is not an obstacle. i see it (pun intended) as a once in a lifetime investment in my vision. Personally $2-3K per eye doesn't seem expensive at all. It will certainly pay for itself in contact lens and eye glass savings over a lifetime.
My visual priorities are:
1 Distance vision
2. Contrast sensitivity
3. Low light vision/night driving (lack of halos)
4. Mid-range vision
5. Near vision
I'm not opposed to a regular IOL, as I don't mind reading glasses, but I do need to be able to read my bike computer or watch face when I'm down on the aero bars. Is this a reasonable expectation with a regular IOL? The reason I asked about the Symfony IOL is it seems to give reasonable reading at near distance without the halos, poor night vision, and impaired contrast sensitivity of some of the other MFIOLS on the market.
it's very easy to put any of these lenses in but it's A LOT more difficult to take them out and replace.
Agreed,I saw a youtube video of an IOL being replaced by another IOL and it was brutal to watch. I only want to do this once. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise!