Varifocal Glasses or Early Lens Replacement Operation?

[Mr Pointy]

A bit of history:
53 year old male, severly shortsighted with some astigmatism
R eye: -9.00(Sph) -1.25 (cyl) axis 015 Inter Add +1.25 Near Add +2.00
L eye: -8.25(Sph) -0.75 (cyl) axis 065 Inter Add +1.25 Near Add +2.00
Very slight beginning of a cataract in the left eye

I have worn contact lenses for many years but as I get older I need reading glasses of course, & for some time this combination has been successful. I also need a pair of general glasses for the times when I don't wear my lenses, usually at the weekend. My old pair needed replacing & when I went for I new pair I found that a single lens was no longer adequate: if the distance was good then I couldn't read in them & if they were set for reading then distance vision was poor. It seemed that time had come for varifocals. I knew that many people had problems & so I didn't skimp & go for the cheapest. The first pair were not good & so the optician re-checked my prescription & a second pair were made (all for the same cost I might add).

I've had these now for a couple of weeks & I hate them. The majority of my field of vision is always wrong & there's just a small area where it's correct. I also find I cannot just move my eyes to look at something & have to move my head so I'm looking through the correct part of the lens.

From reading the Lasik thread I'm not keen on this option as I think I would find it difficult to cope with issues like blurring or halos & I'm guessing I would be very marginal for suitability anyway given my prescription & potential cataract issues. As an alternative it has been mentioned that I could have a lens replacement operation. Has anyone any advice on the implications of this or actually gone down this route? One of the options is a toric monofocal implant which would still leave me needing reading glasses, but I'm fine with that. There is the possibility of a varifocal implant, but given the issues I'm having with these glasses I'm not interested in going that far.

I've searched the forum but it doesn't seem to be working very well so I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who might have been down this route or if there might be any issues with the surgery.

Edit: I see there is some discussion on the Lasik thread so I'll go & read that as well.

Edited by Mr Pointy on Monday 14th March 13:01

[Tyre Smoke]

Have you tried the third option of varifocal contact lenses?

I use Dailies Progressives and quite frankly they're brilliant.

[Mr Pointy]

The problem is not the lenses but the fact I need a pair of backup glasses. If I recall the VF contact lenses didn't go up to my strength of prescription either. It's always been an issue & it took a couple of years for Torics to become available in the power I need.

[Broomsticklady]

I had 2 cataracts in 2000 - one was not great but the other was quite 'young'. Like you I was very short sighted. I persuaded the opthalmic surgeon (it was private so whether that made it easier I don't know) to do the 2nd lesser cataract 6 weeks after the first and effectively to put prescription implants in to correct my eyesight. Never looked back since!!

Should wear reading glasses but don't, do wear glasses fro driving (my choice, I like seing the best I can when behind the wheel) and for TV to sharpen it up. Can't wear glasses to eat (doh!), but if I had same choice agin I'd do exactly the same!

Good luck to you