Cataract op and Astigmatism

I have marked astigmatism and short sight and when I had my cataracts removed I opted for standard lenses that would correct my short sight and provide good distance vision. I too have an epiretinal membrane and also a number of other problems including previous retinal tears and I opted to go for simple....... cataracts out, distance vision lenses in and varifocal glasses so I can read. I did not want to go down the toric route - as far as I was concerned that was just introducing something else to go wrong! - and quite enough had already gone wrong with my eyes to last a lifetime!

I have worn glasses all my life and was not bothered about continuing to do so. I chose varifocals because I did not want to mess about with reading glasses. I just wanted the cataracts gone and as good eyesight as possible which I have achieved. I did have some opacity of the capsule a year or so later - a very common complication after cataract surgery, but this was sorted by a 5 minute laser treatment.

I did actually have them done privately but only for speed, and they were both done on the same day.

Keep it simple was the principle I worked on!

I once had toric contact lenses and they were truly hopeless when it came to reading.

I had very dense cataracts removed recently. The first was my right eye and none of the surgeons wanted to do it. In the end, the senior surgeon told one to go ahead. A fifteen minute operation turned into a one and half hour procedure including an injection in the centre of the eye, presumably because the local anaesthetic was wearing off. Anyway, fast forward. About four months later I was wandering around the supermarket and my husband couldn’t read the price of something although he was wearing his reading glasses. I picked the item up and told him the price and listed the ingredients when he noticed I hadn’t taken my reading glasses out of my handbag. My eyesight had returned to my youth. Then I was invited to have my left eye done about a year later. I was terrified but went. Again nobody wanted to do the operation. In the end it was done by a very competent surgeon in less than 15 minutes. She told me to sit up for the wheelchair to the recovery room and said how everyone told her it was a very complicated operation but she found it easy and loved my green eyes. I saw her clearly. I was never offered any special lenses but can now drive, draw, see TV, no glasses required. However, I’m told most people post cataract operations require glasses. I can’t offer you any advice but just wish you all the best in the hands of the eye surgeons who only want the best results.

I recently had a cataract removed and opted for a multi focus toric lens which would give me long, mid and short sight and correct my astigmatism. I was told they couldn’t promise I wouldn’t need reading glasses but there was a very good chance I wouldn’t need glasses for that eye.
Turns out that my near distance vision is not as good as before the op. Whilst my long vision is very good, almost perfect, I still need varifocals because my short distance vision is very poor, worse than before the op. I had the laser treatment weeks after to no avail,
I am disappointed with the result tbh and, with hindsight, I would have opted for the nhs (free) lens either for long or short sight. It feels like I paid a lot of money for no benefit. I am resigned to the outcome as I like having the long distance vision and am pleased the cataract has gone.
Now I need to decide what to do about the left eye. It’s a difficult decision to make.
It may be a different result for you though. Tough decision isn’t it.