Cataract surgery restores a person’s vision to how it was before they developed cataracts. However, in some cases, it can also reduce other types of visual impairment, such as near- or farsightedness.
Cataracts occur when the lens at the front of the eye becomes cloudy. This results in blurry or foggy vision and may also cause symptoms such as:
- sensitivity to light
- difficulty seeing at night
- faded color vision
Cataract surgery works by removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial one, reducing these symptoms. The procedure has a high success rate, improving vision in up to
However, this is not all artificial lenses can do. As they work in a similar way to eyeglasses or contact lenses, lens implants can also change the way light refracts into the eye. Depending on the type of artificial lens, they can help the eye focus up close, far away, or both.
As a result, cataract surgery has the potential to improve near- or farsightedness, as well as cataracts.
Most cataract surgeries involve monofocal lenses, as these are the cheapest. However, they only correct vision at one distance, meaning a person also needs glasses. For example, if the monofocal lens allows a person to see far away, they will need glasses after surgery for tasks such as reading.
Multifocal lenses help the eye focus both up close and far away. This is the type a person will need to correct near- or farsightedness.
These lenses may reduce the need to wear glasses in daily life, but some may still need glasses to read books. Some may also experience visual changes, such as seeing haloes or starbursts, which typically become less noticeable over time.
If a person would like to address near- or farsightedness at the same time as their cataracts, they can discuss with a doctor which lenses would be the most suitable for their needs.