Cataracts can interfere with your ability to drive at night and see well enough to do your usual activities. When they disrupt your life or pose a safety issue, then it could be time to think about cataract surgery. Cataract surgery removes your clouded lens and replaces it with a new lens that can sometimes correct for vision problems you may have. At the very least, the surgery corrects your cloudy vision, and it may even allow you to see well enough that you won't need glasses. Here are some lens options your eye doctor considers when choosing the right ones for you.

To Improve Near Or Far Vision

Monofocal lenses are the traditional choice, and these are the most likely to be covered under your insurance. These lenses improve either your near or distance vision, but not both. This means that if you need reading glasses now, you'll probably still need them after your eye surgery if you get a monofocal lens that corrects your far vision. Depending on your particular vision problems, your eye doctor might consider putting a monofocal lens in one eye so you have improved distance vision and a different lens in another eye so you have improved near vision. Before doing this, you may need to wear the same combination of lenses in contacts to see if it's a suitable choice for you.

To Improve Intermediate Vision

Multifocal lenses can improve your far and near vision as well as the intermediate vision that's needed for computer work. These lenses have different areas for each type of vision, so your brain figures out how to look through the lenses to get the clearest vision. These tend to be expensive, so insurance may not pay for them. They do have a drawback of causing glare, which could be a problem with night driving. Multifocal lenses aren't always the best choice, but they might reduce your need for glasses. However, it's always possible you'll still need to wear glasses after having eye cataract surgery.

To Improve Presbyopia

Accommodation lenses require the surgery to be adapted so that your eye muscles can move the lens in a similar way to moving your real lens. Traditional cataract surgery anchors the lens securely so it doesn't move. An accommodation lens is anchored so that your muscles can move it to see both near and far vision. This type of lens may be considered if you have presbyopia and want to eliminate your reading glasses if possible.

Your eye doctor will discuss your options and consider any current vision problems when deciding on the right lenses to implant. The type of work you do and the amount of night driving you usually do might matter too. Plus, your insurance coverage will factor into the decision since lenses can be expensive if you have to pay the whole cost yourself.

Contact a company near you that offers eye cataract surgery services in order to learn more.