Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Cataract Surgery

I am scheduled to have cataract surgery in March. One of the options for a replacement lens is the multi-focal lens. I wear multi-focal contacts, and love 'em.

The doc says the only drawback to the multi-focal replacement lenses used in cataract surgery is that my night vision will be substantially worse. This is not an issue with my contacts, but apparently it is with the lens implants.

Anyone here have experience with the multi-focal implants? Anyone care to share how cataract surgery affected their ability to focus on pistol sights?

Any input would be appreciated.

I’ll be very interested to hear of any inputs to your query.

My wife had both eyes done she is getting along well.

I had both eyes done at different times. My right eye really improved me sight. My left eye made no difference at all. I do not understand why, but it is very frustrating. Everybody says have it done again. Do not know if it would make any difference. Good luck with surgery.

Had right and left eye done in late 2020 and early 2021 respectively, with single focus long distance lenses. "Long distance" meaning about 28", so everything just past my outstretched arms is in focus.

Looked at the multi-focal lenses and one of the biggest drawbacks I read about was seeing halos around all lights at night. The doctor told me I'd see those the first 2-3 days after surgery and he was right, driving around after dark was nasty. I'm no expert and not the one to say not do it but I'm perfectly happy with not having to wear glasses at all for every day stuff and then just wear reading glasses for close up work.



To the other question, it helped a lot with pistol sights. Since they are held closer than 28" they're still a bit fuzzy but that is orders of magnitude better than a blurry blob. There's a question in the Handgun section right now about the Merit adjustable disc, I use that on my glasses to get the sights perfectly sharp for really fine work, but depending on the size of the target and the range I can hit stuff just fine without any corrective lenses at all.


Basically the cataract surgery made a huge difference in every day life. I can once again read the titles of books across a room and watch a hi-def TV without glasses and everything is sharp. Most interesting surprise getting rid of cataracts was that my sinks and tubs, basically all the porcelain in the house, was a dingy brownish gray. After surgery, suddenly they were brilliant white. Who knew?!

I had my right eye done in April, left still has good vision. I had the multi focal lense put in. I have no problem seeing while driving at night. I can read without glasses, can shoot open sights again. I’m a fool for waiting to have it done. I would spend the money to get the multifocal lenses if possible. If you live in the Houston area, highly recommend DR Jeff Whitsett. He did my sister in laws also, she be very pleased too.

With the multifocal implants.

I had mine done in 2020, got the multi-focus lenses. I get some rings around headlights at night, when they were first done it was pretty bad but it has gotten much better over time. Honestly I had a lot of issues with bright headlights before surgery, I think it is better now. Other than that, my night vision is fine. I have a pair of cheaters that I use occasionally when print is tiny or the contrast is low, otherwise I haven't needed glasses in 2 1/2 years. I see pistol sights much better and scope reticles are much clearer also. I was far-sighted before, my distance vision was incredible, now it is normal but the astigmatism is gone.

All in all, I see much better than I did before surgery and would go the multi-focus route again.

I just had this surgery in October. Got multifocal lenses that correct vision and astigmatism. In general it has been terrific. Vision in left eye is better than 20/20, right eye not quite as good but near 20/20. I can read anything 6" in front of my face and my distance vision is really good. The only downside I see is that there is some "haloing" at night around bright lights (porch lights, traffic signals, etc) with the multifocal lens (doctor told me that would happen) but my night vision is otherwise very good as well. I gladly accept the haloing effect for not having to wear glasses or contacts anymore. I am a fan of the multifocal lenses.

I’m not to far from surgery on my right eye. I need to get back to the dr and get the skinny. You guys started talking multi focal or whatever and I’m clueless on the subject.

Any decent eye Dr can tell you the problem. The Dx why is important. Did the Dr screw your cornea and does it need treatment to prevent decompensation and serious corneal graft surgery?

Is the implant tilted or misaligned? In that case a GOOD surgeon may be able to rectify or replace it and it's easier and less traumatic to your eye before long term fibrosis of the implant feet has occurred within the capsular bag of your original natural lens.

Is the posterior capsule of your natural crystalline lens which the implant sits in cloudy from Elshnig Pearl formation from cells growing over the surface of the capsule? That is called After-Cataract and simple Argon laser treatment could open the center of the cloudy capsule over the visual axis and allow clear vision. I've found it much easier to do before Pearl formation has become advanced and it requires less shots of the laser beam and thus less chance of hitting the posterior surface of your IOL and getting microscopic cracks in it which can affect glare while driving at night.

It the loss of clarity due to vitreous debri or fibrosis which a retinal specialist can replace with clear liguid?

More seriously, do you have Cystoid Macular Edema from excess intraocular trauma associated with the original cataract and implant procedure?

Do you possibly have early macular degeneration?

Do you have Central Serous Retinopathy or Vitreo-Macular traction that could result in macula hole or tear?

Partial thickness macula holes can be repaired by great retinal surgeons if done early before permanent damage and fibrosis occurs.

Do you have a Choroidal Melanoma behind the retina causing distortion which if treated early with radioactive retrobulbar implants can save your life.

Do have Chorodal Metastatic tumor from an as yet to be determined location such as from a lung tumor?

I think I'd find out what the problem is and I'd see someone else for an opinion if your Dr has not been specific about what the problem is.

He doesn’t fuggin know. Just talking out of his ass.

My wife had her cataract surgery a year and a half ago. There were three cost levels offered. The insurance only paid for the cheapest. We sprang for the best out of pocket and she sees near and far great. Well worth the money.

And her night vision driving?

I guess the place I'm getting mine done is calling the multi focus lenses "Deluxe". I'm having my left eye done the 30th of this month and my right done the 13th of next month. I'm pretty young and hoping all goes well and I won't even need readers for many years. Bad haze in my right eye (my dominant and better distance eye) made hunting tough this season.

So the conversation is about multifocal artificial implants

Not just standard Podunk Iowa cataract surgery.

Please keep that in mind, the OP and a few of us others are interested in your outcomes IF YOU’VE HAD MULTIFOCAL IMPLANTS.

not the same obviously as the fixed acrylic Alcon implants

Thanks, I’d like to know more myself to upgrade.

I had both of mine done this past Sept. with the multifocal. Took a little time for every thing to settle down and work like I hoped for.
Night vison was plagued by halos around lights for a about a week to 10 days. But the Dr. had told me that would happen. Other wise no
problem. I see pistol sights okay but not as well as I would like better than when I wore bifocal glasses. The up close vision worked good
from day one but it does have a range that is best. For example if I am trying to read the fine print on over the counter medication. Up real
close it's blurry and far enough out for things to clear up the print is to small to read. I have a dry eye problem so if I don't use eye drops fairly regular vision will be some what out of focus on the distance vision. Being in a room with florescent lighting I will have same slight out of focus vision. I am happy to get rid of the glasses. Talking to a couple of folks that have had the same thing done I believe every one may have slightly different experience. But they are happy with the outcome. Nothing man made will be as good as the original equipment.
Sadly my pistol shooting hasn't really improved. But I suspect that it's not an eye sight problem.

Both surgeons I consulted with steered me away from multi because of all the low light activities I do. I also have drier eyes. I ended up going for distance with the idea of good vision from arms length out and using readers. Had it done over a two week period in September. Life changing, ended up with 20/20 and no readers needed. Surgeon said sometimes the brain just works that way. Was a really quick process and healing time period was a few weeks after each eye. 50 years age, so on the early side.

My wife just had both eyes done (12/8 - 12/15). Her vision went from 20/200 to 20/25. Rather than prescription glasses, she can now use OTC "cheaters" for reading.
No night vision halos.
I have to kick my girlfriend out 2 miles from home. The wife can see her now if I pull up in the yard! 😉

Night vision is great, driving at night even in busy intersection or rain is good. Much safer on the roads these days:-)