Cataract surgery can be suitable when only one eye is significantly affected, especially if the difference between eyes is causing symptoms.
Reasons to operate on a single eye
Unequal vision between the eyes can be as troublesome as overall blur.
- Marked difference in clarity or colour between the two eyes
- Double vision, shadowing, or imbalance when both eyes are open
- Headaches or eye strain from one eye doing most of the work
- Difficulty driving or reading because the weaker eye is distracting
- Clear cataract in the symptomatic eye while the fellow eye remains good
Things to discuss with your surgeon
The goal is to achieve comfortable binocular vision.
- Target prescription for the operated eye and how it will match the other
- Whether a temporary contact lens or glasses change will be needed
- Timing of possible surgery in the second eye if cataracts later develop
- Risks and benefits of operating now versus waiting
- How surgery might affect depth perception for driving or work
