How close can someone see without reading glasses after cataract surgery if their distance vision is 20/20 and they have monofocal intraocular implants in both eyes?

Strange as it may sound, the answer depends on what you have been used to before you had the cataract/IOL surgery.

A myopic (nearsighted) person typically always had good near vision with or without glasses. So losing most of that, despite now being able to see 20/20 at a distance, is going to be sorely missed.

A farsighted patient (hyperopic or presbyopic) will notice some improvement in near vision, but very modest.

Overall, how much near vision will be there after monofocal IOLs is notoriously difficult to state objectively in any meaningful way …except to say: not much! Count on needing reading glasses.

_Written by J. Trevor Woodhams, M.D. - Chief of Surgery, Woodhams Eye Clinic