Cataract Surgery for Monocular Philadelphia Cataracts Patients – James S. Lewis, MD
Serving King of Prussia, Warminster, Delaware Valley, Bucks County, Phoenixville, Montgomery County and Conshohocken

When trauma, disease, amblyopia, cancer, infection or genetic errors leave a patient with only one eye with excellent potential, we call them monocular or “one-eyed” patients. Frequently, these patients live alone and must care for themselves immediately or within a few days of their cataract surgery. For these patients, it is vital to choose an experienced, compassionate, and skilled Philadelphia cataract surgeon. A surgeon with a giant ego or one who brags how quickly he can perform a cataract surgery should be avoided. At the same time, surgeons performing less than 20 surgeries a week should not, in my opinion, treat one-eyed patients, as they might lack the necessary experience.

Naturally, with only one good eye, a perfect cataract surgical result is needed. Although traditional wisdom recommends waiting until the cataract is advanced, we must remember that one-eyed patients perform all of their daily activities through the cataractous eye. Substandard driving, degraded distance acuity and cessation of reading are sufficient impetus for surgery.

Experience with one-eyed patients is also a prerequisite for selecting your cataract surgeon. Some surgeons just don’t have the appropriate temperament. In an average week I will perform 4 cataract procedures on patients with only one good eye. My strategy is to simply consider every procedure as if it were being performed on a monocular patient. All eyes are precious.

A one-eyed patient must not feel rushed into surgery and the decision must be his/her own. In addition, the patient and the surgeon should carefully choose the most appropriate intraocular lens implant type, such as ReSTOR, ReZoom, Tecnis or Crystalens AO. Furthermore, family, friends, and the surgeon should be positive and reassuring during the time of the patient’s cataract surgery.