Near and Distance Lenses

These lenses assist our cataract surgery patients in Scottsdale, Mesa, and Phoenix in achieving clear vision both up close and at a distance, with reduced reliance on glasses.

If you’re a cataract surgery patient in Scottsdale or Mesa looking to see both up close and far away without glasses, we offer three premium upgrades to help you achieve this goal. Alternatively, you can choose to correct only your distance vision and use over-the-counter reading glasses for close-up tasks. You can find more details about this option on our Distance Vision Lenses page.

Blended Vision with Non-Adjustable Lenses

The goal of blended vision is to provide you with the ability to see clearly both up close and at a distance without relying on glasses. This is achieved by setting one eye for near vision and the other for distance vision. While blended vision often allows patients to go without glasses most of the time, it is common to occasionally use reading glasses for small print, extended reading, or reading in dim light. Some patients may also choose to wear distance glasses for night driving.

To achieve blended vision, we perform cataract surgery on both eyes, targeting one eye for distance and the other for near vision. After both eyes have healed, we reassess your vision. Most patients are satisfied with their vision at this stage and the process is complete. However, if needed, a fine-tuning procedure like PRK or LASIK may be performed. Overall, once their care is complete, our blended vision patients typically enjoy a high level of freedom from glasses and are among our most satisfied patients.

Dr. Q’s perspective: “Blended vision with non-adjustable lenses is the most cost-effective way to achieve significant freedom from glasses for both near and distance vision. Despite the lower cost, the quality of vision remains high.”

Our blended vision package costs $850 per eye for eyes without astigmatism and $1,900 per eye for eyes with astigmatism. If you have a history of RK, PRK, or LASIK, an additional charge of $500 per eye will apply. PRK and LASIK touch-ups are included. 

Blended Vision with the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens

As mentioned in our Distance Vision Lenses section, the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens is the first and only lens that can be adjusted inside of the eye after surgery. Though many times we adjust both eyes into distance focus, and the patient wears reading glasses for up-close, we are also able to adjust one eye for near and the other for distance in order to create blended vision. 

What makes blended vision with the Light Adjustable Lens so exciting is that after surgery, you can preview and test various combinations of distance and near vision before locking your vision into place. This flexibility is not available with non-adjustable lenses and represents a groundbreaking advancement in cataract surgery.

For instance, we might start out with good distance vision in one eye and just a little near in the other. You then try out your new vision at home for a few days and see how you like it. If you are satisfied, then we lock your vision into place. However, if you want to try something different, we can customize your vision to your preference. Perhaps you prefer a little stronger near vision. If so, we adjust it into place, and let you try this new combination at home. If you are satisfied, then we lock your vision into place, and if not, we can adjust it yet again.

At Q Vision, Dr. Qamar personally oversees the adjustment process rather than delegating it to assistants, as is typical elsewhere. Drawing on his 25 years of experience, he carefully examines you and uses his extensive expertise to determine the optimal adjustments for achieving the best possible vision.

Dr. Q’s perspective: “Among all the upgrades we offer, blended vision with the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens provides the greatest control for customizing and fine-tuning your vision to meet your specific needs. This is particularly beneficial for patients who have previously undergone RK, PRK, or LASIK. For those seeking significant freedom from glasses for both near and distance vision while maintaining the highest level of clarity and sharpness, we strongly recommend blended vision with the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens.”

The RxSight Light Adjustable Lens is $3,400 per eye.

Multifocal and Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) Lenses

Multifocal and EDOF lenses allow each eye to see both near and far, so both eyes work together for clear vision at all distances. This is an advantage over blended vision, in which one eye is set for distance and the other for near, with each eye focusing on a different range.

In simplified terms, multifocal and EDOF lenses work by splitting incoming light into different focal points, allowing patients to see at various distances—near, intermediate, and far—without relying as much on glasses. This optical design provides more freedom from glasses for everyday activities like reading, computer work, and driving. However, dividing light among multiple focal points also creates side effects, such as glare, halos around lights, and reduced crispness of vision. These visual disturbances occur because not all the light is focused at a single point, leading to some degree of optical compromise in exchange for a broader range of vision. For most patients, the expanded range of vision outweighs the side effects, hence the enduring popularity of these lenses.

Among all the multifocal and EDOF lenses, our current top choice is the Alcon PanOptix. It offers near-total freedom from glasses for most patients, though it comes with some glare around lights at night and reduced quality of vision when compared to the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens. For many patients, this trade-off is worthwhile due to the exceptional near and intermediate vision provided by the PanOptix.

Other options in the multifocal and EDOF categories include the Johnson & Johnson Tecnis Odyssey and Symfony OptiBlue, the Alcon ReSTOR and Vivity, and the Lenstec ClearView 3 Multifocal. We are familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of these lenses and are happy to discuss them with you.

If you opt for cataract surgery with a PanOptix lens, we will reassess your vision about a month after both eyes have been treated. Most patients find their vision is clear at this point and are satisfied with the results. However, in some cases, additional fine-tuning with PRK or LASIK may be needed.

Dr. Q’s perspective: “The PanOptix lens gives most patients near total freedom from glasses, albeit with some compromise in the overall quality of vision, and the possible need for PRK or LASIK, as the lens is not adjustable. For patients who value the utmost in freedom from glasses, the PanOptix is a great choice. However, for those who value the utmost in crispness and clarity, I recommend Blended Vision with the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens. For patients who have had prior RK, PRK or LASIK, the compromise in the quality of vision with the PanOptix is more significant, so I recommend avoiding the PanOptix in favor of the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens.” 

Multifocal or EDOF lenses are $3,400 per eye and this includes PRK and LASIK touch-ups. If you have a history of RK, PRK, or LASIK, an additional charge of $500 will apply.