The
Crystalensaccommodating intraocular lens (IOL) is great in concept, but not always so great in reality. The theory behind the Crystalens is that it moves inside the eye and mimics natural accommodation - the process of changing focus for near objects. Sometimes the Crystalens simply does not accommodate. Unfortunately it is difficult to know before surgery if the Crystalens will or will not accommodate.
It takes some time for the eye to understand how to manipulate the Crystalens. Waiting 3-6 months before making a decision about the outcome is reasonable. There are a few events that would require you to urgently make a decision about changing the Crystalens. Your surgeon should be able to advise you about this timeline, based upon your individual circumstances. This is usually not a situation where you suddenly must make a trip to the surgeon for lens exchange. You should have a reasonable amount of time to make the decision.
If the Crystalens does not accommodate, then you have a rather fancy (and expensive) regular single focus IOL.
You provided your Snellen 20/100 distance visual acuity, but what would be most helpful is your current prescription for full distance vision correction and the amount of plus that is required for adequate near vision. Being within 1.00 diopter of target refractive error is relatively common after IOL surgery. Being within 0.50 diopter is generally considered an excellent result. It is possible that you are within that range, but without the prescription it is impossible to know. There is no real correlation between diopters and Snellen, and Snellen does not tell us if you are myopic (nearsighted, shortsighted) or hyperopic (farsighted, longsighted) or if astigmatism is contributing to the problem.
If your refractive error is less than 1.00 diopter myopic, then it is likely your surgeon will recommend against a lens exchange if there are no other problems. If your refractive error is greater than 1.00 diopter or if your refractive error is hyperopia, then a lens exchange may more likely be considered appropriate.
I am personally not a fan of multi-focal IOLs. I hear so many complaints about halos around light sources from multi-focal IOLs that it seems the reliable single-focus IOL may be better. Multifocal IOLs are very dependant upon pupil size and pupil reaction. Your surgeon will need to evaluate these measurements to determine if a multifocal is even a reasonable consideration. For people who like them, they love them. For people who don’t, they are pretty unhappy. There does not seem to be much middle ground.
Have you discussed
monovision correction with single-focal IOLs with your surgeon? This may be the most appropriate method to reduce the need for reading glasses, depending upon your needs. If you don’t mind reading glasses all that much, single focal IOLs corrected for distance vision may be best.
What you don’t want to do is Lasik or any similar cornea-based surgery until you have decided you are sticking with the IOL that is already implanted. There is no advantage to messing with the cornea if you are going to end up exchanging that IOL.
I am curious if you had this surgery because of a cataract, or if this was
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE).What is your age and what are your normal activities?