Aims To compare the visual performances and patient satisfactions of conventional monovision, which corrects the dominant eye for distance vision, and crossed monovision, which corrects the non-dominant eye for distance vision in patients with pseudophakia.

Methods This prospective randomised study was conducted in 59 patients who underwent implantation of different targets of monofocal intraocular lens for each eye at Konkuk University Medical Center between November 2009 and August 2012. The following were examined before bilateral cataract surgery and 2 months after the surgery: refractive error, binocular uncorrected distance visual acuity (UCDVA), uncorrected near visual acuity (UCNVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and stereopsis. Questionnaires to evaluate postoperative spectacle dependence and patient satisfaction were completed by all patients.

Results The conventional monovision group and the crossed monovision group were composed of 28 and 31 patients, respectively. There were no significant differences in postoperative UCDVA, UCNVA, BCVA and stereopsis between the two groups. In addition, patient satisfaction with near and distant vision and spectacle dependence were not significantly different in the two groups.

Conclusions The clinical results of the crossed monovision were not significantly different from the results of conventional monovision. Therefore, crossed monovision can also be a valuable option for correcting postoperative presbyopia in patients considering bilateral cataract surgery.

Trial registration number KCT0001065