Lens Implants at Spector Eye Care
For 20 years Dr. Spector has been offering patients Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL) to correct vision after cataract surgery. However, until recently, choosing the type of Lens Implant was exclusively within the scope of the cataract specialist’s recommendations. Today at Spector Eye Care, there are many types of Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL) that Dr. Spector can use in order to provide you with the best results to match your lifestyle. As with any surgical procedure, there are always risks as well as benefits. During your visit to our office we will perform a cataract examination and review the everyday activities that are most important to you to determine which lens implant will best suit your specific needs.
-
Monofocal Lens Implants
-
Multifocal (Presbyopia Correcting) Lens Implants
-
Toric (Astigmatism Correcting) Lens Implants
-
EDOF – (Extended Depth of Focus Lens)
Monofocal Lens Implants
A Monofocal lens implant is the most basic type of lens implant used to correct vision after cataract surgery. A monofocal lens implant can provide great vision after cataract surgery, but only at one set distance and usually for seeing things far away, such as for driving or going to the movies. A monofocal lens implant does not correct intermediate or arms length vision for doing things like playing cards, seeing the golf ball on the tee, or seeing computer screens clearly.
Monofocal lens implants also do not correct near vision for doing things up close such as seeing medicine bottles or reading your golf score, as these tasks require the correction of presbyopia. Thus in about 70% of cases, patients electing to have monofocal lens implants will be dependent on glasses either some or most of the time. Monofocal lenses are normally covered by Medicare.
Multifocal Lens Implants
Near vision presbyopia correcting lens implants provide excellent vision after cataract surgery at the full range of distances-far or distance vision, arms length or intermediate vision, and up close near vision. Depending on your specific vision requirements, there are several types of presbyopia correcting multifocal lens implants that Dr. Spector may recommend. These include the Tecnis® Multifocal intraocular lens implant and the ReSTOR® lens implant.
Each of these lens implants work in a different way to help you achieve your vision correction goals. Patients choosing multifocal lens implants typically experience a greater overall freedom from glasses, allowing them to participate in most everyday activities without dependence on, or the hassle of, glasses.
If you decide to have a near vision presbyopia correcting multifocal lens implant, our staff will review your questions and fully explain any additional fees related to the implant. Medicare and most insurances cover the cost of the cataract surgery, the surgical facility fee and the surgical fee, but not the cost of the presbyopia correcting multifocal lens and implantation. In most cases, Medicare or the insurance provider asks us to bill you for the additional cost of the necessary testing, the multifocal lens itself, and its implantation. Our staff will be pleased to review any costs should you decide that the multifocal lens is the best choice. Financing is available.
Toric Lens Implants
Toric lens implants are a type of lens implant that can correct astigmatism. Astigmatism is an optical aberration that is caused by the cornea being shaped more like a football than spherical like a baseball. For cataract patients who have astigmatism and who do not wish to wear eyeglasses to see clearly at a distance, choosing a Toric lens implant can help them be independent of glasses for tasks such as driving. Toric lens implants do not correct presbyopia, thus most patients still require reading glasses or bifocals to be able to comfortably perform near vision tasks, such as reading, and intermediate vision tasks, such as computer work.
Multifocal Lenses
Multifocal lens options include the PanOptix® Pro and Odyssey™ lenses. These lenses use advanced diffractive optics to create multiple focal points, allowing patients to see clearly at distance, intermediate (computer), and near ranges without glasses.
For patients with astigmatism, toric versions of these lenses are also available, allowing astigmatism correction to be performed at the time of surgery.
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
In a healthy eye, the ability to focus light is shared by two structures: the cornea and the natural lens. Historically, patients seeking vision correction primarily underwent cornea-based procedures such as LASIK or PRK. Today, however, many patients are choosing to replace the eye’s naturally clear lens with an advanced artificial lens — similar to the lenses commonly used in cataract surgery.
This procedure, known as Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), can be performed at almost any age, although it is most commonly considered by patients over the age of 35.
Using modern lens technology and the assistance of the femtosecond laser, we are able to replace the eye’s natural lens with an advanced intraocular lens designed to provide clear vision at near, intermediate, and distance ranges. In the absence of other medical eye conditions, this correction can last for the rest of your life.
RLE has become increasingly popular throughout the United States. In fact, many patients over the age of 45 who are considering LASIK may actually be better candidates for refractive lens exchange. While LASIK does not correct the age-related loss of near vision (presbyopia), advanced lens implants can provide a more complete range of vision correction, reducing or eliminating the need for glasses at all distances.
Here at Spector Eye Care, we perform a large number of these procedures for patients seeking greater freedom from glasses. We also frequently perform RLE for patients who previously underwent LASIK and are now reaching the age where reading glasses or cataracts become concerns.
If you are looking to reduce your dependence on glasses while also preventing the future development of cataracts, refractive lens exchange may be an excellent option for you.
Lens Options We Use
At this time, there are several premium lens options available that can minimize — or even completely eliminate — the need for glasses after cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange.
Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) Lenses
Another premium lens product recently approved by the FDA is the PureSee™ lens. This lens is classified as an Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) lens. While other EDOF lenses exist, PureSee™ is unique in that it uses refractive optics rather than diffractive optics.
This design provides exceptionally high-quality vision at distance and intermediate ranges, often with fewer visual side effects such as glare or halos. Many patients are able to function without glasses for most daily activities, although reading glasses may still be necessary for very small print.
The tradeoff with PureSee™ is quality versus range: the visual quality is extraordinary, while the near vision range is slightly more limited compared to multifocal lenses.
Light Adjustable Lens (LAL)
Another premium option is the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL). Although not my personal favorite, it is an exciting technology. This lens is a single-vision lens designed to create a form of monovision — typically with one eye focused for distance and the other for near vision.
Its primary advantage is that the prescription can be adjusted after surgery based on the patient’s visual experience and preferences. The tradeoff is that, unlike multifocal lenses, it does not provide true simultaneous near, intermediate, and distance vision correction.
Semi-Premium Lenses
Semi-premium options include the Eyehance™, Eyehance™ Toric, and Rayner EMV® lenses.
These lenses are also considered EDOF-style lenses, although they provide a slightly smaller range of vision compared to the PureSee™ lens. They can significantly reduce the need for computer glasses and, in some cases, may also improve near vision.
In many cases, these are the lenses I most commonly use for patients who are not choosing a full premium lens option.
Single Vision Lenses
Tecnis® and Rayner Aspheric® lenses are single-vision lenses designed to provide very clear, sharp vision at one focal point.
For patients who are not correcting astigmatism with laser treatment, or for those with other medical conditions affecting the eye, these lenses are often my primary recommendation due to their excellent visual clarity and reliability.
New page added
