Premium IOLs

What is Presbyopia?

When your eyes were young, your natural lens was both transparent and flexible.  Because of this, your vision was most likely stable until you reached your 40's.  Around that time, you may have noticed that you had to hold a menu or a book farther away to read it.  Many people end up wearing a pair of reading glasses or bifocals to compensate for this aging of the eye.  This condition is called "presbyopia" and eventually affects everyone, including those who are nearsighted, farsighted, have cataracts or had perfect vision most of their life.

Until recently, most patients had their vision improved after cataract surgery with a traditional monofocal intraocular lens (IOL). Although the quality of their distance vision was excellent, most patients needed reading glasses to see near objects after cataract surgery - even those patients who did not require them before surgery.

For most cataract patients, life without reading glasses or bifocals is something they either experienced before presbyopia or they just dreamed about for most of their lives.  But today, premium intraocular lens implants ("Premium IOLs") are turning those dreams into reality with revolutionary lens technology which is designed to allow patients to see clearly at all distances without bifocals or reading glasses.  Premium IOLs are now available and a deliver high level of spectacle-free vision for cataract patients.

Premium Intraocular Lens Implants ("Premium IOLs")

This procedure uses the same highly advanced technique practiced during routine cataract surgery. This accurate process involves the surgical removal of the clouded, natural lens of the eye. It is then replaced with an artificial premium intraocular lens ("Premium IOL") implant calculated specifically for the necessary amount of nearsightedness or farsightedness. This procedure is intended for patients who want the added benefit of bifocal/multifocal vision without glasses.  One of the greatest advantages with this surgery is our ability to use the latest high-tech lens implants to provide vision at all distances - allowing patients to see distance, near and in-between without glasses.

These lenses include the ReSTOR™, Tecnis Multifocal™ and Crystalens HD™. This exciting advancement in lens technology allows patients to see distance, near and in-between, even for those patients over the age of forty who might otherwise need bifocals or reading glasses.

How do the Premium IOLs work?

As we perform daily activities such as reading, watching television or working at the computer, our eyes are constantly focusing on objects at varying distances - up close, far away and everything in-between. The ability to quickly change focus throughout this range of vision is called accommodation. Unfortunately, this ability diminishes, as we grow older, causing us to become dependent on bifocals or reading glasses. However, the Premium IOLs were designed to provide quality near to distance vision by combining the strengths of apodized diffractive, refractive and accommodating technologies. Similar technology has been used for years in microscopes and telescopes to improve image quality, and has now been patented for use in Premium intraocular lenses.

Premium IOL Options:

Restor™

Apodization is the gradual tapering of the diffractive steps from the center to the outside edge of a lens to create a smooth transition of light between the distance, intermediate and near focal points. Diffraction involves the bending or spreading of light to multiple focal points as it passes through the lens. On the AcrySof® ReSTOR™ IOL, the center of the lens surface consists of an apodized diffractive optic. This means that the series of tiny steps in that center area work together to focus light for near vision. Therefore, this is an excellent choice for patients that highly value or desire excellent distance and reading vision without glasses.

 

 

 

Tecnis Multifocal™

Designed to give patients back their youthful vision, the TECNIS Multifocal Lens provides patients with high-quality vision at any distance, and in any light condition - even in low light.

Superior Results? - The advanced TECNIS Multifocal is an implantable lens that restores vision after cataract surgery and corrects presbyopia (the need for reading glasses). It's the lens 94% of patients would choose again.

It delivers results superior to those of a standard multifocal lens and offers an excellent chance to become spectacle independent.

Exceptional Full Range of Vision -The advanced TECNIS Multifocal Lens enables you to see clearly at near, intermediate, and far distances without glasses in all light conditions.

 

Crystalens HD™

Of all the multifocal lens implants the Crystalens HD™ is the only one that actually moves or changes position inside the eye in an effort to change the focal point. This type of lens is best for patients who want mostly distance vision with some amount of functional intermediate vision. Your surgeon will recommend which lens would be best for each patient's individual needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Am I a Candidate?

If you are diagnosed with cataracts and are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, you may be a candidate for a Premium Intraocular Lens:

• Difficulty reading
• Difficulty seeing close objects
• Difficulty seeing to drive, especially at night
• Changing glasses prescriptions
• Needing bifocals

Ask your doctor if a Premium Intraocular Lens (Premium IOL) is an option that is right for your lifestyle and eye health.

What is Astigmatism?

 

Astigmatism is a vision condition that causes blurred vision due either to the irregular shape of the cornea, the clear front cover of the eye, or sometimes the curvature of the lens inside the eye. An irregular shaped cornea or lens prevents light from focusing properly on the retina, the light sensitive surface at the back of the eye. As a result, vision becomes blurred at any distance.

Astigmatism is a very common vision condition. Most people have some degree of astigmatism. Slight amounts of astigmatism usually don't affect vision and don't require treatment. However, larger amounts cause distorted or blurred vision, eye discomfort and headaches.  There are several surgical options your surgeon may choose to treat astigmatism, such as LASIK laser vision correction, astigmatic keratotomy (AK) or limbal relaxing incisions (LRI).  However, if you are planning to have surgery to remove a cataract, you now have an additional option...an implantable lens that makes it possible to treat the cataract and correct astigmatism at the same time.

ACRYSOF® Toric

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure where an ophthalmologist removes the natural clouded lens and replaces it with an artificial lens.  Traditionally, the surgeon implants a monofocal artificial lens, commonly called an intraocular lens ("IOL").  If you have astigmatism, however, you may still experience blurred and distorted vision (without glasses to correct astigmatism) because a standard monofocal IOL cannot correct corneal astigmatism.  To achieve quality distance vision with a standard monofocal IOL, you may still require eyeglasses, contact lenses or further surgery.

If freedom from eyeglasses for distance vision is important to you, you now have a better option.  The AcySof Toric lens is a fordable, single piece lens that an eye surgeon implants during cataract surgery to replace the clouded lens.  The unique design of the AcrySof Toric lens makes it possible reduce or eliminate corneal astigmatism and significantly improve uncorrected distance vision.  AcrySof Toric lens provides QUALITY distance vision, independent of eyeglasses and contact lenses.

How Do I Pay?

Medicare now allows greater access to advanced technology lens implants. A recent Medicare ruling on lens implants allows beneficiaries to upgrade to the full range of vision and greater spectacle independence provided by Premium IOLs This means the traditional costs associated with cataract treatment are covered by Medicare, with patients having the option to pay additional charges associated with receiving a premium IOL such as the TECNIS Multifocal, RESTOR, Crystalens HD or Toric IOLs.

Most private insurance companies are following Medicare's example and allowing patients to upgrade to the Premium IOLs. Contact your physician or insurance provider to learn more about your coverage and payment options.