Presbyopia?
We have options!
Patients who suffer from presbyopia resort to reading glasses and bifocals to see objects at near distances. Traditional monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) do not correct for presbyopia, so cataract surgery patients will usually need to wear bifocals or reading glasses for near vision after their surgery.
Fortunately there are a number of IOL choices available to patients that can offer improved vision compared with the basic traditional IOL. There are now a variety of IOLs that offer a range of vision after cataract surgery, such as the PanOptix IOL, the Tecnis Symfony IOL, and the Tecnis Multifocal IOL. These presbyopia-correcting IOLs can provide a permanent and effective solution for presbyopia. Cataract surgery is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve your vision! Many patients who have a presbyopia-correcting IOL implanted at the time of cataract surgery are able to see and function at all distances without glasses after surgery. Your surgeon can tell you if you are a good candidate for a presbyopia-correcting IOL, and, if so, which IOL might be best for you.
During the cataract surgery procedure, the IOL is inserted through a tiny incision in the eye. This process is known as phacoemulsification. During this procedure the natural crystalline lens is broken up using ultrasonic waves. The crystalline lens is the part of the eye behind the cornea and iris that can thicken over time and become cloudy, forming cataracts that obstruct vision. During the procedure, the unhealthy crystalline lens is broken up into minute fragments and the tiny pieces are then vacuumed away. The next process involves the insertion of the IOL. The IOL is inserted through a small incision in the eye and unfolds into the appropriate position. This new lens will restore the vision in the eye.
The PanOptix® Lens
At the time of cataract surgery, one option is to enhance your vision with the PanOptix® Lens. The PanOptix® Lens is one of the most advanced IOLs available today and was FDA-approved in the United States in the summer of 2019. It was the first trifocal IOL approved in the USA. As a trifocal IOL, the PanOptix® Lens has the ability to focus over a full range of vision — including for distance tasks, midrange vision, and near / reading. In addition the PanOptix® Lens can also correct astigmatism to permit the greatest vision correction possible. Most patients who choose to have the PanOptix® Lens implanted enjoy a full range of vision after cataract surgery and reduce or even eliminate their need for glasses. In one clinical study, 99% of people with the PanOptix® Lens said they would choose the same lens again given the chance.
Toric IOLs
Toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) are designed to treat cataract patients who also suffer from astigmatism, a condition where the front surface of the eyeball is not spherical. Astigmatism results in blurry vision both at distance and at near. Toric IOLs work by correcting for both spherical and cylindrical visual aberrations. Spherical aberrations are the cause of common refractive errors such as myopia and hyperopia. Cylindrical aberrations are the cause of astigmatism. These IOLs require very precise angular placement within the eye.
