EYE ON HEALTH

Advanced Cataract Surgery: Premium Lens Options

By: Alina Stanciu, MD, FAAO –

eye on healthUntil recently, the only lens choice available for cataract surgery was a single-focus implant that helped you see distance. Now, advanced implant options are available that provide a wide range of vision correction and freedom from glasses. It is important to understand your options when planning cataract surgery.

VISION CHANGES WITH AGE – Presbyopia
If you are 40 or older and have noticed it’s been getting harder and harder to read small print and you have become more dependent on bifocal or progressive glasses you may have a common condition called presbyopia.

WHY DOES MY VISION SEEM CLOUDYAND I EXPERIENCE MORE GLARE?
The natural crystalline lens of the eye is made mostly of water and protein. As a person ages some of the protein will clump together, causing the eye’s natural lens to become discolored and clouded. This clouding of the natural lens is called a cataract. If you are experiencing halos around lights, glare when driving or playing tennis or golf, difficulty reading in dim light and the need to frequently change your glasses prescription you probably have a cataract.

The only treatment for a cataract is removal of the affected natural lens of the eye and replacement of an intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure is safer, faster, and more comfortable than ever before.

WHAT ARE MY LENS REPLACEMENT OPTIONS?
Correcting Distance Vision with a Monofocal IOL
Artificial lenses (IOLs) are implanted in the eye to replace the natural lenses that have been damaged by cloudy cataracts and or presbyopia. These monofocal IOLs helped improve distance vision after cataract surgery, but patients still needed glasses or contact lenses for near vision activities like reading and playing cards.

Correcting a Full Range of Vision
Multifocal IOL’s are designed to provide someone who has a strong desire for greater independence from glasses or contact lenses with multifunctional vision. They work on the same principle as progressive eyeglass lenses and multifocal contact lenses providing different lens powers to improve vision at all distances.

The AcrySof® ReSTOR multifocal lens is designed to provide quality vision by using twelve very small, concentric circles to focus light for both near and distance vision. Similar technology has been used for years in microscopes and telescopes to improve image quality.

The ReSTOR IOL is a unique technological innovation that can provide you with quality vision throughout the entire visual spectrum – near through distance – with increased independence from reading glasses or bifocals.

The Crystalens® is an accommodating lens that moves and changes shape using the eye’s natural focusing mechanism, instead of remaining fixed and stationary within the eye. This movement, or accommodation, allows the eye to focus on objects across a broad range of distances.

The AMO Technis® multifocal IOL uses innovative wavefront lens technology to restore your vision to that of a younger person. The Tecnis Lens can improve functional vision so you can see well, even in low light situations like driving at night, dining by candlelight or walking in a morning fog. The Tecnis implant design is known as being pupil independent meaning it performs well regardless of pupil size, providing excellent near vision even in the presence of relatively small pupils.

ARE THESE LENSES COVERED BY INSURANCE?
A recent Medicare ruling on lens implants allows beneficiaries to upgrade to the full range of vision and greater spectacle independence provided by a Multifocal Lens. 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 presbyopia-correcting lens.

Some private insurance companies are following Medicare’s example and allowing patients to upgrade to a Multifocal Lens. Contact Dr. Stanciu’s office to learn more about your insurance coverage and the different payment options available including interest free financing through CareCredit.

Since not everyone is a candidate for a multifocal lens a thorough evaluation is required to assess if this is the right choice for you. Advanced Eye Care & Laser Center offers the newest technology available in advanced cataract surgery. Dr. Alina Stanciu board certified Ophthalmologist will discuss with you which lens will be best suited for you at an individual consultation. To enjoy better vision in 2012 call 239.949.2020 today for a FREE Cataract Consultation.

Check Also

Vascular Health

The Crucial Link Between Vascular Health and National Kidney Month

In the realm of healthcare, the intricate network of blood vessels plays a pivotal role …