As much as eyeglasses and contact lenses have advanced in their versatility, cataract surgeons have promoted premium intraocular lenses to enhance the daily lifestyle choices of our cataract patients. During cataract surgery, your natural lens which is clouded by cataracts is replaced with a new, artificial lens. While patients may opt for the standard procedure, cataract surgeons highly recommend the usage of a premium IOL or artificial lens.
Not only do premium artificial lenses adapt to your eyes functionality, making them virtually unnoticeable overtime, but they can provide a number of benefits that make their added costs reasonable and an investment that immediately improves your overall quality of life. This is why - across the various practices that offer cataract surgery - premium lenses are classified as lifestyle lenses.
Advanced artificial lenses or premium IOLs address multiple zones of vision: near, far, and intermediate distances.
ReSTOR and Tecnis Multifocal Intraocular lenses (IOLs)
Presbyopic patients juggle between reading glasses and progressives whether they sit down to read, traveling by car, or going to an event. While some don't mind the switch up in eyewear or the inconveniences that can occur trying to focus on various distances, multifocal IOLs are an ideal solution to correct any nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Patients not only achieve clear vision from a multifocal IOL like ReSTOR or Tecnis multifocal lenses but eyeglasses and even reading glasses may no longer be needed. Multifocal IOLs can adapt to any lighting conditions and can improve the way you work on the computer or watch television to driving and enjoying the outdoors with clarity.
Accommodating Lenses for Distance and Intermediate Vision
Crystalen is a premium IOL manufacturer that offers accommodating lenses. Similar to a multifocal lens that corrects near, far, and mid-range vision, an accommodating lens will adapt to the eyes natural focus. The eye's muscles will relax or contract depending on what you're focusing on, and an accommodating lens will mimic these micro-movements. These lenses are an advanced premium IOL that outperform the standard multifocal contact lens or progressive glasses as they work harmoniously with your eye. Some patients with an accommodating IOL enjoy better night vision as well, which appeals to late night drivers.
Astigmatism and Toric Intraocular Lenses
Standard eyeglasses or contact lenses correct a refractive error by directing light to the retina. However, when the outermost layer of the eye or the cornea has an irregular curvature or shape, the light is bent or misdirected and can't reach the retina even through standard eyewear. Although patients with astigmatism can rely on specialty contact lenses to correct their vision, a toric IOL is another premium IOL that provides an immediate remedy for astigmatism.
Utilizing a toric intraocular lens in cataract surgery provides greater clarity to astigmatic patients as well as avoids the need of specialty contact lenses. Reading glasses might be needed for close-up tasks.