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Premium IOLs for Cataract Replacement

Advanced Vision Specialists is pleased to offer the Chicagoland area ReSTOR®, Crystalens®, and Acrysof® Toric IOL, three deluxe alternatives to the standard IOL replacement for cataracts. Unlike traditional IOLs, these new lenses can eliminate or significantly reduce the need for correction by glasses, particularly reading glasses, after cataract surgery.

The traditional artificial lens is a monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) that achieves the best possible distance vision, but patients require vision correction for near and intermediate vision with bifocal or trifocal glasses. For the first time, Dr Bello can offer three alternative solutions to this traditional approach: the ReSTOR® IOL, Acrysof® Toric IOL, and the Crystalens® IOL.

 

ReSTOR® Intraocular Lens

The AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL offers our  cataract patients the opportunity for good vision at any distance, eliminating or reducing the need for glasses after cataract surgery. In fact, in a recent FDA clinical study, 94 percent of patients were very satisfied with being able to drive or read the newspaper without glasses or contacts.

 The AcrySof ReSTOR® intraocular lens replaces the natural lens. Unlike a standard monofocal lens, which has a smooth surface, the ReSTOR® IOL has a unique patented gradual diffractive step surface on the optic, which is called apodization. This apodized diffractive design gives the lens the ability to focus light correctly on the retina for images at various distances without mechanical movement of the lens. The apodized diffractive optics improves image quality while minimizing visual disturbances. The net result is an increased range of quality vision that delivers a high level of freedom from glasses.

 

 

 

Crystalens®  can treat both a person’s cataracts and presbyopia- loss of near and intermediate vision. You probably noticed in your forties that you started to lose some of your up-close vision and had to start wearing reading glasses. Crystalens® not only treats your cataracts (a clouding or hardening of your lens), but can also reduce or eliminate your dependence on glasses. It does so by recreating accommodation similar to your eye’s natural lens. The unique crystalens® can reduce or eliminate glasses for most activities including: reading a book, working on the computer and driving a car.

Crystalens® is designed to allow the optic, or the central circular part of the lens that you see through, to move back and forth, as you constantly change focus on images around you. Crystalens® flexes as you focus your vision.

Crystalens® accommodates like the natural lens. After implantation of crystalens®, most patients will see brighter and clearer from distance, intermediate to near like they did when they were younger.

 

Acrysof Toric IOL : Goodbye Astigmatism

Many patients have been forced to wear glasses for most of their lives because of astigmatism. Toric lens implants are designed for individuals with significant astigmatism who would like to reduce their dependence on glasses after cataract surgery. These lenses are highly effective at reducing astigmatism and most patients, after surgery, can function well for distance activities without glasses. These lens implants do not provide near focus and reading glasses are still needed for viewing at near after surgery.  

                   

1. Blurred vision with cataract and astigmatism.
2. Vision with traditional replacement lens after cataract removal.
3. Vision with Toric IOL.

The results of the FDA clinical trial with the Alcon Toric lens were as follows:

  • For patients with astigmatism in both eyes, the Toric lens provided spectacle free vision at distance for 97% of patients. This is compared to patients with astigmatism who received a standard lens, who were only spectacle free at distance 50% of the time.
  • For smaller amounts of astigmatism, a toric lens may not be needed. In these cases, special incisions, called Limbal Relaxing Incisions, may be made in the cornea to change the shape of the eye and reduce astigmatism. Dr. Bello will advise you as to the best option for your eyes.

Refinements in lens implant technology have advanced significantly in recent years providing a variety of options to fine-tune the vision after surgery. However, it is important to remember that while cataract surgery with customized intraocular lens implantation frequently results in a reduced dependency or even complete freedom from eye glasses, there is never a guarantee of complete freedom from glasses after surgery. In addition, there are other factors besides the implant that can determine the final vision after surgery, such as ageing of the retina, the shape of the cornea, or various other degenerative conditions of the eye.