The traditional intraocular lens (IOL) used after cataract surgery has been a standard, inexpensive, monofocal implant that has no ability to provide vision at more than one distance. Patients who select a standard monofocal IOL still need to wear corrective lenses (bifocals) for most activities like driving or reading. These IOL’s are fine and millions have been placed over the past decades. However, Advanced Technology Intra ocular Lenses (ATIOL's), allowing a patient a full range of vision with minimal need for eyeglasses have arrived! Precision placement of ATIOL's by Dr. Kameen have regularly helped patients decrease or eliminate their dependence on reading and distance glasses alike! Dr. Kameen uses his personally developed formula to decide which particular ATIOL is most likely to achieve the highest quality vision for each patient. This algorithm takes into account the existing corneal shape, pupil size, distance from the cornea to lens and lens to retina, as well as the overall health of the eye. Below is a review of some of the current ATIOL's. The proper way to make your selection is with Dr. Kameen and his staff after a thorough eye evaluation.
Standard Intraocular Lenses
The traditional intraocular lens(IOL) used after removal of cataracts has been a standard, inexpensive lens that has no ability to provide vision at more than one distance. Patients who select a standard monofocal IOL will still need to wear corrective lenses (bifocals, usually) for most activities such as driving or reading. These IOL’s are absolutely fine and tens of millions of them have been placed over the past 30 years. It is with the advent of ATIOL'S, however, that patients are able to obtain greater freedom or complete independence from eyeglasses.
Advanced Technology Intraocular Lenses
Precision placement of ATIOL'S by Dr. Kameen have regularly helped patients decrease or eliminate their dependence on reading and distance glasses alike. Dr. Kameen uses his personally developed formula to decide which ATIOL is most likely to achieve the highest quality vision for each patient. This algorithm takes into account the existing corneal shape, pupil size, distance from the cornea to lens and lens to retina, as well as the overall health of the eye. The decision to upgrade to a ATIOL is an individual and personal one and, in the end, is a lifestyle choice. The proper way to make your selection is with Dr. Kameen and his staff after a thorough eye evaluation and measurement of your cataracts.
The following are the current multifocal and accommodative IOL’s that Dr. Kameen uses. These are the ATIOl's that each work in a specific way to reduce or eliminate a patient’s dependence on reading glasses or bifocals. These lenses can be used with different power adjustments or in different combinations to increase the range of a patients vision and all of them are used in our approach to treating presbyopia using either blended vision or multi-focal IOL’s.
The Restor™ Multifocal IOL
The Restor lens is convex on both sides and made of soft plastic. This lens is a multi-focal IOL that provides a full range of vision from near to far, decreasing dependence on glasses at all levels. Some eyes take longer than others to grow accustomed to a multi-focal lens, and the potential exists for halos and glare to occur, particularly at night. These issues have been limited and usually improve over time through a process known as neuro-adaptation.
The Tecnis™ Multifocal IOL
The Tecnis lens is another multifocal lens that, in some patients, gives a broader range of near vision than other multifocals. Again, the preoperative testing will give us the information we need to advise you one way or another. Some eyes take longer than others to grow accustomed to a multifocal lens, and the potential exists for halos and glare to occur, particularly at night. These issues have been limited and usually improve over time through a process known as neuro-adaptation.
Crystalens™
The Crystalens partially flexes like the eyes natural lens, allowing the patient to see better at multiple distances. This is an accommodating IOL that, unlike a standard IOL, can be used to compensate for loss of distance, near and intermediate vision. The lens was modeled after the human eye, such that the muscles of the eye flex the Crystalens to focus on objects in the environment at all distances. A comprehensive examination by Dr. Kameen and his staff can determine whether a patient is a good candidate for Crystalens.
Toric Lenses for Astigmatism
Patients with astigmatism now have an option for clear vision after Refractive Lens Exchange or cataract surgery. The Acrysof Toric IOL treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism at the time of the lens surgery. Toric IOL’s may be used to provide blended vision to improve distance and near vision. Not all patients with an astigmatism will require a Toric IOL because limbal relaxing incisions (LRI’s) may be used to treat astigmatism when using multifocal and aspheric IOL’s.