PREMIUM LIFESTYLE REPLACEMENT LENS IMPLANTS

During cataract surgery, the surgeon traditionally implanted a standard monofocal lens that provides excellent vision.

A standard replacement lens cannot compensate for loss of accommodation due to presbyopia, so those who opt for this type of replacement lens usually need glasses to improve near vision or to fine-tune distance vision. Most standard lens recipients are happy with their choice.

Is there an alternative to the standard replacement lens?

For many people, the answer is YES. Revolutionary technology makes it possible to take vision correction to a new level by restoring youthful ability to focus on objects at varying distances. If it is important for you to be less dependent on reading glasses or bifocals, you may want to consider an advanced premium lifestyle replacement lens implant. These lenses are designed to provide sharper vision with less reliance on glasses or contacts.

Which replacement lens is right for me?

This question can be answered only after careful consideration of the health of your eyes, your individual lifestyle, and the demands of your occupation and hobbies.

For cataract patients, the choice is between a standard lens plus glasses or a premium lifestyle lens based on advanced technology that may help them recapture a full range of quality vision with less dependence on corrective lenses.

Before advising you, your eye surgeon will want to know more about:

• The kind of work you do
• How many hours a day you read and what types of reading you do
• How many hours a day you use a computer
• The types of outdoor activities you enjoy
• Your hobbies, and whether you do close work, like sewing or knitting
• How much driving you do at night
• Whether you like to travel
• How bothered you are by wearing glasses

Ultimately, the decision is yours. Ask yourself, “What would my life be like if I was less dependent on glasses?”

If you opt for a premium lifestyle replacement lens, your surgeon will select the technology that best meets the visual demands you face.

What are the brand names of the lenses that my surgeon may recommend?

Drs. Del Negro and Senft may recommend a ReSTOR® or Tecnis® premium lifestyle replacement lens implant. While ReSTOR and Tecnis are both designed to enhance a full range of vision (near, far, and in-between), ReSTOR is known to have a slight advantage when it comes to near vision, and Tecnis often performs better for distance vision. Tecnis utilizes much the same technology as ReSTOR. In clinical trials, 93% of patients who had a Tecnis lens implanted in each eye achieved 20/25 or better distance vision and 20/32 or better near vision.

Your surgeon will carefully evaluate the visual demands of your individual lifestyle before recommending a particular lens. If you have astigmatism, your surgeon may recommend a “toric” lens designed to correct that condition.

Tecnis®: Is it possible to achieve a full range of vision…without glasses?

The design of the Tecnis directs light in different ways, depending on different zones in the lens. This design makes it possible for many patients to function comfortably without glasses at near, intermediate, and far distances. Patients reported improved vision and reading speeds under both low and bright lighting conditions. Eighty-eight percent of patients receiving the Tecnis lens reported that they no longer required glasses, and 94% of them said that they would choose this lens again.

Who should consider having a premium lifestyle replacement lens implanted?

Candidates for these advanced-technology lenses include patients age 45 or older who desire a full range of vision in each eye with less dependence on reading glasses or bifocals, as well as individuals with cataracts that impair vision. Patients with health problems, such as diabetes or a chronic infection, should wait until those conditions are under control before scheduling the procedure.

Your doctor will perform a careful examination before making any recommendation.

Presbyopia Between the ages of 40 and 45, the eye’s natural lens loses its elasticity and ability to change shape to see close objects. When this happens, reading glasses or bifocals may be prescribed to compensate for this change. The same process that makes the lens less flexible can also make it less transparent. (see Cataract) Standard replacement lens After the eye’s clouded natural lens has been removed, the surgeon implants a clear lens in its place. A standard replacement lens is designed to restore clear vision, but it cannot restore quality vision lost to presbyopia. Premium “lifestyle” replacement lens As an alternative to the standard replacement lens, the surgeon can implant a premium lens during cataract surgery. Premium lenses have made a broad range of quality vision (near, intermediate, and distance) a reality for thousands of people around the world by reducing or eliminating their dependence on reading glasses and bifocals. These lenses are often called premium lifestyle replacement lenses because of the difference they can make in quality of life.

 

 

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