Intraocular Lens Options (IOLs)

A wide range of replacement lenses are available to cataract patients, each offering different advantages for post-surgery vision.

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Intraocular Lenses (IOLs)

The most effective lens to use depends on the patient’s individual preferences and goals for their vision. The lenses eliminate the need for glasses or contacts after cataract surgery, providing most patients with convenient, effective results for their specific vision conditions.

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Multifocal IOLs

Multifocal IOLs allow for full vision correction at near, intermediate and far distances, completely eliminating the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses for most patients. Some IOLs can also correct astigmatism. The procedure to implant a multifocal IOL is performed at the conclusion of cataract surgery.

These choices were not always available for cataract patients. In the past, cataract surgery only involved monofocal lenses, which could only focus on objects near or far, but could not adjust to accommodate varying distances. These patients still had to rely on glasses or contact lenses after surgery in order to see clearly at all distances, especially for those older patients suffering from presbyopia.

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These patients still had to rely on glasses or contact lenses after surgery in order to see clearly at all distances, especially for those older patients suffering from presbyopia.

Light Adjustable Lens from RxSight®

The Light Adjustable Lens is the only adjustable intraocular lens (IOL) available that allows optimization of your vision after lens implantation and healing. If you and your doctor select the Light Adjustable Lens, the first step is to have your cataract safely removed and the adjustable IOL implanted. The cataract removal and IOL implantation procedure is the same as if you selected a non-adjustable IOL.

What is unique about the Light Adjustable Lens is that once your eye has healed, you return to your eye doctor to have your vision tested. During this visit you will be able to preview and compare possible vision outcomes based on your unique preferences and lifestyle requirements before selecting a prescription for your adjustable lens. Your doctor will then apply a proprietary light treatment that precisely reshapes your implanted lens based on the visual correction that is needed to target your custom prescription. You may need 3 to 5 total light treatments to reach your vision goals. Additional costs are involved, and many patients choose to use an interest-free financing option or pay with cash or credit card. Contact us to learn more and discuss your options.

Accommodative IOLs

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Crystalens is the only FDA-approved presbyopia correcting intraocular lens (IOL) that corrects vision through accommodation. The Crystalens IOL is made with flexible silicone that has hinges on each side allowing it to move with the eye muscle, flexing and accommodating seamlessly so you can focus on the objects around you at any distance. In other words, it dynamically adjusts to your visual needs.

Accommodation is the ability to shift focus between nearby and distant objects, providing sharper vision at multiple distances in order to minimize the use of glasses. Other IOLs are unable to accommodate and those patients may require additional vision correction with glasses or contact lenses.

Toric IOLs

Intraocular lenses are used during cataract surgery to replace the damaged lens of the eye with an implant that clears up and corrects vision, oftentimes leaving patients with little to no dependence on glasses.

Up until now, patients with astigmatism did not have the same opportunities that other cataract patients have had in correcting their condition with the types of IOL lenses that were available. Typically, the astigmatic patient would need an additional surgical procedure, such as refractive surgery or LASIK, to correct their vision after the procedure. If the patient did not want to undergo another surgical procedure, the only option for correction would be the use of either contact lenses or glasses to address their astigmatism.

Toric IOLs are able to accommodate for the condition of astigmatism. Toric IOLs are specially designed to correct astigmatism along with overall vision during cataract surgery, offering complete vision correction.

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The doctors at Cincinnati Eye Institute have either authored or reviewed the content on this site.

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