Treating Cataracts With Crystalens®
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Crystalens is a type of intraocular lens (IOL) most frequently used to treat cataracts.
The eye's crystalline lens naturally performs "accommodation", or automatic focusing. It does that by changing its curvature, making it steeper for close objects and flatter for far objects. As the eyes age, the lens becomes less flexible, and some accommodation is lost. This condition is known as presbyopia, and often occurs in individuals after age 40. If you require reading glasses or bifocals, this is probably due to presbyopia.
Cataracts are another vision problem most often associated with aging eyes. A cataract is a clouding of the lens that may occur as the proteins within the lens change. A cataractous lens must eventually be removed and replaced with an IOL to restore clear vision.
Conventional IOLs focus for distance vision only, so patients may require reading glasses or monovision for near vision. Crystalens, however, offers the ability to accommodate and can move forward and backward within the eye, controlled by the ciliary muscles that in a normal eye control the lens curvature. This mimics the natural lens changes of curvature. For many patients, Crystalens reduces the need for reading glasses or bifocals.
Despite the many benefits of Crystalens, no IOL can restore your vision to the clarity you may have enjoyed as a 30 year old.
· Recovery time for Crystalens may be slightly longer than with a conventional IOL
· Crystalens may cost more than a traditional IOL
· It takes a little time to become accustomed to a Crystalens. Your brain and eye muscles must relearn how to focus, so although you may see noticeable improvement immediately, it can take as much as a year to see the full benefits.
The Crystalens procedure requires a greater level of skill, so be sure to seek a qualified ophthalmologist with sufficient training and experience in cataract surgery.
Keep in mind that Crystalens is a surgery, and all surgery carries some risk. While it is rare to experience complications from Crystalens implantation, some risks do exist, including:
· Infection
· Additional surgery to correct lens placement (in cases where the lens is placed improperly or the lens shifts)
· Potential clouding of the cornea
· Permanent vision loss
· Possible retinal detachment
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that Crystalens offers excellent success in achieving normal vision. Based on data collected for 497 patients, the FDA reported:
· Reading the fine print of newspapers was easier for 98.4 percent of the patients
· Reading the mail and a computer screen improved for 100 percent of the patients
· 98.4 percent of patients achieved 20/40 or better distance vision and 20/20 or 20/30 vision overall
Intraocular lens implantation is still a relatively new procedure. The technology is still developing and long-term data is not yet available. If an IOL sounds right for you, a frank discussion with your doctor is your best opportunity to understand the risks of the procedure as well as the benefits.
Crystalens is a type of intraocular lens (IOL) most frequently used to treat cataracts.
The eye's crystalline lens naturally performs "accommodation", or automatic focusing. It does that by changing its curvature, making it steeper for close objects and flatter for far objects. As the eyes age, the lens becomes less flexible, and some accommodation is lost. This condition is known as presbyopia, and often occurs in individuals after age 40. If you require reading glasses or bifocals, this is probably due to presbyopia.
Cataracts are another vision problem most often associated with aging eyes. A cataract is a clouding of the lens that may occur as the proteins within the lens change. A cataractous lens must eventually be removed and replaced with an IOL to restore clear vision.
Advantages of Crystalens
Conventional IOLs focus for distance vision only, so patients may require reading glasses or monovision for near vision. Crystalens, however, offers the ability to accommodate and can move forward and backward within the eye, controlled by the ciliary muscles that in a normal eye control the lens curvature. This mimics the natural lens changes of curvature. For many patients, Crystalens reduces the need for reading glasses or bifocals.
Disadvantages of Crystalens
Despite the many benefits of Crystalens, no IOL can restore your vision to the clarity you may have enjoyed as a 30 year old.
· Recovery time for Crystalens may be slightly longer than with a conventional IOL
· Crystalens may cost more than a traditional IOL
· It takes a little time to become accustomed to a Crystalens. Your brain and eye muscles must relearn how to focus, so although you may see noticeable improvement immediately, it can take as much as a year to see the full benefits.
The Crystalens procedure requires a greater level of skill, so be sure to seek a qualified ophthalmologist with sufficient training and experience in cataract surgery.
Risks of the Crystalens Procedure
Keep in mind that Crystalens is a surgery, and all surgery carries some risk. While it is rare to experience complications from Crystalens implantation, some risks do exist, including:
· Infection
· Additional surgery to correct lens placement (in cases where the lens is placed improperly or the lens shifts)
· Potential clouding of the cornea
· Permanent vision loss
· Possible retinal detachment
Finding Out if Crystalens is Right for You
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that Crystalens offers excellent success in achieving normal vision. Based on data collected for 497 patients, the FDA reported:
· Reading the fine print of newspapers was easier for 98.4 percent of the patients
· Reading the mail and a computer screen improved for 100 percent of the patients
· 98.4 percent of patients achieved 20/40 or better distance vision and 20/20 or 20/30 vision overall
Intraocular lens implantation is still a relatively new procedure. The technology is still developing and long-term data is not yet available. If an IOL sounds right for you, a frank discussion with your doctor is your best opportunity to understand the risks of the procedure as well as the benefits.
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