Normal vs cloudy lens

A cataract is a cloudy area in the normally clear lens in the front of the eye. There is no pain associated with the condition but there are other symptoms, including:

• Blurred/hazy vision
• Spots in front of the eye(s)
• Sensitivity to glare
• A feeling of "film" over the eye(s)
• A temporary improvement in near vision

Risk factors for developing cataracts include being over 55 years old, eye injury or disease, a family history of cataracts, smoking or use of certain medications.

For people who are significantly affected by cataracts, lens replacement surgery may be recommended. During cataract replacement, the most common surgical procedure in the country, the lens is removed and replaced with an artificial one called an intraocular lens or IOL.

Cataract Surgery

During cataract surgery, a small ultrasonic probe is inserted into the eye which breaks up, or emulsifies, the cloudy lens into tiny pieces and gently sucks, or aspirates, those pieces out of the eye. Phaco surgery requires a small incision of only 3.2 mm or less. To make your procedure as painless as possible, anesthesia is a combination of local and/or topical along with IV sedation.

With the recent advance of foldable IOLs, artificial lenses can be implanted through the same small incision that is created in the phaco procedure. These IOLs are made of a flexible material, allowing them to be folded for implantation. Once inside the eye, the lens unfolds and returns to its original shape.

Lens Replacement Surgery featuring Multifocal Intraocular Lenses (IOLs)

Artificial lenses (IOLs) are implanted in the eye to replace natural lenses that have been damaged by cloudy cataracts or presbyopia. Until recently, IOLs were only available to correct distance vision. These monofocal lenses helped improve distance vision after cataract surgery, but patients still needed glasses or contact lenses for near vision activities like reading and playing cards. Now, advancements in technology have produced multifocal IOLs that allow patients to see clearly at all distances -- near, far and many distances in between. Multifocal IOLs such as ReStor®, ReZoom™ and Crystalens™ preserve distance vision and correct presbyopia so cataract surgery patients -- and patients seeking treatment for presbyopia alone -- can enjoy clear sight without relying on glasses.

The procedure to replace a patient's natural lens with a multifocal IOL is the same as that used in cataract surgery.

Crystalens™

Crystalens™ is a new replacement lens (IOL) that works naturally with muscles in the eye to retain the eye's ability to "accommodate" -- to shift focus between nearby and distant objects. With older IOLs, patients lose this ability and require corrective eyewear to see clearly at near and intermediate distances.

Unlike rigid lenses, the flexible silicone Crystalens features innovative hinges that allow it to move with the eye's muscles and accommodate seamlessly, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for vision correction. The Crystalens is implanted using the same, nearly risk-free cataract surgery techniques as with other IOLs.

AcrySof® ReSTOR® Lens

Using apodization, diffraction and refraction technologies, the ReSTOR® lens improves upon ordinary replacement lenses (IOLs) by providing comprehensive focusing capabilities so patients can see clearly in a range of lighting conditions and at all distances -- at noon or midnight, nearby or far away, and many distances in between. Up to 80% of patients who use the ReSTOR® lens don't need to rely on glasses or contact lenses after surgery.

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ReZoom™ Lens

The ReZoom™ multifocal IOL helps patients focus clearly on objects at a range of distances and in varied light conditions. Featuring a patented lens design called Balanced View Optics™ Technology, the ReZoom lens has five spherical segments with smooth transitions in between so the eyes focus seamlessly from one distance to the next. The center of the lens is optimized for bright light and distance vision, while the fourth zone supports near-vision in a variety of light conditions, and the outermost zone accommodates for low-light distance vision (such as when driving at night). The ReZoom is also specially designed to reduce internal reflections and minimize glare.

If you have been diagnosed as having cataracts and are experiencing one or more of the following vision problems, you may be a candidate for the ReZoom multifocal IOL:

• Difficulty reading
• Difficulty seeing close objects
• Difficulty driving, especially at night
• Frequent changes in glasses prescription
• Need for bifocals

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