PREMIUM LIFESTYLE REPLACEMENT LENS IMPLANTS

During cataract surgery, Dr. Shah will remove the lens that has been clouded by a cataract and replace it with a new crystal-clear lens.

ReSTOR Lens Before surgery, you will be given an opportunity to select the type of lens you want to have implanted. Relax...there are no “bad” choices. Each of the lenses you will be offered will give you clear vision. The choice you make will be affected by (among other things), how you feel about remaining dependent on reading glasses or bifocals after cataract surgery.

One of your choices is a monofocal replacement lens. You will have clear vision, but a monofocal lens cannot compensate for age-related loss of reading vision (“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 monofocal lens recipients are quite happy with their choice. HOWEVER, if you are bothered by your need for reading glasses or bifocals, you may want to consider another type of lens.

If being less dependent on bifocals and reading glasses is important to you, an advanced multifocal replacement lens (what we call a “premium lifestyle implant”) may be a more appealing option.

The revolutionary design of a premium lifestyle replacement lens implant makes it possible to take vision correction to a new level by restoring youthful ability to focus on objects at varying distances. These lenses are engineered to provide a full range of quality vision and may reduce your dependence on glasses or contacts.

If you want to be less dependent on glasses, Dr. Shah may recommend either a Crystalens® or ReSTOR® premium lifestyle replacement lens implant. Each brand of lens is designed to provide a full range of quality vision (near, far, and in-between). Dr. Shah will carefully evaluate the visual demands of your individual lifestyle before recommending a particular lens.

Toric IOL

Do you have ASTIGMATISM?

There’s a lens to correct that, too!

Dr. Shah may recommend a TORIC lens to:

Reduce or eliminate corneal astigmatism and significantly improve distance vision
Correct for both cataracts and astigmatism at the same time
Provide the QUALITY distance vision you need

Dr. Shah may recommend another treatment for astigmatism:

Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRI)

Dr. Shah sometimes uses LRI to reduce or eliminate low to moderate degrees of astigmatism.

After using anesthetic drops to numb the eye, it takes Dr. Shah only a few seconds to make two tiny incisions in the limbus (the edge of the cornea). These incisions relax the cornea and allow it to assume a more rounded shape.

LRI incisions generally heal quickly.

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.

Before advising you, Dr. Shah will want to know more about:

The kind of work you do
How many hours a day you read, as well as what types of reading you do
How many hours a day you use a computer
The types of outdoor activity 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

What does the implantation procedure involve?

Crystalens A premium lifestyle replacement lens is usually implanted during cataract surgery. Topical eye drops are administered to anesthetize the eye and dilate the pupil, and medications are given for relaxation. Dr. Shah then removes the cataract and implants the lens. You will feel only slight pressure. After the procedure, drops will be administered to control inflammation and prevent infection. The very small incision requires no stitches and heals quickly.

Premium lifestyle lenses are sometimes implanted to correct presbyopia in patients who do not yet have cataracts. These patients will never face cataract surgery because, unlike the eye’s natural lens, a premium lifestyle replacement lens will never develop a cataract.

Who should consider selecting a premium lifestyle lens?

Candidates for these advanced technology lenses include patients over age 45 who desire a full range of vision in each eye without corrective lenses, as well as individuals with cataracts that impair vision. Patients with certain health problems, such as diabetes or a chronic infection, should wait until those conditions are under control before scheduling this procedure. Dr. Shah will perform a careful examination before making any recommendation.

When can I resume normal activity?

Most patients are able to drive and return to work after only two to three days. The eye may still be sensitive to light, and sunglasses are recommended for outdoor activity. Dr. Shah will advise you as to when you can resume the use of eye makeup and will answer your questions as to other activities you should avoid while the eye is healing.

Can lenses be implanted in both eyes on the same day?

Generally, a premium lifestyle replacement lens is implanted in one eye first, with Dr. Shah monitoring the healing and vision of that eye before scheduling the procedure for your other eye.

Is the procedure to implant a premium lifestyle lens safe?

The implantation procedure is virtually identical to the cataract correction procedure that has been performed for the past 25 years on more than 65 million eyes in this country alone.

You choose.

For cataract patients, the choice is between a monofocal lens plus glasses or a premium lifestyle lens based on advanced multifocal technology. Patients without cataracts can choose bifocals or the chance to recapture a full range of quality vision with less dependence on corrective lenses.

Ultimately, the decision is YOURS. Ask yourself, “What would my life be like without glasses?”

Do you have MEDICARE?

Medicare permits cataract patients to select either a standard replacement lens implant or a premium replacement lens implant. Medicare regulation patients pay privately for the portion of the charges for the implantation of a premium replacement lens and related technical services that exceeds the benefit for a standard monofocal replacement lens.

Ready to make and appointment? Contact Us!