Cataract surgery is one of the safest procedures available in modern medicine and has a 95 percent success rate. This procedure replaces the cataract with an intraocular lens implant (IOL). Your natural eye lens works like a camera lens to focus light for crisp, clear vision, and an IOL performs the same function.
A premium IOL can improve your vision if you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism. New technologies even offer vision correction for presbyopia, the age-related loss of up-close vision. Our experts at Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons can help you choose the best IOL for your vision needs so we can restore clear vision and improve your visual acuity.
Monofocal IOLs are the standard implant used during cataract surgery. They provide the best possible correction for one focal length, typically distance vision, so you can drive and play golf but still need reading glasses. Premium IOLs such as multifocal, extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) and accommodative lenses offer more comprehensive vision correction. Some people don’t mind reading glasses and are fine with monofocal lenses, while others wish to eliminate their dependence on glasses or contact lenses with premium IOLs.
Does Your Lifestyle Rely on Near, Intermediate or Distant Vision?
When weighing your options for monofocal or premium IOLs for cataract surgery, think over your day-to-day life. Do you enjoy long walks, golfing, watching the sunset and other activities that require sharp distance vision? Or do you like curling up with a good book, exploring new recipes and other up-close tasks? Some premium IOLs, such as Crystalens, offer vision correction for all focal points, including presbyopia.
Do You Often Drive at Night?
Some IOL versions come with side effects that may impact your ability to drive at night comfortably. Multifocal or EDOF lenses allow less light into the eye, reducing visual contrast and increasing the incidence of glare and halos around lights at night or in dimly lit environments.
Do You Have Other Eye Conditions?
Cataracts are one of several eye diseases that lead to vision loss for aging adults. Glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are often found in people with cataracts. The premium IOL you choose for cataract surgery will depend on comorbid eye diseases because some lenses will worsen your vision if you have glaucoma or AMD.
Crystalens Accommodating IOL
Boston Eye Physicians and Surgeons offer Cyrstalens, an accommodating IOL for cataract patients. Crystalens frees you from glasses altogether by treating presbyopia, nearsightedness and farsightedness. A toric variation is available to correct for astigmatism. This IOL works like your natural eye lens, flexing with your eye muscle to focus clearly at all focal points.
If you are interested in cataract surgery, contact our eye doctors in Brookline today at (617) 232-9600 to learn more about your IOL options.
