Laser Cataract Surgery with Crystalens IOL
When our eye’s natural lens fail, what can be better than having something that closely mimics its actions? Crysalens is one such artificial, FDA approved lens that can behave like the natural lens in the eye. It can be placed in the eye during laser cataract surgery.
How Do We See Clearly?
We can see a distant tree, then focus on the mosquito sitting on our hand, and then read the small print on the label without any effort. The lens of the eyes, make all of this possible. The lens is a transparent spherical structure that changes shape to allow the eye to focus on near and far objects.
The flexible nature of the lens is controlled by muscles in the eye known as ciliary muscles. When an object is close by, the muscles contract or shorten in length. The opposite happens when we need to focus on a distant object. This process of adaptation is known as accommodation. Healthy, young people are able to do this without any effort.
Why Does The Vision Get Impaired?
With age, the natural flexibility of the muscles is reduced, and they become stiff. Besides, the lens loses its transparency and becomes opaque, causing cloudy, blurry vision. A cataract surgery is recommended by doctors when the vision is significantly impaired by the cataract development. The surgeon removes the cloudy, opaque lens and inserts a new implant, called intraocular lens or IOL in its place.
What is Crystalens?
Most IOLs are either monofocal or multifocal. A monofocal lens usually improves only the distance vision. Multifocal lens address both near and far vision, but yet some people may have difficulty adjusting to the changing focus.
Crystalens is an IOL that can flex and bend like the natural lens, in response to the ciliary muscles actions. Studies have shown that Crystalens is an effective solution for improved far, near, and intermediate vision and removes the dependency on spectacles. Studies have also shown about 88 % of patients with Crystalens have experienced better vision at all distances, while only 35 % of patients with standard IOLs reported better vision. While those with multifocal IOLs report seeing halos and bright lights, especially while driving, these problems are rarely seen with Crystalens.
What To Expect During Surgery with a Crystalens Implant?
The procedure is the same as any other IOL implant. The surgeon removes the opaque lens and places the Crysalens IOL carefully in its position in the same spot that the natural lens of the eye. No sutures are needed, since it can naturally heal up in time. The whole procedure can take just minutes, and patients can resume their activities on the same day.
