Electing to have cataract surgery is no small decision. Cataract surgery is both safe and effective. It’s also one of the most commonly performed medical procedures in the country.
Getting this procedure can change your life, and for the better! It allows you to see clearly again without cataracts obstructing your vision.
Cataract surgery can also involve an even bigger change if you decide to get a premium lens implant. Keep reading to learn more about IOLs and if a premium lens implant could be right for you!
Why Do You Need An Intraocular Lens?
During cataract surgery, the natural lens is removed to remove cataracts that have formed within the lens. In the past, this left the patient with severely reduced vision.
As a result, they had to wear thick glasses to see. Now, during cataract surgery, the natural lens is replaced with an artificial lens. This artificial lens or intraocular lens (IOL) takes over the job of the natural lens.
Standard vs. Premium Lenses
There are several kinds of IOLs. The standard IOL is called a monofocal lens. This is a lens that is uniformly set to one refractive power.
Some patients who get monofocal lenses get one lens in one eye set to see up close and one lens in the other eye set to distance. This is called monovision, which allows the wearer to see at all distances. It does not provide perfect vision, but it is adequate.
But premium IOLs can help you see even more sharply up close or at different distances. Some patients opt for a premium IOL to reduce the need for reading glasses or to see better in general. Even among premium IOLs, there are different varieties.
Types of Premium Lenses
There are many kinds of premium IOLs, but here are the most popular choices that we have available at Shepherd Eye Center:
Multifocal Lens
A multifocal lens is an IOL composed of rings extending out from the center of the lens. These rings alternate between refractive powers.
Wearing multifocal IOLs train your brain to look through the correct ring to see at the appropriate distance. This allows the wearer to see up close clearly, usually without needing reading glasses.
Extended Range of Vision Lens
An extended range of vision IOL is an IOL that creates two distant focal points. A monofocal IOL, which is set to a uniform refractive power, has only one focal point (hence the name “mono” focal).
This IOL allows the wearer to see clearly at a greater range between the two focal points.
Toric Lens
A toric lens is the only IOL designed to correct astigmatism. This IOL may be used in conjunction with limbal relaxing incisions during cataract surgery. Limbal relaxing incisions and a toric lens together may reduce or eliminate a patient’s astigmatism
How Do You Choose An IOL?
With several kinds of IOLs to choose from, it can be hard to decide what kind of IOL you should get. Keep in mind that premium lenses often have an out-of-pocket cost.
Standard lenses are usually covered by insurance along with the cost of surgery. But the price can be worth the visual improvement.
If you want to reduce the chance of glare, especially if you spend a lot of time looking at screens, you may want a monofocal lens or an extended range of vision lens. If you want to correct your astigmatism, a toric lens is definitely the way to go.
Whether you have an idea of what you want, be sure to discuss with your doctor about the options available to you and what they recommend.
Wondering if it may be time for cataract surgery? Schedule a cataract screening with one of the doctors at Shepherd Eye Center in Las Vegas, NV!
