Crystalens for Cataract Surgery

Submitted by Dr. Dean Dornic on Sun 07/19/2009 - 09:50

Many Raleigh NC area patients consult us for LASIK in an effort to reduce their dependence on glasses.  Occassionally a patient will consult us for LASIK after discovering that their vision is worsening and we discover that they have cataracts.  For them, they can still achieve their goal of eyeglass independence but instead of LASIK the answer is cataract surgery with a presbyopia correcting lens such as Crystalens.

During cataract surgery, the cloudy cataractous lens is replaced with a clear artificial lens (implant). Many patients with cataracts are candidates for a flexible implant that can focus both at distance and near to reduce or eliminate the need for reading glasses.

Patients who are good candidates for standard monofocal IOLs are typically good candidates for Crystalens.

If a patient has healthy eyes, has not had previous cataract surgery, and does not suffer from any major health problems, then he or she is likely to be a good candidate.

More than twice the number of patients implanted with Crystalens could see well at all distances compared to a standard IOL.

Most Crystalens patients have reduced their dependence on glasses and are able to read the newspaper or a phone book without glasses.

Most Crystalens patients are able to see their computers, dashboards and anything else at arm’s length without glasses.

Most Crystalens patients are able to see 20/40 or better after surgery, so the clock across the room and the TV in the corner are clearly within sight.

Many of our Raleigh NC area Crystalens patients can see well enough to do away with their reading glasses, bifocals, or contact lenses. The Crystalens procedure is highly successful and most people regain very good distance vision, somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40.

At the Laser Eye Center of Carolina we are pleased to offer more than just LASIK.  The Crystalens is an important new innovation that, like LASIK, can reduce dependence on glasses.