Custom Cataract Surgery Can Reclaim Your Lost Vision

Custom cataract surgery is one of the safest and most practiced surgeries in the world, and New England Vision offers more IOL options than any other practice in the region. But what exactly is an IOL?

The Details of Cataract Surgery

Before we can get into what an IOL is, it is necessary to understand a little bit about how cataract surgery works and what its goal actually is. Obviously, the removal of the cataract is the ultimate endgame, but it is a bit more complicated than it sounds. A cataract forms over the natural lens as proteins begin to break down and clump together. These protein “clumps” form a film over the lens and cause your vision to become blurry, distorted, and discolored. The natural lens cannot be restored to its clear, natural state, so it must be removed and replaced.

This is done by first breaking apart the lens using ultrasound technology. The fragments are removed and the entire natural lens is replaced with a synthetic intraocular (literally meaning “inside the eye”) lens, otherwise known as an IOL. There are many different forms of IOLs, and they each have advantages and disadvantages when compared with each other.

How to Choose Your IOL

Before getting your cataracts removed, you will need to decide what kind of IOL you would like to get. Here’s how they stack up.

• Monofocal IOLs have, as the name suggests, one focusing point. You will be able to focus at a single range with this type of IOL, but other distances will remain blurry. To cope with this, you will need to use glasses or contact lenses. You may decide to get a distance IOL and use reading glasses, or alternatively get a short-range IOL and get driving glasses. While the standard IOL is good enough for most people, it will not correct astigmatism. Fortunately, New England Vision offers a Toric IOL, which achieves the same result as traditional IOLs, but for people with astigmatism.

• Monovision is a method in which one eye is implanted with a short-distance IOL and the other is treated with a long-range IOL.  This gives you a greater range of clear vision without glasses.

• Advanced-Technology IOLs act similarly to bifocal glasses, in that they have  multiple focusing points.. These lenses are popular because patients can see clearly at several different distances and are less dependent on glasses after surgery.  Plus, different advanced-technology IOLs are available depending on your lifestyle and your needs!

If you would like to learn more about custom cataract surgery and find out which IOL is right for you, schedule a consultation right now!