Options for Rehabilitation of Vision after Cataract Surgery and Refractive Lens Exchange
Understand that the primary goal of cataract surgery is to remove the cloudy lens (the cataract) and replace it with a clear lens (the intraocular lens [IOL] or “implant”). Replacing the cloudy lens with an implant allows the eye to regain its potential for vision. In order to get the best vision after cataract surgery, it is often necessary to wear glasses or contact lenses. The vision obtainable with glasses or contact lenses after surgery is what we call “Best Corrected Visual Acuity” (BCVA).
A secondary goal of cataract surgery is to reduce your dependence upon glasses and contact lenses. Because of recent advances in IOL technology, as well as technology used to measure the eye and plan surgery, we can often make our patients less dependent on eyeglasses. Some patients are able to eliminate glasses entirely, although it is impossible to guarantee with any of these technologies that you will be able to function without glasses for all tasks.
For patients without clinically significant cataracts who undergo Refractive Lens Exchange, the goals are somewhat different. Because these patients already have adequate vision with glasses (whereas cataract patients do not), the primary goal of Refractive Lens Exchange is to reduce your dependence on glasses and contact lenses. Understand that although most of our patients who undergo Refractive Lens Exchange will have decreased dependence on glasses and contacts, it is impossible to guarantee that you will be able to function without glasses for all things.
Understand that the primary goal of Basic Cataract Surgery is to remove the cloudy lens (the cataract) and replace it with a clear lens—the implant. Replacing the cloudy lens with an implant allows the eye to regain its potential for vision. In order to get the best possible vision after cataract surgery, it is often necessary to wear glasses or contact lenses, especially for reading.
Because of recent advances in IOL technology, as well as technology used to measure the eye and plan surgery, we can often make our patients less dependent on eyeglasses. The use of special implants and surgical techniques to reduce our patients’ dependence upon glasses and contact lenses is what we call Custom Cataract Surgery. With these techniques, many of our patients are able to eliminate or substantially reduce their dependence on glasses or contacts. Unfortunately, Medicare and private insurance carriers do not cover the extra testing and screening involved with Custom Cataract Surgery.
For patients without clinically significant cataracts who desire the benefits of the newer technology intraocular lenses, we offer a procedure that we call Refractive Lens Exchange. With Refractive Lens Exchange, the goals are somewhat different from patients having traditional cataract surgery. Because these patients already have adequate vision with glasses (whereas cataract patients do not), the primary goal of Refractive Lens Exchange is to reduce or eliminate your dependence on glasses and contact lenses. Understand that although most of our patients who undergo Refractive Lens Exchange will have decreased dependence on glasses and contacts—and many function entirely without them—it is impossible to guarantee that all patients will be able to function without glasses for all things.
