Do you or someone you love have cataracts? One of the essential parts of having them removed is choosing an intraocular lens before cataract surgery. Intraocular lenses, or IOLs, are artificial lenses that take the place of your natural lens when you have cataracts removed.
At Seaside Eyes in Brunswick, GA, we pride ourselves on our ability to meet all your eye care needs, including helping you regain your clear vision after cataract surgery.
What are IOLs?
If you have a cataract, you may not need cataract surgery right away, as it can take years or decades to develop fully. But once a cataract starts interfering with your ability to live your life, it’s time to consider cataract surgery.
IOLs are a crucial component of having cataract surgery. An intraocular lens is an artificial lens that takes the place of your natural lens during cataract surgery.
IOLs are usually made of materials like silicone or acrylic components and will last for the rest of your life. Once you have a cataract removed and replaced with an IOL, you’ll no longer need to worry about cataracts, as they can’t develop after removing the natural lens.
Many kinds of IOLs are available, depending on your lifestyle, visual needs, and budget. It’s imperative to make sure you discuss all the options available at Seaside Eyes with your eye doctor.
They will make a recommendation based on what they think will be the best fit for you. With so many choices to choose from, it can feel a bit overwhelming when you’re trying to decide.
Think about activities you like to do in your spare time. Do you mind wearing glasses after having cataract surgery? Are you also looking for a solution to reduce your dependence on reading glasses? The answers to these questions will make it much easier to determine which IOL may be right for you.
Types of IOLs at Seaside Eye
Before you can choose an IOL, you’ll need to understand how the IOLs we offer our cataract patients work. At Seaside Eyes, we offer our patients the following IOLs:
Basic
With a basic monofocal IOL, the lens is set to focus on a set distance. This is only for seeing up-close or far away. If you want to see clearly at a different distance that is not the set focus, you’ll have to wear glasses.
With a basic intraocular lens, you’ll be able to see well in all lighting conditions and have excellent contrast. Most patients choose a monofocal lens to see things far away and then wear glasses when performing up-close tasks, like reading.
Eyhance
Another IOL worth considering is the Eyhance monofocal lens. The Eyhance is also set to focus on one distance like the basic monofocal lens, but it transitions to a different refractive power in the middle of the lens.
Choosing this IOL will provide you with the same benefits as the basic monofocal and improved night vision and seeing better further away. However, you’ll enjoy better intermediate vision than if a basic IOL was chosen. You’ll still need to use glasses when completing up-close tasks. It’s important to note that the Eyhance is part of a premium IOL package that may cost more than medical insurance will pay.
What are the Differences Between Monofocal and Multifocal IOLs?
For patients that want more options than needing to wear glasses to complete up-close tasks, there’s another kind of lens available called a multifocal IOL. Multifocal IOLs are different because unlike monofocal lenses, they can provide you with vision at several distances, rather than only having one set focus.
With a multifocal IOL, you’ll be able to see up-close, as well as far away. This lens provides you with several points of focus, allowing you to reduce your dependence on glasses after cataract surgery.
Because multifocal lenses are not a basic monofocal lens, they are a premium lens. Premium lenses are not usually covered by medical or vision insurance plans, meaning you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
If depending on glasses less is a priority after cataract surgery, a premium lens could be worth considering.
Toric IOLs
For patients with astigmatism, a toric IOL is the best option. Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is an irregular shape, leading to distorted vision. Toric IOLs are the only IOL specifically designed for patients with astigmatism.
When you choose a toric IOL, you’ll have both your cataracts and astigmatism corrected at the same time. It is important to note that these IOLs are premium lenses.
Both the Eyhance and Synergy IOLs are available as toric lenses, giving our patients with astigmatism plenty of options for vision correction.
Synergy
The Synergy IOL is the most advanced and specialized lens available for cataract patients. With this IOL, you’ll be able to see clearly at all distances: up-close, in between, and far away, without experiencing any gaps in vision.
You’ll also look forward to clear vision with minimal glare and halos at night. No matter what kind of lighting you may be in, the Synergy IOL will allow you to see with precision and clarity.
The Synergy IOL gives you back your independence while reducing your reliance on visual aids like glasses and contact lenses, especially when compared to other premium lenses available.
Why is the Synergy IOL Worth Considering?
Seeing clearly after having your cataracts removed is important, but the Synergy IOL provides patients with much more than that.
This premium IOL gives patients the best possible vision compared to all other premium lenses available, including the trifocal IOL. The Synergy IOL uses a combination of diffractive optics that you could previously only find separately in multifocal and extended depth of focus lenses.
There is no gap in vision between distances. Instead, patients have a continuous range of sight, no matter what they see. This means:
- Increased visual acuity
- Better near vision than other premium IOLs can offer
- Excellent contrast between light and dark, even in low or dim lighting
- Minimized appearance of halos and starbursts around lights, making it safer when driving in the evening, thanks to violet-filtering technology
- The ability to treat both cataracts and presbyopia during cataract surgery
- No risk of IOL clouding or glistening’s over time as can be seen with other brands of IOLs
It’s these differences that truly set the Synergy IOL apart from other premium IOLs.
Ready to learn more about which IOL is right for you? Schedule a cataract consultation at Seaside Eyes in Brunswick, GA, now!
