Thank you for choosing our practice. We strive to provide the best quality of care and customized vision solutions for our patients. This specific information is provided to all of our patients diagnosed with cataracts so that you have the opportunity to be fully informed before any decisions need to be made.
Cataracts are a normal part of the aging process, and at some point, you may be diagnosed with cataracts. Cataracts are typically age-related – the older you are, the more likely you are to develop a cataract. Being diagnosed with a cataract may seem frightening at first. However, due to advancements in technology and lasers, cataract surgery is considered to be one of the safest and most successful surgeries in the United States today.
A cataract is a clouding of all or part of the normally clear lens within your eye, which results in blurred or distorted vision. A cataract can progress until eventually there is a complete loss of vision in your eye, and neither diet nor eye drops will make the cataract go away. Cataract surgery can help restore your vision if you experience blurred vision significant enough to interfere with your daily activities, such as driving, reading, playing sports, or watching TV.
Cataract surgery involves removal of the cloudy lens, and replacement with an artificial lens. We offer the most advanced lens options to customize your vision after surgery.
Based on your eye measurements See the big picture and lifestyle needs, we will recommend the best lens for you.
On the following page, you will find information that helps you understand three different lens options:
- Basic monofocal lens implant
- Multifocal lens implant/Multifocal Toric lens implant
- Toric lens implant
Basic Monofocal Lens
With single-vision lens implants, there is a very high likelihood that you will need glasses for most near-vision activities after surgery, even if you do not wear near-vision glasses before surgery. These activities include such things as reading, applying makeup, shaving, sewing, reading your watch, dialing a cell phone, and baiting fishhooks. Medicare and most private insurance carriers will pay 80% of your cataract surgery and the monofocal lens. This is considered basic coverage.
Presbyopia- correcting IOLs
Our surgeons offer a FDA approved premium Vivity lens, which is the only Presbyopia-correcting intraocular lens with X-WAVE technology. This lens is unique in that it allows both improved quality and range of vision. More specifically, new technology implants are designed to provide a continuous full range of vision, as opposed to distinct, separate near and far points of vision, while maintaining a low incidence of visual disturbance, like a monofocal IOL.
PanOptix trifocal lens is another great option for those who desire to be spectacle free. It is the first lens to split light at three points, which allows for near and intermediate focal points without compromising any distance vision.
Medicare and private insurance provide basic coverage and allow you to pay for the upgrade, if you choose to do so. Based on FDA clinical data, greater than 95% of patients are extremely happy with presbyopia-correcting lenses. Those who do need glasses needed them only for very specific tasks. The goal of these lenses is to allow you to live a spectacle free life, to see things near and far without glasses and have great quality of vision. For patients with astigmatism, there are also an astigmatism-correcting toric Vivity and toric PanOptix lenses which boast the same extended, continuous depth of focus and full range of vision as the standard Vivity or PanOptix lenses. There is an additional cost for these technologies. If it is determined that you are a good candidate for these premium lenses, we can discuss payment plans that make this option affordable.
Toric Lens
The TORIC lens is specifically designed to address those who have a significant amount of astigmatism. In years past, cataract surgery removed the cataract, but a patient with astigmatism still required glasses for near and distance vision. The TORIC lens makes it possible to reduce or eliminate astigmatism and significantly improve uncorrected vision. There is an additional cost for this lens implant. Again, we strive to make this option affordable for our patients by offering payment options here in our office. This regular TORIC will only give you one point of focus. If you desire to have astigmatism correction and full range of vision, then Toric Vivity/Toric Panoptix would be a better option.
