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Cataract Surgery and Intra-Ocular Lens Replacement

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A Cataract Procedure You Can Look Forward To!

The cataract world has changed a lot in the last few years. For many years, the goal of a cataract procedure was to remove the cloudy lens from the eye and then replace it with a man-made single prescription (monofocal) lens. The patient then would rely on glasses or contact lenses to improve their distance or near vision. We at Mt Tam Vision Center have had the pleasure to work closely with some of the top surgeons of the Bay Area as the new generations of Refractive Implants have become available. This has allowed us to offer more attractive options than ever before to achieve a glasses-free lifestyle.
 
Refractive Intraocular Lens (IOL) Implants use different technologies to combine both a distance and near vision prescription in a single lens. The multifocal IOL’s such as like the ReSTOR or the TECNIS, act much like bifocal glasses or contacts with both prescriptions in the same lens. The accommodating IOL’s, like the CRYSTALENS, work entirely differently and rely on the muscles inside your eye to change the position of the lens allowing you to change your focus between distance and near.
 
As with any medical technology or procedure, it is important to be sure you are a good candidate. If a glasses-free lifestyle appeals to you, allow us at Mt Tam Vision Center to help you determine if any or which of these Premium IOL’s is right for you. Call us now at 415.453.8906 for a free cataract and IOL  evaluation. We look forward to seeing you!

Cataract Surgery

In cataract surgery, your clouded lens is replaced with a new clear artificial lens. There are three main types of lenses that can be used to replace your lens:

1. Single power (Monofocal) lens

  • Corrects only for either distance or near vision
  • Does not focus for different distances

2. Multifocal Lenses

  • Has either 5 (Restor) or 12 (Rezoom) zones focused for either distance or near vision
  • Does not adjust focus for different distances
  • Produces some haloes and glare around lights at night

3. Accommodating Lens

  • This lens (Crystalens) moves forward when your eyes' focusing muscles contract.

Intra-ocular lens choices

The Rezoom Lens

  • The Rezoom lens has five concentric zones, like a bull's eye pattern.
  • The central zone is for distance vision in daylight. Around this zone are alternating distance and near zones for bright and dim light.
  • In total, there are three distance zones, and two near zones.
  • Your brain learns to choose the zone with the clearest image at all times.
  • The Rezoom lens provides a good range of vision, with very good distance and intermediate (computer distance) vision.
  • This lens may not provide strong enough reading power to see fine detail up close.  Reading glasses may be necessary for very small print.
  • This lens may produce some glare and haloes

The Acrysof Restor Lens

  • The Restor lens has twelve concentric zones. This lens uses an apodization process to diffract light as it passes through the lens.
  • Light rays are redirected slightly differently as they pass through the 12 zones to provide the clearest vision under all lighting conditions and visual demands.
  • This process provides good distance andnear vision.
  • The Restor lens is believed to provide the greatest power for near vision of all lenses currently on the market.
  • There may be some glare and haloes with this lens.

The Crystalens

  • The Crystalens is an "accommodating" lens. This means that it can adjust focus for different distances.
  • The lens moves forward to focus up close as you contract your eyes' focusing muscles. This results in a very natural range of vision, from distance to near.
  • This lens provides very good distance and intermediate (computer distance) vision. It may not provide strong enough near power to see fine detail up close. Reading glasses may be necessary for very small print.
  • The Crystalens is free of the glare and haloes that can be seen with the multifocal lenses.