IOL Options
We understand that you are scheduled for a cataract evaluation and we would like to provide you with some information about the choices of intraocular lenses.
Your visit will include a comprehensive eye exam during which you and your doctor will discuss how a cataract affects your vision and if cataract surgery is recommended for you at this time.
A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens that often occurs with age. Most patients describe their vision as blurred and frequently struggle with a glare at night or have difficulty seeing clearly under certain lighting conditions.
During cataract surgery, your natural lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens implant. Cataract surgery is a safe procedure and is the most common surgery among adults in the United States.
Recent advances in intraocular lens technology have created the opportunity for patients to choose the vision they would like to have following cataract surgery.
At Massachusetts Eye Associates, we offer the latest lens choices to help you achieve your vision goals. Based on your exam, we will help you decide which lens replacement option is right for you.
While choosing the vision you would like to have following cataract surgery can often maximize your vision goals, it may require an out-of-pocket cost that your surgeon or surgical coordinator will discuss with you.
Monofocal Lens
With a monofocal lens, you will most likely need glasses following surgery for near or distance vision or both. The monofocal lens is designed to correct your vision with a fixed focus for only one focal length – near or far. Talk with your surgeon about whether it is more important for you to see close-up or at distance without glasses following cataract surgery.
Toric Lens — Astigmatism Correcting Lenses
Astigmatism refers to the shape of the cornea which can cause images to blur and be out of focus at both near and far distances. If you have astigmatism and a standard lens implant, you will still require prescription glasses to see clearly.
An intraocular lens, called a Toric lens, can correct astigmatism, giving you the best chance of clear distance vision without glasses. While there is an additional cost for a toric lens, for many patients the prospect of distance vision without glasses is worth it.
We strive to make the toric lens option available to all our cataract patients who can benefit from this technology by providing affordable payment plans.
Multifocal Lens – Presbyopia Correcting Lenses
Presbyopia is a condition experienced by most patients over 40 when it is progressively more difficult to have clear near vision. This is caused by the hardening of the natural lens making it more difficult for the eye to accommodate near vision.
A Multifocal lens can offer you a broad range of near and distance vision giving you greater independence from your glasses for many daily tasks.
Your options will be discussed with you when you come in for your appointment, but should you have any questions in the meantime, please contact our office at 978-256-5600.
If you need financial assistance, we offer financing through Wells Fargo Health Advantage for your surgery.
Most people over the age of 60 experience a level of blurry vision due to cataracts. If cataracts are affecting the quality of your life, now is the time to talk to your eye doctor about treatment options.
They include replacing your natural lens with an artificial one to help you see clearly. Artificial lenses (also known as IOLs or intraocular lenses) are becoming an increasingly popular method of vision correction.
These lenses are directly implanted in the eye to replace your natural lenses that have become damaged by cloudy cataracts or presbyopia.
Recent advances in technology have led to the Toric lens correcting for astigmatism and a multifocal lens allowing patients to see clearly at all distances.
