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Cataract Lens Replacement

These days, replacing the lens of the eye is standard treatment for cataracts. Historically, it was common to simply remove the lens and then prescribe very thick glasses, commonly called “coke bottle glasses.” 

This was not only unattractive, it left the eye at increased risk of developing additional serious complications, such as glaucoma or a retinal detachment. Both are fairly extreme conditions that can result in blindness.

But a lot has changed over the years. Better lenses have been developed and surgical procedures have improved. It is now very much the exception to simply remove the lens and implant a new, synthetic lens.

A replacement lens needs to be chosen to fit the exact needs of a particular patient. Thus, there is no lens that is best in all cases.

Picking an appropriate lens requires professional consultation. In rare cases, a lens is contra-indicated or there are complications that make the extra expense of a premium lens unwarranted.

If you need Lens Replacement in New Jersey, you can get a professional assessment at the Campus Eye Group in Hamilton, NJ. We can advise you of your status and talk to you about how likely it is that you can get the results you are seeking.

Toric Intraocular Lenses

This type of lens is for the purpose of correcting astigmatism. If it is properly implanted, the odds are very good that astigmatism will be reduced or eliminated.

This treatment approach eliminates the need for additional interventions, such as LASIK or Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRIs) to reshape the cornea. Toric Intraocular Lenses (toric IOLs) are often recommended in cases of severe astigmatism that is otherwise not correctable.

Toric IOLs are a standard approach for people with severe astigmatism who are facing cataract surgery. In most cases, the lens will be replaced anyway. Replacing it with a corrective lens makes the surgery an opportunity to improve your life in multiple ways.

Other Premium Lenses

Toric lenses are just one of several options. All lenses perform the basic function of providing a means for the eye to focus images on the retina. But there are a number of lenses with additional functions beyond that.

Unfortunately, premium lenses usually involve an extra out-of-pocket expense for patients. Because they are not deemed “medically necessary,” they are usually not covered by Medicare or most other health insurance policies.

Many patients place a high value on the chance to use cataract surgery to kill two birds with one stone and eliminate the need for glasses altogether. So it is not uncommon for patients to simply pay this expense out of pocket so they can be free of glasses after surgery.

Presbyopia Correcting Lenses

Presbyopia is a common vision issue for people over the age of 40. Most people being treated for cataracts are over the age of 50. So it is not uncommon for them to have both cataracts and presbyopia.

Presbyopia Correcting Lenses can eliminate the need for glasses while removing the cataract. This can leave a person free from the need to wear glasses after cataract surgery.

Monofocal Lenses

Monofocal Lenses are another means to correct for presbyopia. The right eye and left eye get different lenses. One eye gets a lens designed to focus at a distance. The other gets a lens designed to focus close up.

It is called “monofocal” because it eliminates the standard binocular vision used by humans. Instead of using both eyes at the same time, the brain adapts to using one eye at a time for different purposes. The brain is surprisingly plastic and will adapt to this different way of relating to the world.

There are other options as well. If you are looking into Lens Replacement in New Jersey, please contact us the Campus Eye Group in Hamilton, NJ so we can explain all your options.