Intraocular Implant Lens Options (IOLs)

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA, November 05, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ -- So, you're considering RLE (refractive lens exchange) surgery but you want to know more about the types of implantable lenses that can be used. Excellent! Every ophthalmologist worth his/her salt would advise you to do research before any vision correction procedure. With all the information available on the World Wide Web these days, there is no reason why patients can't be well informed on any surgical procedure they are considering.

Let's start with the basics. And IOL is an intraocular lens, meaning inside the eye. RLE is the surgical procedure in which your natural eye lens is replaced with a permanent implant, or IOL, and restores your vision. Generally, RLE surgery is for people who are at least 50 and are very near- or farsighted, not qualifying for LASIK surgery.

When it comes to implantable lens options, there are three currently available.

ReZoom
This lens is most commonly used in cataract surgery, but is also used quite often for patients with presbyopia (farsightedness). The ReZoom lens creates multiple points for your eye to focus allowing you the ability to see better at various distances. You can achieve improved vision, as well as a reduced or eliminated need for glasses or contacts.

ReStor
While also a common choice for cataract surgery, the ReStor lens is also an excellent choice for those wishing to rid themselves of glasses and contacts. The unique multi-tiered surface of this implantable lens is an adaptation long used in other optical devices ranging from lighthouse lamps to microscopes. The tiers are concentric rings that allow you to see at all distances.

Crystalens
This lens is very unique because it is the only one of the three that flexes like your natural eye lens does. When your eye is healthy, it focuses by coordinating the bending and flexing of the outer membrane (cornea) and the inner (crystalline) lens based on whether the image is close or far away. Generally, patients who have the Crystalens implant have not had to use any additional lens correction such as reading glasses.

There you have it. It's basic information but should be enough to help you during your ophthalmology consultation.

Isn't it great to know that laser vision correction isn't nearly as complicated as it sounds? Neither are any of the procedures. Yet, you can have clear vision again like you probably had as a kid. No more "where are my glasses" or "I lost a contact". Just "which pair of sunglasses looks best on me?"

If you are interested in learning more about implantable intraocular lenses and RLE in San Francisco, Oakland or San Jose, California, please visit the website of Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley today.

Source: Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley
Website: http://www.lasikdocs.com

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