IOL Benefits

Millions of people around the world who suffered vision loss due to cataracts or presbyopia are now enjoying the benefits of intraocular lenses. Intraocular lenses provide remarkable vision improvement and greatly reduce reliance on glasses or contact lenses.

Benefits of Intraocular Lenses

Virtually everyone develops cataracts later in life; they are an inevitable part of growing old. Replacement of the eye's natural crystalline lens is the only treatment proven effective for this vision-obscuring problem. The benefits of intraocular lenses, including improved vision and less reliance on corrective lenses, far outweigh IOL risks as advances in intraocular lens technology and surgical implantation techniques have made cataract surgery safe and very effective.

The benefits of intraocular lenses extend as well to individuals who have presbyopia, the gradual decline of near vision that begins in middle age as the eye's natural crystalline lens loses flexibility. Multifocal intraocular lenses can alleviate the effects of presbyopia and eliminate or greatly reduce the need for reading glasses.

IOL Safety

After years of rigorous testing in Europe, Asia, and in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration, intraocular lenses and implantation surgery have been proven safe and effective, with complications occurring in less than 5 percent of cases. IOL risks increase for patients with certain medical conditions and other health-related issues. Your ophthalmologist will perform a thorough examination of your eyes and will research your medical history to ensure that you are a good candidate for intraocular lenses before proceeding with the treatment.

IOL Results

Most patients are very happy with the results of their intraocular lens surgery, and manufacturers cite the benefits of their intraocular lenses with success rates that are truly impressive. Among the noteworthy are:

• Makers of ReSTOR® intraocular lenses report that after cataract surgery 80 percent of patients never had to wear glasses, and nearly 94 percent of patients were very satisfied with their results.
• A study by the American Academy of Ophthalmology showed that after receiving ReZoom™ intraocular lenses, 100 percent of patients could see well at far distances, 95 percent had good middle vision, and 71 percent had functional near vision. The study also found that 67 percent of participants did not use glasses at all in six months following the procedure.
• Eyeonics, Inc., reports that more than 98 percent of patients who had crystalens® intraocular lenses implanted in both eyes could pass a driver's test without the aid of glasses. One hundred percent of patients had intermediate vision improvement adequate for most everyday tasks, and more than 98 percent could read a newspaper or telephone book without glasses.
• According to the manufacturer of the TECNIS™ IOL, because this lens was designed with Wavefront™ technology, it provides superior vision-correction benefits over other intraocular lenses, including 31 percent better contrast sensitivity in normal light and a 51 percent improvement in contrast sensitivity in low light in comparison to traditional IOLs.

IOL Convenience

One of the greatest benefits of intraocular lenses is reduced dependence on glasses and contact lenses. For some patients, the IOL procedure eliminates the need for corrective lenses entirely. Intraocular lenses allow patients to experience the simple joy of seeing clearly again. The troubling haze of cataracts disappears, and daily tasks become easier and more enjoyable. The procedure allows some patients to return to driving a car, particularly at night. For patients who have IOL vision correction for presbyopia, reading glasses for many close-range tasks, such as reading a menu or a newspaper, are often unnecessary.

Speak With a Doctor in Your Area about the Benefits of IOLs

Proven safe and effective, intraocular lenses counteract the effects of cataracts or presbyopia and reduce or eliminate your reliance on corrective lenses. Use DocShop's convenient online listings to locate an ophthalmologist in your area and learn more about the benefits of intraocular lenses.

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