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Intraocular Lens Implants: crystalens®, ReSTOR®, ReZoom™ - Boerne and San Antonio
At Diaz Vision Center in Boerne, Dr. Carlos Diaz performs advanced intraocular lens (IOL) implantation to improve the vision of individuals who have been affected by cataracts, presbyopia, eye injuries, and other conditions. We offer ReSTOR®, ReZoom™, and crystalens® IOLs at our San Antonio-area center to give our patients the opportunity to reclaim the independence that is only possible through good vision. Each type of intraocular lens offers unique advantages, and Dr. Diaz and his staff will help each patient select the most appropriate option.
What are IOLs?
An intraocular lens is an implantable artificial lens that can replace the natural crystalline lens of the eye when a cataract develops or when patients wish to eliminate reading glasses due to prebyopia. Since the eye's natural lens focuses light onto the retina, good vision is impossible without a functioning lens. The latest intraocular lens technology affords patients better vision at a variety of focal depths, much like the natural lens does.
IOL Candidacy
Most patients are good candidates for intraocular lens implants. Because a wide variety of individuals are eligible for this procedure, IOL implantation is one of the most popular eye surgeries in the United States. The procedure usually takes no more than 20 minutes, and the vast majority of patients benefit tremendously from their new IOLs.
Dr. Diaz and his staff in Boerne will evaluate prospective intraocular lens patients to determine whether the procedure is right for them.
IOL Implantation Procedure
The intraocular lens implantation procedure is one of the safest and most effective eye surgeries available. After making a small incision in the eye, Dr. Diaz will carefully remove the natural lens. Then he will insert the intraocular lens and position it precisely. Patients should return for a post-operative exam the day after the procedure. While the eye heals, patients should avoid strenuous activities that raise blood pressure. An intraocular lens patient's vision may require up to six weeks to stabilize completely. In many cases, patients find that they rarely or never need glasses or contacts after receiving IOLs.
Types of IOLs
At Diaz Vision Center in Boerne, we provide several intraocular lens options. ReSTOR®, crystalens®, ReZoom™, and toric lenses are available to our San Antonio-area patients. Each intraocular lens offers unique advantages, and different patients will experience the best results with different lenses.
crystalens®
crystalens® implants flex just like the eye's natural crystalline lens, giving patients clearer vision at a variety of focal depths and in a variety of light conditions. These intraocular lenses are so effective that many patients with failing vision who receive them experience restored visual acuity that is similar to what they enjoyed in their 20s. Because of these benefits, Dr. Diaz and his staff at Diaz Vision Center use crystalens® implants when treating many San Antonio-area patients who need to receive intraocular lens implants. The doctor will work together with all intraocular lens patients to determine whether crystalens® IOLs are the best option available to them.
The crystalens® implant was approved by the FDA in 2003 after establishing an outstanding success and safety rate in a clinical study performed by the FDA. According to the study, over 98 percent of patients who received crystalens® implants could read a newspaper without glasses or contacts, and they enjoyed visual acuity ratings of 20/40 or better. Every patient in the study was able to read email and other written content on a computer monitor. The majority of patients in the study achieved 20/20 or 20/30 vision, allowing them to participate in almost all normal daily activities without relying on corrective lenses.
ReSTOR®
ReSTOR® intraocular lenses, created by Alcon®, rely on a series of tiered concentric focal rings in the lens to give patients better vision at near, middle, and long distances. The thick inner ring is used for near vision, while the thin outer ring is used for distance vision. The ReSTOR® design, which is based on lenses used in telescopes, microscopes, and other precision optical devices, is proven to provide to both transmit and gather light over a full range of focal distances, producing clear, even vision.
Like other multifocal lenses (lenses that work at multiple focal depths) the ReSTOR® intraocular lens gives most patients excellent functional vision, allowing them to participate in most daily activities without glasses or contacts, and it represents a significant improvement over less advanced monofocal lenses that only provide clear vision at longer distances. In a clinical study commissioned by Acrysof®, four out of every five patients reported that they did not need glasses or contact lenses after receiving the ReSTOR® intraocular lens. By comparison, only one out of every ten patients who received traditional monofocal lenses reported similar results.
Many patients have enjoyed the benefits of advanced ReSTOR® IOLs implanted at our San Antonio-area practice by Dr. Diaz. As with other advanced intraocular lenses, almost any patient in generally good health is a good candidate for ReSTOR® lens implants.
ReZoom™
The ReZoom™ intraocular lens, created by Advanced Medical Optics, is an advanced multifocal IOL. The ReZoom™ lens has been designed with five distinct focal zones, which allow the recipient to see well at a variety of focal distances and in many different light conditions. Each focal zone is placed so that it can work together with the natural structures of the eye in order to make excellent functional vision a reality. Unlike older lens designs, the ReZoom™ intraocular lens allows patients to see well in low-light conditions – for example, while driving at night.
For lens implant patients, the flexibility of the ReZoom™ lens translates into greater freedom from glasses and contacts. According to a study by Advanced Medical Optics, about 92 percent of all ReZoom™ patients either never or only rarely used corrective lenses. Many patients who are limited by poor vision achieve new independence after receiving ReZoom™ intraocular lenses.
As with other intraocular lenses, patients will experience a period of acclimation for several weeks during which the brain will adjust to vision with the ReZoom™ lens. Dr. Diaz's San Antonio-area patients typically report improved vision almost immediately that continues to get better over time.
Toric
The AcrySof® Toric IOL is a unique lens designed specifically for lens replacement patients who are also affected by astigmatism. Though other IOLs offer astigmatic patients noticeably improved vision, their astigmatism typically makes glasses or contacts necessary even after lens replacement surgery. By contrast, astigmatic patients who receive the Toric lens are able to see more clearly at distance even without corrective lenses.
Learn More about IOLs
Intraocular lenses are among the most exciting developments in modern ophthalmology. With advanced IOLs, patients who were once severely limited by poor vision due to cataracts can achieve new independence and enjoy better quality of life. Please contact Diaz Vision Center in Boerne to learn more about the intraocular lens options, including the ReZoom™, ReSTOR®, and crystalens® IOLs, that are available to our San Antonio patients.
Please contact Diaz Vision Center in Boerne to learn more about the intraocular lens implants, including crystalens, ReZoom™, and ReSTOR®, available to San Antonio-area residents at our practice.
Diaz Vision Center, PA
124 E Bandera Rd, #404
Boerne, TX 78006
Ph. 830-249-8400
Fx. 830-249-8411