Adults over age 45 often complain of losing the ability to focus on items close up. This vision loss is due to a condition called presbyopia or “aging eyes.” It is an inevitable, gradual progression that weakens the ability of the lens of the eye to focus in the field of vision.
Presbyopia is a natural part of aging and a frustrating one at that. Though it cannot be prevented, aging adults do have options for clear vision in addition to eyeglasses.
Presbyopia isn’t the only condition afflicting older adults. Many aging adults suffer from cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye. To treat cataracts, the lens must be removed and replaced with an implant.
Crystalens® and Trulign®, both by Bausch + Lomb, are two types of intraocular lens implants (IOLs) available to patients suffering from natural vision loss due to presbyopia or cataracts. Crystalens allows patients to enjoy a wider, more natural range of vision for most activities, including: reading a book, working on the computer and driving a car. Trulign allows for the same and includes toric treatment for patients with astigmatism.
Traditional IOLs are fixed within the eye and only provide singular vision correction (usually distance correction). Multifocal lenses add near vision correction to the equation but neglect the intermediate field of vision.
Did you know that most daily activities, such as seeing products and prices on grocery store aisles, writing a letter or ironing clothes require clear intermediate vision (a range of distance between 26 and 32 inches)? Crystalens and Trulign address the need for clear intermediate sight and provide patients with a continuous range of vision.
Are You a Candidate?
If you are in good general health, you are a likely candidate for implant surgery. If you suffer from uncontrolled chronic health problems such as diabetes or chronic infections, you may need to wait for your health issues to stabilize before you are able to undergo the surgery.
Patients who have had vision correction surgery such as LASIK are also eligible for Crystalens and Trulign, however, patients who have had previous cataract surgery are not a candidate for the procedure.
Are There Risks?
Risks of complications from the surgery range from mild, temporary side effects to more serious (and extremely rare) complications. People with existing health conditions are at higher risk of experiencing complications. Research indicates that 98 percent of patients have no complications following lens implant surgery and more than 95 percent have improved vision.
During your pre-surgery consultation, your doctor will discuss your specific risks.
If you would like to learn more about Crystalens or Trulign or find out if you are a candidate, contact the Key-Whitman Eye Center today.
