PRESBYOPIA
General Description
We all experience presbyopia (more commonly known as the ability to focus things close by) at some point in our lives, generally starting around age of 40 to 50.
The eye resembles a camera and its lens, the crystalline, has the ability to focus on objects which can be close by or at distance. In order to do this, the lens stretches and contracts depending on the need to focus. With time, the crystalline begins to lose its ability to stretch, and presbyopia begins to manifest itself.
Until recently the only solution to this problem was to use bifocal or multifocal lenses, or reading glasses. Nowadays it is possible to stop using glasses altogether by undergoing the treatment of removal of the crystalline lens and placement of a multifocal intraocular lens (IOL).
The other technique used is the treatment of the cornea (the external lens of the eye) by means of a laser, this is known as LASIK. With LASIK you can opt for monovision, this technique allows you to focus on objects that are placed far with one eye, and the other eye is treated to focus on objects that are placed near. The only disadvantage of this technique is that in most cases it is not permanent because the cristalline lens continues to change during our lifetime.
Description of the treatment
With the surgical technique known as phacoemulsification we remove the crystalline lens and replace it with an intraocular lens. This lens is multifocal, allowing the person to focus on things that are placed near or far without the use of prescription glasses.
Benefits of the treatment
The novelty of this technique is that the natural lens which has lost the ability to focus is replaced with an especially designed lens which allows you to see close objects as well as distant ones. Both eyes are treated so the vision closely resembles what it used to be before you needed glasses.
Another advantage of the multifocal IOL (intra ocular lens) is that the results are permanent. The patient will be able to go about everyday chores without the need of eye glasses. The great majority of far sighted patients are candidates for this type of surgery.
To see more information about the type of lens we use, you can access this site: http://www.acrysofrestor.com/