Our body's natural crystalline lens loses its ability to see from all distances as we age, and usually begins to malfunction between the ages of 40 and 60 when reading glasses become necessary. During cataract or RLE surgery, the Crystalens lens manufactured by renowned eye care company Baush & Lomb is inserted in place of the natural crystalline lens. Because the Crystalens is designed to accommodate all vision distances, the need for reading glasses or bifocals is reduced or even eliminated, according to crystalens.com. Crystalens was created primarily for cataracts patients, but may also be beneficial for patients considering Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), an alternative to Lasik surgery.
According to the manufacturer's website, Crystalens was modeled after the human eye. It is designed to allow your optic lens to move back and forth, flexing as you focus your vision on images around you. To begin the procedure, the doctor applies drops to numb the eye while making a micro seal at the edge of your cornea. The crystalline lens is then removed and the Crystalens is implanted to replace it. The surgery is considered outpatient, with a follow-up visit usually scheduled for the next day. Most activities can be resumed shortly after surgery.
Pros
Crystalens addresses the limitations of standard IOLs by providing patients with clear vision at a variety of distances, and eliminating the need to tolerate a refocus period. In fact, crystalens.com reports on clinical trials showing that almost 90 percent of Crystalens patients could see better at all distances. This is in sharp contrast to the 35 percent of patients with improved vision that had surgery using standard IOL implantations. In addition, most patients report excellent vision after seven years.
Cons
The Crystalens is not for everybody, according to usaeyes.org. If the muscles in your eye are weak or damaged, the Crystalens may not be able to adjust to multiple vision ranges. Because the Crystalens is smaller in diameter compared to the standard IOL, if your eyes dilate improperly or naturally dilate too large, the Crystalens positioning may be compromised and result in induced glare in low-light environments.
Crystalens costs significantly more than a conventional IOL lens and may not be covered under your insurance. The implantation process is considerably more challenging, so it is critical to select a doctor with expertise in this product.
It is also important to keep your expectations in check. Although your vision is likely to improve, it is unrealistic to expect your vision to return to what it was when you were in your twenties or thirties.
