All About Cataracts

Bausch & Lomb today announced the worldwide launch of a new accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) with aspheric optics for use in cataract surgery.

The new IOL, called Crystalens AO, is designed to be free of spherical aberration that affects other IOLs and thereby produce sharper vision after cataract surgery. The announcement follows recent FDA approval of the Crystalens AO for use by cataract surgeons in the United States.

The aspheric optical surfaces of Crystalens AO are designed to improve retinal image quality without compromising depth of field, and therefore the new IOL provides higher quality distance and intermediate vision than other IOLs, according to the company.

“The Crystalens AO has zero spherical aberration, and the combination of the Crystalens platform and AO optics work together to enhance depth of field,” says Andy Corley, president of Bausch & Lomb’s global surgical division in a press release issued today by the company.

The Crystalens AO is the latest addition to the Crystalens line of accommodating IOLs produced by Bausch & Lomb, joining the Crystalens HD and the Crystalens Five-O. Currently, Crystalens is the only brand of accommodating IOL that is FDA-approved for use in cataract surgery performed in the United States.

Unlike conventional IOLs, the optical portion of accommodating IOLs can move slightly within the eye in response to focusing effort, to improve not only distance vision, but intermediate and near vision as well, reducing the need for reading glasses after cataract surgery.

Accommodating IOLs are a premium intraocular lens and therefore will increase your cataract surgery cost.

More information about Crystalens accommodating IOLs is available on Bausch & Lomb’s Crystalens website or by calling the company at 1-877-SEE BETTER.

International eye care company Bausch & Lomb announced today the launch of a new consumer ad campaign for its Crystalens accommodating intraocular lens.

Ads will begin appearing today on national cable television markets in New York, Florida, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ads will also appear in national magazines.

Crystalens is currently the only FDA-approved accommodating intraocular lens (IOL). It is designed to provide a full range of vision after cataract surgery, eliminating the loss of near vision and need for reading glasses caused by presbyopia.

“The advertising encourages patients to talk to their ophthalmologist about whether they are candidates for Crystalens or to visit the Crystalens website to learn more about this exciting vision correction alternative,” said Amy Jacobs, director of Global Marketing for Crystalens, in a press release issued by the company.

“Bad vision doesn’t have to be part of getting older. The Crystalens allows cataract patients the opportunity not just to fix their eyesight, but to make it better,” added Ms. Jacobs.

To learn more about Crystalens, visit the company’s website for the product or call 1-877-SEE-BETTER.

In an educational program for cataract surgeons held November 7 in Atlanta, experts described a number of new options for premium cataract surgery. The program was supported by eyecare products manufacturer Bausch & Lomb in association with Ophthalmology Times.

New Cataract Surgery Technologies Promise Safer Outcomes and Better Vision

New technologies for premium cataract surgery discussed during the program included the Stellaris Vision Enhancement System, the Crystalens HD accommodating IOL, and the Akreos aspheric IOL. All these products are produced and marketed by Bausch & Lomb (Rochester, NY).

Stellaris Vision Enhancement System

The Stellaris Vision Enhancement System is a new surgical platform that allows ophthalmologists to perform phacoemulsification cataract surgery with very small incisions (2 mm or smaller). The Stellaris system also has other advanced controls to increase surgical safety and efficiency.

(Phacoemulsification, or “phaco,” is a cataract surgery technique wherein the surgeon uses a small ultrasonic probe to break up the cloudy lens into very small pieces, which are then removed from the eye with suction. Phaco has become the method of choice for most cataract surgeons because it can be performed with much smaller incisions than traditional cataract surgery, speeding recovery time after surgery.)

Crystalens HD Accommodating IOL

The Crystalens HD accommodating IOL is an advanced intraocular lens (IOL) used in cataract surgery. Unlike other IOLs, the Crystalens HD is capable of slight movements within the eye in response to focusing effort. This “accommodation” restores some intermediate and near vision lost to the normal aging change in the eye called presbyopia. The Crystalens HD IOL thereby reduces the need for reading glasses after cataract surgery.

Akreos Aspheric IOL

The Akreos aspheric IOL is a new intraocular lens with advanced optics that recently gained approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States. The lens is made of a soft, flexible material (the lens is folded for placement inside the eye and unfolds automatically) and protects the eye’s light-sensitive retina from harmful UV rays from sunlight. The aspheric curves of the Akreos IOL more closely mimic the optics of the eye’s natural lens than other IOLs and thereby provides sharper distortion-free vision, according to the manufacturer.

Multiple Techniques and Lenses for Premium Cataract Surgery

The field of cataract surgery is continually changing and many options are now available for “premium” cataract surgery — surgery that is performed with advanced techniques and/or employs the use of advanced intraocular lenses.

If you are considering cataract surgery, be sure to ask your surgeon about the latest premium cataract surgery techniques and products available. Be aware that premium IOLs may increase your cataract surgery cost.