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What's your thoughts on the Zeiss IOL. I'm a pilot and all I can do is distance plus toric . If you offer that and have any response I just signed up at your web. I'm William Pereira
When I had my cataract surgery several years ago, after my eye exam I was sent to a tiny room where a young lady explained the lens options I would have. When I asked what lens the doctor would recommend for my specific condition-astigmatism-she said, “…that is up you…” and went on to describe 3 lens options they were offering with a strong ‘upsell” on the most expensive lens option. To the best of my knowledge, she had no medical training or certifications. She was a “SALESPERSON” and that is how she was trained. It was like talking to a car salesperson who subtly steers you to spending more money. My guess is the doctors wanted no part of this sales ‘game’ but merely selected the lens options that would be offered and let trained sales people steer patients to the more expensive options. At least in this practice, I left feeling the medical professionals had lost their way succumbing to the lure of increased profits…😥
I had the exact same experience when I had my cataract surgeries in 2015. Fortunately, I had spent around 100 hours researching not just cataract surgery but also the plethora of available lenses, so I knew going in what lenses I'd be purchasing. She was quite surprised when I knew more about the lenses she was selling than she did, but to be fair, she didn't know much. I told her what lenses I would be purchasing and why. She was a bit red faced when we left the room. I'm sure she thought I was an insufferable know-it-all, but I didn't care... I just hoped that I'd encouraged her to inform herself more on what she was selling to help patients make a more informed decision, regardless of the len's price tag.
I had Panoptix lenses put in 9 months ago. Unlike your experience, my doctor seemed to steer me towards monovision lenses. I think it was due to the price of the lenses more than anything else. When it came to finally choosing a lens I went with Panoptix toric. I figured you got one chance to correct your vision and be glasses-free so I wasn't going to "cheap out" when it came to my vision. I did a lot of research on the Panoptix lenses before I went in for the procedure. When I was sitting in the operating room the doctor was asking me a few questions when I asked her if these were the new version of the Clarion Panoptix toric lenses. All seven medical people in the room stopped and laughed a bit because from what they said nobody asked an informed question like that. So, it may be upselling and it just might be one of the best things that that has happened to you. It is for me.@@floorpizza8074
Definately has the car dealership vibe. So many red flags….passed from person to person with no name tag. Verbal answers only, nothing in writing, just the billing. I still don’t know what brand, model of lens I purchased. I am thinking about cancelling the surgery. Doctors, dentists, vets, contractors all cover for each other. Good luck filing a complaint. Unless you have video of the doc smoking crack before surgery the medical board will take no action. Videos are prohibited in the operating room. What are they hiding.?
Had some Vivity lenses thrown into my eyeballs last year after 40 years of dealing with being effectively blind unless i had on glasses as thick as coke bottle bottoms or contact lenses. Then my presbyopia started kicking in. So had these Vivity lenses put in, and for the first time since i was 8 years old i can see again. Im impressed that it nearly knocked out the whole range of vision considering i was wearing -9.5 contact lenses, and also starting to need reading glasses. Now i dont need reading glasses at all, and the only time i need to wear glasses is at night when im driving. No halos either. From as bad as my vision was to where it is, id say these lenses fixed 95% of my vision. Was life changing.
My husband had the same eye sight problem from a very young age. At age 79 he needed surgery and got Vivity lens and couldn’t be happier. Last year I had surgery and also got Vivity lens. Love them.
@@marthabass3383 can you read and see in the mirror without glasses? My mom just had vivity in her right eye and the left is scheduled for next monday, but we might delay it. She is not seeing as good up close to read as she can with her old eye. The distance is much improved tho.
I'll be 73 in March, never wore glasses except for readers at 2.50 strength prior to cataract surgery and at my age what am I waiting for? Cataracts rated at a low 2 on a 1 to 4 scale. Jan 3rd rt eye Jan 10 left eye. Medicare paid for cost of surgery I paid for the premium lens out of pocket. My cost was $3200 per eye plus $75 for 2 bottles of eye drops and $240 for medicare co-pay so just under $6600 is what I've spent. Lens is Clareon PanOptix UV IOL tri-focal. I'm very happy - halos don't bother me, vision is clear, no readers and distance is crisp. My cataracts gave me a warm white view, I'd say 3000 kelvin, my new lenses are more daylight, I'd say 5000K - white is hospital white. I had a crescent shape in corner of my right eye but after about 5 days I no longer noticed it. I have similar crescent in my left eye today, one day after surgery and I expect it to diminish. My exam today was 20/20 both eyes and Dr says usually best vision comes approx 3-4 months after surgery. I'm thrilled with the results. Surgery done by Dr Pugh at Eye Associates Jeffersonville Indiana. Highly recommend Dr Pugh and his surgery center is first class. I arrived at 6:30am and was out by 9am.
I had cataract surgery this year, and got the Light Adjustable Lenses. Most of my life I wore thick, heavy glasses and was limited to 2 companies that made a contact lens that came close to correcting my vision. My astigmatism was over .9 in both eyes. While I still need glasses for reading, the world around me is clear and I no longer need correction for distance. It was expensive, but I’m beyond grateful to have this gift.
I just had the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) implanted into both eyes. I AM ONLY 51, BUT I had cataracts that were bad enough to make me struggle seeing while driving or reading my phone. Worn contacts/glasses/ readers prior to the surgery. NOW I see BETTER than 20/20 and am in the process of getting the adjustments for my near vision. NO PAIN AT ALL during the surgery, and I am extremely happy with my doctor and his staff! If someone is looking in southeast Michigan for a great office for their surgery, I can recommend Dr. Vrabec out of Clear Vision Center in Rohester Hills, Mi.
I have had my new lenses for 20 years now. I have monovision. My vision is 20/20 up close and 20/15 distance. I am very happy with that. My eye doctor said recently that these lenses would serve me for the rest of my lifetime. I think this new technology is great though. I was lucky enough to have a very prominent surgeon in Kansas City his name was Hunkeler but he is now retired. I took my patch off my first eye a couple hours after the surgery and I couldn't even tell I had an operation there was no redness or swelling of any kind and I could read signs a mile down the freeway. Amazing.
@@7x779 Sorry to say that I am not sure. My guess is he used a blade. I did have a yag laser done a couple of years later though. I was about 40 years old and I had no insurance. He did both eyes for free. Try finding a doctor like that these days.
I had plenty of redness, but I was only 40 at the time. It was to be expected. Only thing they had at the time was mono. That was 28 yrs ago. No problems since. My grandmother had them as well as my dad and brother. I was the oldest to have them done.
I got a single vision monofocal lens for distance to avoid halos, glare, starbursts, etc.. Prior to surgery, I was told I’ll likely need to use reading glasses, and in the future, I may develop a “secondary cataract” that can easily be taken care of in a few minutes at an office visit. However, I was not told anything about “negative dysphotopsia,” which in simple terms is a shadow or dark area in your peripheral vision. There’s about a 20% chance you’ll get this side effect, which may or may not go away on its own. If you’re considering cataract surgery, ask your surgeon about negative dysphotopsia. It’s 9 months after my surgery, and it hasn’t “gone away”.
@@treborrrrr First and foremost, it’s better than trying to see through a cataract. It's not a disability, however, it’s disappointing that I don’t have my entire field of view clear. To illustrate, while looking straight ahead, place the tip of your finger at the side of your eye to where you can just see it. Now imagine seeing that all the time.
@@generic_official OK, thanks. That doesn't sound too terrible. I have something similarish right now. I have a swelling on my retina that comes and goes which causes a flickering shadow in my periphery. It's annoying, but I can live with it.
"They" don't tell or discuss a lot of things. For example, if you have a single focus lens, what distance would you like to be optimal. (I ended up being a bit farsighted in both eyes which, if you think about it, is stupid.
I got multi focal lens after being very very near sighted. My vision is now 20/20. Far and near. Very little glare at night. Can drive with no vision problems. It’s the perfect lens for me with no problems since 5 /2023.
I'm 57 now and had my eye surgery in 2017. I couldn't handle glasses (which I'd been using for around 8 years) or contacts (about 2 years). Most places I'd researched seemed to indicate that the rings and starbursts are filtered out by your brain after about 11 months. Certainly now, I don't experience them anymore, and I'm fortunate to have excellent near, middle and distance vision.
@sachita3900 I have fixed trifocal lenses. The biggest drawback is that I can't pull focus on any way. What I see is it. If I'm at a distance between 2 focal lengths, then my sight is blurred, and the only fix is to move slightly. I'm a software consultant, and the only time this happens, that I've noticed, is if I'm sitting with someone else at their computer: my distance to the screen is off because I'm at the side rather than directly in front of the screen. It's an easy fix, and the people I work with know why, so it's not an issue.
Thanks for sharing that. I was devastated when I heard the suggestions on getting LASIK after 40 wasn't the best choice. LASIK can't correct presbyopia. I'm 45, however, that seems extreme, so I'll wait till I actually have cataracts.
Wish these were available 3 years ago. My eye doctor (not an MD) was worthless when it came to questions about which lenses I should get. I ended up with the middle choice out of 3 choices. I ended up with decent ability to see far but they made me me extremely farsighted. I have readers in every room, purse, car, office, etc. Its really debilitating for me especially with my new forgetfulness. Whatever you do in cataract surgery.....get the best lens offered. Costs a bit more but the additional cost is offset by happiness!
I have the Crystalens in my eyes. At the time, December 2014, it was the only lens approved in the US that could potentially enable focus, though there were no guaranties. I also had a Capsulotomy and touchup lasek surgery to bring my vision to 20/20. Prior to my cataract surgery, I used reading glasses. Once, I found my reading glasses by my desk at home and I realized that I had not used them in weeks, and I did not notice because I no longer needed them. I have been fortunate with the results I experienced with these lenses and they continue to perform very well after getting them in December 2014. One thing noticed by some is that they sometimes can see the lens move as they focus. I also notice that I see movement in a magnifying mirror when I shine a light in my eye. I do not notice the lens movement as I look at things and I am still amazed I see 20/20 and can read small print up close. An additional change is that, as a wrist watch collector, I can once again wear and see the small complications of my mechanical watches, including tiny date windows without any reading glasses. Again, your results may differ.
I feel mine shifting around constantly. Sometimes I forget and think I have contact lenses in. I can see the edges of the lens just like contacts. It's nice to wake up and be able to see the clock right away. But a PITA to keep putting reading glasses on and off, and remember to take them OFF when I drive.
@@argusfleibeit1165 Perhaps, a follow up visit with your Dr is in order. The only thing I have is often, others can see the lense move as my eyes focus. I don't see edges or notice the lenses move. I don't use reading glasses, even with tiny text and I se 20/20.
I am excited to hear about advancements in lens replacements. I hope it will be possible for many patients who have already had cataract surgery, to replace their existing lenses again.
My guess is that if your current lenses are providing good performance they will not risk further surgery to implant the new technology. That would probably be considered "not medically necessary".
@@rgrgggr9852 I’ve no idea. Don’t know if it’s something they’ve developed the tech for this but I’d sure be happy to get it if it were available. At intersections on a 4 lane road, with my double vision I’ve got 4 bright headlights shining in my eyes and at least 4 taillights in addition to the stop lights. Add in headlights in my rear-view mirror and it’s overpowering.
Last year I chose a lense to correct my astigmatism and give me mid and far range vision. THAT was my mistake. I can't read labels or perform any near work without some corrective lenses. I had the option to choose the other option where I would only need correction for driving. At the time I was imagining a retire life of leisure but that didn't happen.
It's exciting reading about all the new lenses on the horizon. With so many videos on RUclips, the amount of information and personal stories help a lot in making informed choices. I had my first eye surgery this week and after three days couldn't be happier. The surgery for the other eye is scheduled in 1 1/2 weeks. I opted to get toric lenses and wholeheartedly believe that I made the correct choice, after doing my research. The $11k cost is something I debated at first ($8k for the lenses and $3k for the laser-assist), but as I only have one set of eyes, I didn't want cost to be the defining factor in my decisions. To all of you getting this surgery in the future, I wish you all the best and hope that you have equally successful surgery and results.
I got the Vivity lenses. Life changing and best $15k I've ever spent. Should have done it ten years sooner....except the lenses weren't in the US at that point.
@@AnAZPatriotcan you read or see in the mirror close without glasses? My mom had vivity in her right eye and left is scheduled for next monday, but so far she is unable to read a book, phone or see in mirror good with that eye. Its blurry for her. Distance is good tho. Shes says her old eye is clearer up close than new vivity eye so far.
@jaderock5051 It solved my vision where I was wearing -9.0 contact lenses and was needing reading glasses to read anything. Now I'm almost perfect, only needing very thin glasses to drive at night, and need a bit more light like from my phone's screen to read a menu in a dimly lit restataunt. Otherwise, I drive in the daytime without corrective lenses, and don't need glasses to read even the tiniest of print on, say, an ingredient list on the back of a soup can at the grocery store.
I love how you present this information in a very easy to follow format. I also love the new technology that’s coming out in ophthalmology. I do have a question as to how long it takes for new implant to attach to the ciliary structures in the eye, and enable the implant to work properly, for near and far distances.
I think mine was about a couple weeks after implanting the lens. I had to sleep with an eye covering to protect the eye from possibly rubbing it in my sleep for about 7-10 days.
I literally just got my cataract surgery today and i found this video. Decided to go with monofocal lenses because i didn't want to lose colour contrast and deal with halos at night. Hopefully in the future the risk are low for replacing new lenses and the technology are better.
@@jamescalifornia2964 with monofocal, you can also wear contact lens on one eye if glasses are annoying in some situations. That's my plan when i do outdoor activities.
I'm 70. At age 35 I developed a cataract without any indication as to why. At the time there was only 1 lens offered. I was covered under my Ontario healthcare in Canada (OHIP). The lens has done its job and was better than my remaining natural lens for clarity and colour. In fact, being a graphic designer and continually tasked with matching colours under different light condition, I quickly discovered that the IOL implant had no tint at all and my natural lens added a yellowy hue over everything. Now at 70 I am developing a cataract in my other eye. The surgeon told me I had two choices, the free one covered by OHIP or a $400 alterative that was "better". I thought that the free one was probably better than the one I had already after 35 years, and he agreed that it was a good lens. No pressure. I feel comfortable in his care. With "free" (nothing is actually free) healthcare I have to wait a year. My cataract isn't bad and my other eye is perfect so no problem. I was surprised to find that the "better" lens would allow me to get the operation scheduled right away with perhaps a few weeks wait. Still $400 to move to the front of the cue with a better lens seems cheap, but also sus.
Great explanation of what "accomodation" is and how these new lenses function. Very clear and interesting presentation! Thanks very much for your work....
Thank you for the interesting update. I think improving today's available lens is a high hurdle. It's very early, yet I am thrilled with my panoptix lens installed over the last two weeks. For me, the disadvantages so far are way overstated and being 20 20 near and far is wonderful, even if not equal to my 20 year old eyes.
I had Crystal Lenses in both eyes about 10 years ago. I can see near 20/20 in both eyes at distance, 20/20 intermediate and better than 20/20 near vision in both eyes. Maybe I am an exception, but I took the eye exercises seriously worked hard to achieve the near vision results. One thing that may have helped is having Lasik surgery back in the 90's. Doesn't matter, I am very happy with my vision.
@@karezaalonso7110 Lasik in the 1990's--correcting vision-by modifying the cornea. Then around 2015, patient required cataract surgery to correct vision-by replacing the lens itself. That's my uneducated guess!!! My only qualification is wearing eyeglasses-seemingly since birth!
Back in about 1995 my doctor made the first mention of my cataracts, which were just beginning. He said that the good news was that by the time I needed a replacement the Crystalens would be approved. Every subsequent visit I heard the update that it still wasn't available, was still too new to be sure, et cetera. He took a serious interest in the possibilities of an accommodating lens because of my profound myopia and astigmatism. Then, I went to a zero carbohydrate diet and the cataract development stopped dead in its tracks and even improved. Hard to believe that that was thirty years ago. The good news is that I still have my natural ones intact, though the cataracts resumed development after I resumed a typical American diet. Now I'm thinking I'll probably be dead before I need the replacements.
Doctor Lee, as I understand it, the muscles that allow for natural focusing atrophy by the late 50s. So what good does it do to have accommodating IOL lenses that depend on those muscles?
The impression I got was that that type of lens implant is more sensitive to the weaker accommodation muscles and therefore aids in focus that natural lenses or rigid implants cannot.
According to my Doctor, I have a few years before I need to think about cataract surgery, but it's nice to know that my vision might actually improve. It will be weird having worn corrective lenses since childhood to be able to go without any correction.
@@Ukie88 I already have 4 pairs: in my purse, next to my reading chair, and one at each job. If I can live without wearing glasses or contact lenses all day every day, I'll get even more readers.
@@peetabrown5813Looking at things up close is possible, for example I can put my phone or a book 1ft in front of my face and read it. It is however easier on the eyes and clearer to keep it around the 2ft distance. On a side note my vision is much better now than without glasses prior to surgery at every distance.
I'm loving monovision after about a year. The only thing I wear glasses for is using a computer, with both eyes corrected to -1.25. I wanted one eye at computer distance but the surgeon talked me out of it. It was probably a good decision since wearing glasses when using a computer is more convenient than when using a phone or reading. I do have a pair for full correction at distance, but only wear them when driving in unfamiliar places where I want to be able to read road signs at great distance. Anyone who is worried about not handling monovision should get a pair of glasses or contacts with appropriate corrections and try it out for a few weeks when first diagnosed with cataracts (before they get bad). Assuming you have almost no focusing ability left, which is true for most people at that point, it will be basically the same.
That's a great idea to get a pair of glasses that simulate monovision BEFORE any surgery. That's not in the usual pipeline of steps for a cataract surgeon's office. Most people don't know what monovision would be like because they've never tried it. It's different! Even though it was a bit of a stab in the dark not knowing what to expect, it's what I opted for, and I'm OK with it (though I still need intermediate glasses and prefer to use distance glasses for driving - one lens is clear).
@@davidmartin123 These days you can get a good pair of glasses online with any correction you want for $20 (more if you need strong correction and/or prism), so there's no reason not to try first. I find that I take about ten seconds to "adjust" when switching between monovision and full distance correction or computer distance. Otherwise, I'm not even aware of it.
I got Panoptix Toric lenses this year. Prefect vision near, mid, and far. I do have some haloing but don’t mind it at all. Best decision ever. No more glasses or contacts again.
I have panoptix multi focal for over 3 years 20/20 far and near no glasses can red fine print on drug packages. The halo and starburst driving at night does not bother me after I got use to them I will take that over having to keep up with reading glasses
Thanks for this very clear, comprehensive and hype-free account of current experimental efforts! It tells me not to hope for a workable fluid-filled lens just yet. Maybe this will always be the lens of the future...
Cataract surgery requires a simple choice, and many people utterly fail to make the right one. I had a surgeon who presumably just figured that everyone wanted "distance" lenses, but I had a lifetime with excellent "near" vision. NO WAY ON EARTH would I give that up, period. Who on EARTH needs "distance" vision, especially at the advanced age that most cataract surgery patients are getting this done? Are they "outside" all the time, hunting or doing whatever on Earth they need good distance vision for? Or are they mostly going to be "inside" most of the time -- reading, using smartphones, looking at computer screens, reading ingredient labels in the store, and so on? Most people are going to be using NEAR vision, for most of what they will be doing. GRAB THOSE GLASSES WHEN YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR, instead of reaching for them EVERY SINGLE TIME DURING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU WANT TO READ SOMETHING. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. I kept my good near vision with near vision lenses, and my distance vision improved so much that I was able to remove the "corrective lenses" requirement on my driver's license, for the first time in my life. Still, I use sunglasses while driving as needed, and I use normal glasses when driving in the dark or driving on the freeway. Otherwise, I DON'T WEAR GLASSES AT ALL. You don't need to pay for expensive lenses to get "perfect" vision -- just choose the lenses that will fit most of your needs most of the time. And you sure don't need "distance" lenses to see anything while you are "inside" a building. Sure, we're all different, but most of the people who I've tried to explain this to wouldn't budge from getting distance lenses -- and after the fact, every single one has told me that they have regretted their choice. All I can tell you is that I would rather NOT wear glasses at all. Which is how I live my life around 95% of the time, now.
This is very interesting, as I had similar thoughts (I have 20/15 at a very close distance). Being able to see everything well but far distance would be really great.
Hmm not that easy, depends on your initial eyesight issues AND some of us old people are active, fit, and will live longer than you inside, couch potatoes.
Yep, I sprung for distance and it almost completely corrected my needing reading glass issues. Just need glasses for night driving as well. Wouldn't change a thing.
I'm not concerned about distance, and my optician also told me if I want to keep my near vision, (my super power) to go with near vision lens, when it comes time to have cataract surgery. tance.
I don’t have cataracts but at 57, I long to have my accomodation back. I use multifocal glasses, but my work as a field engineer requires me to be able to see close up above my head (where my glasses provide distance vision.) It drives me crazy! My question for Dr Chua, is the accomodation reflex to the cillary muscle preserved after decades of presbyopia? I assumed that the muscle would atrophy and the reflex would be lost after the lens hardens. Does it take time for the reflex to recover?
I have a crystallens HD in my right eye. Biggest mistake I ever made. Do yourself a favor, don't rush out and get any multifocal lens. The laser surgeries performed to correct it caused several PVDs, and 16 tears and detachments on my retina. I now have a silicone strap around my eyeball trying to stop any future detachments. I wish I could join a class action suit against the manufacturer .
And if your teeth go south science is your friend - All on 5 upper and all on 4 lower dentures. Buy the ceramic zirconia dentures, the PanOptix lenses and a couple stents in the widowmaker and rock on. I'm expecting to be struck by lightning or hit by a bus, lol
If you click the little cogwheel-icon you will find an option to adjust the playback speed. There you can set the playback speed that suits you best, hope that helps.
Those are amazing. Eye doctor said I have just the start of cataracts. He said maybe 10 yrs before I need surgery. When it happens I hope these will be available then.
All of this is great the problem is most insurance company’s won’t pay for them, causing out of pocket costs and most insurance companies won’t pay for laser surgery, the insurance companies rule our health care which is BS.
I had my appointment today to get laser eye surgery done, but the entire team advised against it, and suggested I go with IOL. I'm so happy to see this information, especially "recently" as this gives me hope for a glasses free life, hopefully sooner rather than later..
Thank you so much! This information is so helpful. hope I can afford these lenses through Medicare. I have severe dry eye and the surgeon who wants to do the surgery said dry out was not a big deal and that the toric lenses would solve everything. So I’m waiting to get dry eye better and will be seeing a different surgeon.
I just had lens replacement surgery (no cataracts) and also have dry eyes. I have the Synergy Tecnis Toric lenses (I'm sure I don't have the name fully correct). My surgeon plugged my tear ducts and had me take 2g of fish oil/day, plus sterile eye drops, plus warm compresses each day, then did a second set of biometry measurements. I would ask your doctor about this. Although I'm just past the 2 week mark, I don't think it fixes dry eyes. I'm going to ask for a prescription for it because the fish oil and sterile drops aren't enough. After watching someone's personal video experience with the same lenses I got, I would say dry eyes are a huge deal. I'm so thankful I had a mindful surgeon about this.
Had Lasik done in 2003 La Jolla to correct my 20/2000 vision. Went great, no halos, but now at 67 yrs old using 1.5d reading glasses typically. No cataract issues, but would be great to have a lens that would be better than typical at all distances.
I had cataract surgery on my left eye about 5 years ago. I asked my eye doctor about accommodation lenses then and he told me they were at least five years away and they wouldn't work with my eyes because I had Lasik done on them. Lasik is the issue that eye doctors always omit, but according to him, once you have had Lasik performed your options are narrowed down to only the most vanilla solutions. Maybe things have changed for the better, but I wouldn't count on it.
Thank you for the information! I had read about Juvene lens a couple of years ago, but like others, have been patiently waiting for their approval and availability. Shoot, at this point, I'd be willing to participate in the studies. Would you happen to have any contact info for them??
I have J&J lenses in both eyes. I'm grateful that they are working as they should. Still, I do miss the better than 20/20 vision I had before the onset of cataracts. I am hoping the technology will be there in a few years that I can get them replaced. Of course, I'll have to unchain myself from Kaiser Permanente, first.
So, I'm a little confused because I've had a lens implanted in my eye for almost twenty years that gives superb distance and intermediate vision and really good close up. Only in very dim light do I need to reach for a pair of reading glasses. Interestingly, even though this lens was made in the USA, it has never been approved by the FDA despite having European approval for over twenty years. What lens is it? Lenstec Tetraflex. It works absolutely great! I was so fortunate to have had my cataract surgery in the UK, where I was able to have these lenses implanted with no issue instead of having to rely on much inferior multi-focal lenses. It's absolutely disgusting that Americans are deprived of this solution. Chalk up another win to US bureaucracy!
I had my surgery about 8 years ago. I didn't want to take risks and maybe have to redo the surgery. I chose single vision distance lenses with astigmatism correction. Not only is my distance vision better than when I was young, but I only need glasses to see small print or for long periods of reading. Not having to wear glasses at all seems like a great experience. I don't know what I would choose if I had surgery today.
I had Crystal Lens IOL in my left eye due to a scar from my a nasty eye infection that kept me from getting LASIK. I was farsighted in both eyes prior to surgery (I had LASIK on my right eye). After surgery, my dr told me that it’s really a crap shoot on the prescription and they try to get you as close to 20/20 as possible. Well he ended up overshooting and the lens made me nearsighted, but he said the upside was that I wouldn’t need reading glasses in the future. I was ticked about this because I felt he was a little cavalier about this. The surgery was in 2006 and my vision has regressed a little and I do need glasses at times. As for the eye with the IOL, that nearsightedness doesn’t really help anything. It has always messed me up when it came to sports (I’ve been a lifelong athlete) and I wished he would have under shot the script and left it farsighted because now that my LASIK eye has regressed, I get headaches due to each eye doing their own thing instead both being farsighted prior to surgery.
Fascinating. One assumes that the muscles automatically stop when focus is achieved via feedback from the brain ? Or do these lenses have to be crafted to match the muscle response of the patient ?
I hate my results. My close vision is at least twice as bad as before the surgery. I only needed 1.5 diopter reading glasses to read. My vision was clear from about 3 feet to 100 feet. Farther than 100 feet was a bit fuzzy. Now I need 3.0 diopter reading glasses everywhere. I can’t even see to shave. I can’t prepare food without glasses. I can’t see things on the floor without glasses. Sure distance vision is good, but I spend most of my time indoors. Extremely frustrated.
I spoke with my doctor about these new IOL’s and she quickly responded by saying she would not consider using them because there had been no long term studies to determine whether the fluid used inside the lens will stay clear over a long period of time. I found her objection surprising but not unexpected. Like many doctors reaching the end of their career she is very reluctant to try new treatments. And yet she has no problem using the latest diagnostic equipment when examining her patients. I hope I won’t need surgery until one of these new IOL’s is approved. Even then it looks like I will need to find a new doctor to perform the surgery.
I'm glad to see that there are efforts to improve IOLs. Is replacing implanted IOLs possible? I currently have fixed focus lenses which give me good distance vision, but I would consider getting them replaced someday when one of these multi-focal lenses is perfected and approved.
DON'T even think about having your monofocal lenses explanted & replaced with multifocal ones because this is even more risky than the original ops & anyway, the lenses you've got give the best vision quality!
Hey Miran-Delorian... You said you had just visited Universal Studios Hollywood... well, a lot of the movie was filmed on the backlot. The courtyard, is the Back to the Future courtyard. Its changed a lot now, as they have moved on to Ghost Whisperer. Anyway, thats why you heard the music. If you go back to Universal, take the tour and hope they are not filming in the courtyard. Enjoying you catching up on these classics
Hmmm... perhaps better to focus on IOL designs and surgical techniques that minimize adverse outcomes - dysphotopsia, Maddox rods, postcapsular wrinkles, risk of capsule rupture, retinal detachment, macular edema, postcapsular opacification, floaters after Yag laser capsulotomy, etc. Seems to me the more complex the IOL the greater the risk.
what is really needed is a way to prevent capsule fibrosis which occurs in all patients after cataract surgery. All of these lenses depend on the capsules ability to change shape to allow accommodation to occur and I suspect they will gradually be less effective as the capsule becomes progressively more rigid over time.
I just got the newest lenses. They are amazing. I see 20/20. My next hope is a good solution for floaters. I’ve always had them. Given the advances in lenses, I’m confident they’ll figure out floaters too.
yes, unfortunately surgeons oversell the advantages of these very expensive lenses. I would not want to be a guinea pig for the innovative lenses discussed in this video
me too, halos fade and don't look directly at the lights - I learned to look at the road shoulder when I got my drivers license in 1967.@@mikethomas4210
Well, AI (artificial intelligence) is on a rapid development right now, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see more emerging medical technology in a very short timeframe.
What were the effects of a YAG procedure on the Juvene IOL implant? Did it decrease the effective "accommodative" ability of the lens by changing the nature of the posterior capsular bag?
As far as I heard from doctor Uday Devgan on his RUclips channel, there was no single case of PCO in the trials so far with the Juvene IOL, which means no YAG would be needed to start with.
Thats very interesting, I had basic cataract surgery about 2 years ago and am pretty happy, only need to wear glasses for night time driving. These incredible inventions in the video look clunky, thats a lot of stuff to get inside the lens cavity, but the prelim results do look promising. Another issue is the need for other surgeries like vitrectomy and other retinal surgeries and the need to do laser repair for PCO or hazing that covers the new lens.
Doctor Chua, do you feel that at some point we wouldn't need to wait till you need to do cataract surgery to implant these? If I'm in my '50s with presbyopia and I'm nearsighted, would there be a reason you would want to wait until you need cataract surgery? Once they are selling these to the general public? Would there be a reason? A ophthalmologist would refuse to implant them with somebody who doesn't have cataracts?
Hi, great explanation, thank you. I'm 52 and 2 years ago had got implanted a fixed lens for far vision in one eye: all good except that I need 2 pair of glasses for the close distance tasks (for different distances) Now It's almost time to fix my second eye. I'm waiting hoping for tech advancement as you nicely described. I was wondering if I could change my first fixed lens to a flexible one and the ciliary muscles would still work or they might have been compromised by a standard fixed lens implant. Tank you and greetings from Milan
Time will tell if the materials that are used for the soft lens component will last for decades or not. Nice summary of where the whole field will eventually go. Unfortunately I don't think I can wait for another three years for my implant. Going through a replacement lens implant will likely be costly and have its complications. However, I'm hopeful that others will have these future benefits.
This is exciting. I remember hearing about the juvene lens about a year ago, along with a lot of other competitors. My near vision is already started to crap out on me, so maybe in 5-10 years, I could get lucky and long term results for this lens will look good and I can get back my near vision w/o reading glasses :D
I had c surgery in both eyes, five years apart. I am now 68. I can see far away so well, and even the moon doesn't have halos anymore, but as far as reading up close, I have to have a magnifying glass to read very small print and prescription bottles.
@@geofffikar3417 I'm not sure you meant to reply to me. My comment was about the juvene lens replacement, which would mimic our natural lens, giving us close vision and distance vision.
These will not help CI. Prisms or maybe vision training can help. You are not replacing a previously successfully implanted lens. The risk factors for be too high.
Lainie writes I had cataract surgery done in de 1990s due to a chronic eye infection in back of de eye which clogged de lens. The pupil of de eye stayed open, & I'm also experiencing another picture in my view or focus. I was told years ago that it was a muscle issue. I think thus far it may be something I have to live with, however i need to get surgery done in de other eye. These lenses mentioned sounds really exciting & seems be good prospective options, but what's one to do, wait for it, get what's available or do surgery all over again for a better option. Thanks though for your presentation.
As a fellow eye surgeon, I will not get too excited about accomodation lenses . Eye healing is unpredictable .My prediction is that they may work in some patients early on and fade , and the rest not at all . At a predicted astronomical cost accommodating lenses will have to compete with other premium lenses that are already working really well . I will watch this space.
I wonder one thing. I will ask my doctors about this, but I will ask here. What will be (i know getting ahead of myself) ,the options for those of us who have already had cataract surgury? I was told that removal of a lens that has been in for years is a difficult procedure. I got my surgeries done very early due to antiVegf treatment. My cataract was exploding. (also young to have DME). But I would someday like to see at all ranges of vision. Just wondering if I should hold out hope. Can these solutions be layered?
If you read some of the other threads here, quite a few of us have had it. Mine are just now 1 year old, and after living with -9.5 contact lenses for 40 years, and then needing reading glasses the last 5 years, I'm happy as heck with the Vivity. Knocked out needing reading glasses completely. I need a little more light in dimly lit restaraunts to read a menu, such as my cell phone main menu light, and I only need very thin glasses to drive at night. Cured about 95% of my vision I'd say. Miles from where I was, effectively blind once I took out my contacts for the evening.
That's right. Canadian DR. GARTH WEBB's Ocumetics tech. I was waiting for his name or lenses to come up here. Anyway, I'll be looking forward to a review of Ocumetics as well.
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Is it possible to have my lenses changed out to these new ones?
What's your thoughts on the Zeiss IOL. I'm a pilot and all I can do is distance plus toric . If you offer that and have any response I just signed up at your web. I'm William Pereira
When I had my cataract surgery several years ago, after my eye exam I was sent to a tiny room where a young lady explained the lens options I would have. When I asked what lens the doctor would recommend for my specific condition-astigmatism-she said, “…that is up you…” and went on to describe 3 lens options they were offering with a strong ‘upsell” on the most expensive lens option. To the best of my knowledge, she had no medical training or certifications. She was a “SALESPERSON” and that is how she was trained. It was like talking to a car salesperson who subtly steers you to spending more money. My guess is the doctors wanted no part of this sales ‘game’ but merely selected the lens options that would be offered and let trained sales people steer patients to the more expensive options. At least in this practice, I left feeling the medical professionals had lost their way succumbing to the lure of increased profits…😥
I had the exact same experience when I had my cataract surgeries in 2015. Fortunately, I had spent around 100 hours researching not just cataract surgery but also the plethora of available lenses, so I knew going in what lenses I'd be purchasing. She was quite surprised when I knew more about the lenses she was selling than she did, but to be fair, she didn't know much. I told her what lenses I would be purchasing and why. She was a bit red faced when we left the room. I'm sure she thought I was an insufferable know-it-all, but I didn't care... I just hoped that I'd encouraged her to inform herself more on what she was selling to help patients make a more informed decision, regardless of the len's price tag.
@@floorpizza8074how was your outcome from the surgery and what lens did you get implanted?
Which lens did you choose and why?@floorpizza8074
I had Panoptix lenses put in 9 months ago. Unlike your experience, my doctor seemed to steer me towards monovision lenses. I think it was due to the price of the lenses more than anything else. When it came to finally choosing a lens I went with Panoptix toric. I figured you got one chance to correct your vision and be glasses-free so I wasn't going to "cheap out" when it came to my vision. I did a lot of research on the Panoptix lenses before I went in for the procedure. When I was sitting in the operating room the doctor was asking me a few questions when I asked her if these were the new version of the Clarion Panoptix toric lenses. All seven medical people in the room stopped and laughed a bit because from what they said nobody asked an informed question like that. So, it may be upselling and it just might be one of the best things that that has happened to you. It is for me.@@floorpizza8074
Definately has the car dealership vibe. So many red flags….passed from person to person with no name tag. Verbal answers only, nothing in writing, just the billing. I still don’t know what brand, model of lens I purchased. I am thinking about cancelling the surgery. Doctors, dentists, vets, contractors all cover for each other. Good luck filing a complaint. Unless you have video of the doc smoking crack before surgery the medical board will take no action. Videos are prohibited in the operating room. What are they hiding.?
Had some Vivity lenses thrown into my eyeballs last year after 40 years of dealing with being effectively blind unless i had on glasses as thick as coke bottle bottoms or contact lenses. Then my presbyopia started kicking in. So had these Vivity lenses put in, and for the first time since i was 8 years old i can see again. Im impressed that it nearly knocked out the whole range of vision considering i was wearing -9.5 contact lenses, and also starting to need reading glasses. Now i dont need reading glasses at all, and the only time i need to wear glasses is at night when im driving. No halos either.
From as bad as my vision was to where it is, id say these lenses fixed 95% of my vision. Was life changing.
Good to hear. I understand that the outcome is only as good as one's practitioner. May I ask who did your surgery. Thank you.
@gemum4219 Eye Clinic of Austin, in Austin Texas. Dr. Irshad.
@@AnAZPatriot Thank you.
My husband had the same eye sight problem from a very young age. At age 79 he needed surgery and got Vivity lens and couldn’t be happier. Last year I had surgery and also got Vivity lens. Love them.
@@marthabass3383 can you read and see in the mirror without glasses? My mom just had vivity in her right eye and the left is scheduled for next monday, but we might delay it. She is not seeing as good up close to read as she can with her old eye. The distance is much improved tho.
I'll be 73 in March, never wore glasses except for readers at 2.50 strength prior to cataract surgery and at my age what am I waiting for? Cataracts rated at a low 2 on a 1 to 4 scale. Jan 3rd rt eye Jan 10 left eye. Medicare paid for cost of surgery I paid for the premium lens out of pocket. My cost was $3200 per eye plus $75 for 2 bottles of eye drops and $240 for medicare co-pay so just under $6600 is what I've spent.
Lens is Clareon PanOptix UV IOL tri-focal. I'm very happy - halos don't bother me, vision is clear, no readers and distance is crisp. My cataracts gave me a warm white view, I'd say 3000 kelvin, my new lenses are more daylight, I'd say 5000K - white is hospital white. I had a crescent shape in corner of my right eye but after about 5 days I no longer noticed it. I have similar crescent in my left eye today, one day after surgery and I expect it to diminish. My exam today was 20/20 both eyes and Dr says usually best vision comes approx 3-4 months after surgery. I'm thrilled with the results. Surgery done by Dr Pugh at Eye Associates Jeffersonville Indiana. Highly recommend Dr Pugh and his surgery center is first class. I arrived at 6:30am and was out by 9am.
Great review! Thanks for sharing all of your details 👍🏻
I'll pass this on to my family in Clarksville. Alas, I'm in Washington state. OLP 1968
I had cataract surgery this year, and got the Light Adjustable Lenses. Most of my life I wore thick, heavy glasses and was limited to 2 companies that made a contact lens that came close to correcting my vision. My astigmatism was over .9 in both eyes. While I still need glasses for reading, the world around me is clear and I no longer need correction for distance. It was expensive, but I’m beyond grateful to have this gift.
Who was your surgeon?
@@gemum4219 Dr Hindman at the Eyecare Center in Canandaigua NY. She was awesome.
@@gemum4219 Dr Hindman at the Eyecare Center in Canandaigua NY
@@gemum4219 Dr Spock
I just had the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) implanted into both eyes. I AM ONLY 51, BUT I had cataracts that were bad enough to make me struggle seeing while driving or reading my phone. Worn contacts/glasses/ readers prior to the surgery. NOW I see BETTER than 20/20 and am in the process of getting the adjustments for my near vision. NO PAIN AT ALL during the surgery, and I am extremely happy with my doctor and his staff! If someone is looking in southeast Michigan for a great office for their surgery, I can recommend Dr. Vrabec out of Clear Vision Center in Rohester Hills, Mi.
I have had my new lenses for 20 years now. I have monovision. My vision is 20/20 up close and 20/15 distance. I am very happy with that. My eye doctor said recently that these lenses would serve me for the rest of my lifetime. I think this new technology is great though. I was lucky enough to have a very prominent surgeon in Kansas City his name was Hunkeler but he is now retired. I took my patch off my first eye a couple hours after the surgery and I couldn't even tell I had an operation there was no redness or swelling of any kind and I could read signs a mile down the freeway. Amazing.
Did they use laser to make the incision or traditionally with a knife??
@@7x779 Sorry to say that I am not sure. My guess is he used a blade. I did have a yag laser done a couple of years later though. I was about 40 years old and I had no insurance. He did both eyes for free. Try finding a doctor like that these days.
@@7x779 Yes, good question.
What exact lens type was it?
I had plenty of redness, but I was only 40 at the time. It was to be expected. Only thing they had at the time was mono. That was 28 yrs ago. No problems since. My grandmother had them as well as my dad and brother. I was the oldest to have them done.
I got a single vision monofocal lens for distance to avoid halos, glare, starbursts, etc.. Prior to surgery, I was told I’ll likely need to use reading glasses, and in the future, I may develop a “secondary cataract” that can easily be taken care of in a few minutes at an office visit. However, I was not told anything about “negative dysphotopsia,” which in simple terms is a shadow or dark area in your peripheral vision. There’s about a 20% chance you’ll get this side effect, which may or may not go away on its own. If you’re considering cataract surgery, ask your surgeon about negative dysphotopsia. It’s 9 months after my surgery, and it hasn’t “gone away”.
Do you find that it's something that is a disability in your daily life? Do you think it's something you will get used to over time?
@@treborrrrr First and foremost, it’s better than trying to see through a cataract. It's not a disability, however, it’s disappointing that I don’t have my entire field of view clear. To illustrate, while looking straight ahead, place the tip of your finger at the side of your eye to where you can just see it. Now imagine seeing that all the time.
@@generic_official OK, thanks. That doesn't sound too terrible. I have something similarish right now. I have a swelling on my retina that comes and goes which causes a flickering shadow in my periphery. It's annoying, but I can live with it.
@@generic_official So it’s like a vignette ?
"They" don't tell or discuss a lot of things. For example, if you have a single focus lens, what distance would you like to be optimal. (I ended up being a bit farsighted in both eyes which, if you think about it, is stupid.
I got multi focal lens after being very very near sighted. My vision is now 20/20. Far and near. Very little glare at night. Can drive with no vision problems. It’s the perfect lens for me with no problems since 5 /2023.
$8000 for both eyes including laser assist. PanOptix lens. 😃😃😃
Can you read with each eye separately? or with just bother together? Or is one eye for distance and the other for reading?
I'm 57 now and had my eye surgery in 2017. I couldn't handle glasses (which I'd been using for around 8 years) or contacts (about 2 years). Most places I'd researched seemed to indicate that the rings and starbursts are filtered out by your brain after about 11 months.
Certainly now, I don't experience them anymore, and I'm fortunate to have excellent near, middle and distance vision.
@NickHolt__2201 which lenses did you select. Your results are encouraging!
@sachita3900 I have fixed trifocal lenses. The biggest drawback is that I can't pull focus on any way. What I see is it. If I'm at a distance between 2 focal lengths, then my sight is blurred, and the only fix is to move slightly. I'm a software consultant, and the only time this happens, that I've noticed, is if I'm sitting with someone else at their computer: my distance to the screen is off because I'm at the side rather than directly in front of the screen. It's an easy fix, and the people I work with know why, so it's not an issue.
Thanks for sharing that. I was devastated when I heard the suggestions on getting LASIK after 40 wasn't the best choice. LASIK can't correct presbyopia. I'm 45, however, that seems extreme, so I'll wait till I actually have cataracts.
Wish these were available 3 years ago. My eye doctor (not an MD) was worthless when it came to questions about which lenses I should get. I ended up with the middle choice out of 3 choices. I ended up with decent ability to see far but they made me me extremely farsighted. I have readers in every room, purse, car, office, etc. Its really debilitating for me especially with my new forgetfulness. Whatever you do in cataract surgery.....get the best lens offered. Costs a bit more but the additional cost is offset by happiness!
..providing affordability is not an issue - otherwise indebtedness may increase UNHAPPINESS!
Your optometrist is not trained in eye surgery like an ophthalmologist is, so of course they were "worthless" - it's not in their area of expertise!
I have the Crystalens in my eyes. At the time, December 2014, it was the only lens approved in the US that could potentially enable focus, though there were no guaranties. I also had a Capsulotomy and touchup lasek surgery to bring my vision to 20/20. Prior to my cataract surgery, I used reading glasses. Once, I found my reading glasses by my desk at home and I realized that I had not used them in weeks, and I did not notice because I no longer needed them. I have been fortunate with the results I experienced with these lenses and they continue to perform very well after getting them in December 2014. One thing noticed by some is that they sometimes can see the lens move as they focus. I also notice that I see movement in a magnifying mirror when I shine a light in my eye. I do not notice the lens movement as I look at things and I am still amazed I see 20/20 and can read small print up close. An additional change is that, as a wrist watch collector, I can once again wear and see the small complications of my mechanical watches, including tiny date windows without any reading glasses. Again, your results may differ.
I posted my results which are similar to yours. I have excellent vision and had it done around the same time as you.
I feel mine shifting around constantly. Sometimes I forget and think I have contact lenses in. I can see the edges of the lens just like contacts. It's nice to wake up and be able to see the clock right away. But a PITA to keep putting reading glasses on and off, and remember to take them OFF when I drive.
@@argusfleibeit1165 Perhaps, a follow up visit with your Dr is in order. The only thing I have is often, others can see the lense move as my eyes focus. I don't see edges or notice the lenses move. I don't use reading glasses, even with tiny text and I se 20/20.
I am excited to hear about advancements in lens replacements. I hope it will be possible for many patients who have already had cataract surgery, to replace their existing lenses again.
My guess is that if your current lenses are providing good performance they will not risk further surgery to implant the new technology. That would probably be considered "not medically necessary".
I have a bad astigmatism in my right eye. I’d get lenses to correct that in a heartbeat!
@@cj3720 but do they accept to replace it?
@@rgrgggr9852 I’ve no idea. Don’t know if it’s something they’ve developed the tech for this but I’d sure be happy to get it if it were available. At intersections on a 4 lane road, with my double vision I’ve got 4 bright headlights shining in my eyes and at least 4 taillights in addition to the stop lights. Add in headlights in my rear-view mirror and it’s overpowering.
Last year I chose a lense to correct my astigmatism and give me mid and far range vision. THAT was my mistake. I can't read labels or perform any near work without some corrective lenses. I had the option to choose the other option where I would only need correction for driving. At the time I was imagining a retire life of leisure but that didn't happen.
It's exciting reading about all the new lenses on the horizon. With so many videos on RUclips, the amount of information and personal stories help a lot in making informed choices. I had my first eye surgery this week and after three days couldn't be happier. The surgery for the other eye is scheduled in 1 1/2 weeks. I opted to get toric lenses and wholeheartedly believe that I made the correct choice, after doing my research. The $11k cost is something I debated at first ($8k for the lenses and $3k for the laser-assist), but as I only have one set of eyes, I didn't want cost to be the defining factor in my decisions. To all of you getting this surgery in the future, I wish you all the best and hope that you have equally successful surgery and results.
I got the Vivity lenses. Life changing and best $15k I've ever spent. Should have done it ten years sooner....except the lenses weren't in the US at that point.
Wow. I wish mine was as successful as yours?
My factors failed me. Everyday I cry too sleep.
@@AnAZPatriotcan you read or see in the mirror close without glasses? My mom had vivity in her right eye and left is scheduled for next monday, but so far she is unable to read a book, phone or see in mirror good with that eye. Its blurry for her. Distance is good tho. Shes says her old eye is clearer up close than new vivity eye so far.
@jaderock5051 It solved my vision where I was wearing -9.0 contact lenses and was needing reading glasses to read anything. Now I'm almost perfect, only needing very thin glasses to drive at night, and need a bit more light like from my phone's screen to read a menu in a dimly lit restataunt. Otherwise, I drive in the daytime without corrective lenses, and don't need glasses to read even the tiniest of print on, say, an ingredient list on the back of a soup can at the grocery store.
I’m curious if the cililary muscle suffers from atrophy as you get older. Or does it keep fighting the stiff lens and maintains its strength.
I love how you present this information in a very easy to follow format. I also love the new technology that’s coming out in ophthalmology. I do have a question as to how long it takes for new implant to attach to the ciliary structures in the eye, and enable the implant to work properly, for near and far distances.
Great question.
I think mine was about a couple weeks after implanting the lens. I had to sleep with an eye covering to protect the eye from possibly rubbing it in my sleep for about 7-10 days.
I literally just got my cataract surgery today and i found this video. Decided to go with monofocal lenses because i didn't want to lose colour contrast and deal with halos at night. Hopefully in the future the risk are low for replacing new lenses and the technology are better.
Good luck, hope the surgery goes well and you recover quickly
I did the same. Too many complications with premium IOLs. I do not mind wearing eyeglasses to correct for near vision. `👀" 👌
@@jamescalifornia2964 with monofocal, you can also wear contact lens on one eye if glasses are annoying in some situations. That's my plan when i do outdoor activities.
I'm 70. At age 35 I developed a cataract without any indication as to why. At the time there was only 1 lens offered. I was covered under my Ontario healthcare in Canada (OHIP). The lens has done its job and was better than my remaining natural lens for clarity and colour. In fact, being a graphic designer and continually tasked with matching colours under different light condition, I quickly discovered that the IOL implant had no tint at all and my natural lens added a yellowy hue over everything. Now at 70 I am developing a cataract in my other eye. The surgeon told me I had two choices, the free one covered by OHIP or a $400 alterative that was "better". I thought that the free one was probably better than the one I had already after 35 years, and he agreed that it was a good lens. No pressure. I feel comfortable in his care. With "free" (nothing is actually free) healthcare I have to wait a year. My cataract isn't bad and my other eye is perfect so no problem. I was surprised to find that the "better" lens would allow me to get the operation scheduled right away with perhaps a few weeks wait. Still $400 to move to the front of the cue with a better lens seems cheap, but also sus.
Great explanation of what "accomodation" is and how these new lenses function. Very clear and interesting presentation! Thanks very much for your work....
Thank you for the interesting update. I think improving today's available lens is a high hurdle. It's very early, yet I am thrilled with my panoptix lens installed over the last two weeks. For me, the disadvantages so far are way overstated and being 20 20 near and far is wonderful, even if not equal to my 20 year old eyes.
I had Crystal Lenses in both eyes about 10 years ago. I can see near 20/20 in both eyes at distance, 20/20 intermediate and better than 20/20 near vision in both eyes. Maybe I am an exception, but I took the eye exercises seriously worked hard to achieve the near vision results. One thing that may have helped is having Lasik surgery back in the 90's. Doesn't matter, I am very happy with my vision.
I'm confused why would someone do both LASIK and also lenses ?
@@karezaalonso7110 Lasik in the 1990's--correcting vision-by modifying the cornea. Then around 2015, patient required cataract surgery to correct vision-by replacing the lens itself. That's my uneducated guess!!! My only qualification is wearing eyeglasses-seemingly since birth!
Back in about 1995 my doctor made the first mention of my cataracts, which were just beginning. He said that the good news was that by the time I needed a replacement the Crystalens would be approved. Every subsequent visit I heard the update that it still wasn't available, was still too new to be sure, et cetera. He took a serious interest in the possibilities of an accommodating lens because of my profound myopia and astigmatism.
Then, I went to a zero carbohydrate diet and the cataract development stopped dead in its tracks and even improved.
Hard to believe that that was thirty years ago. The good news is that I still have my natural ones intact, though the cataracts resumed development after I resumed a typical American diet.
Now I'm thinking I'll probably be dead before I need the replacements.
carnivore is THE way!
Doctor Lee, as I understand it, the muscles that allow for natural focusing atrophy by the late 50s. So what good does it do to have accommodating IOL lenses that depend on those muscles?
Same question!
The impression I got was that that type of lens implant is more sensitive to the weaker accommodation muscles and therefore aids in focus that natural lenses or rigid implants cannot.
@ZoyaSpencer I've had 2 surgeons tell me that by our late 50s, ability to focus is gone, so accommodating lenses are a waste of money.
@@tsbrownie Well, that's a bummer, then.
Your natural lense is hard and not flexible anymore
According to my Doctor, I have a few years before I need to think about cataract surgery, but it's nice to know that my vision might actually improve. It will be weird having worn corrective lenses since childhood to be able to go without any correction.
But you may need readers.
You'll be constantly looking for your glasses and trying to drive with them on. Don't do that. Ask me how I know.
@@Ukie88 I already have 4 pairs: in my purse, next to my reading chair, and one at each job. If I can live without wearing glasses or contact lenses all day every day, I'll get even more readers.
This is phenomenal news. Also, you show a great deal of excitement . For a few moments there I thought you were going to pop from excitement.
I just had the EDOF lens called Vivity. My vision after just 4 days from 2ft to extreme distance is great.
Can you still see closer than 2ft and read without glasses?
@@peetabrown5813Looking at things up close is possible, for example I can put my phone or a book 1ft in front of my face and read it. It is however easier on the eyes and clearer to keep it around the 2ft distance.
On a side note my vision is much better now than without glasses prior to surgery at every distance.
I have had Vivity for a couple years now. Love them.
That's good to hear. That's one of the lenses I'm considering, although probably not for a year or so yet.
good to find someone who has actually done that. Any issues at night, or with reduced contrast?
Great, concise presentation of IOL options!
I'm loving monovision after about a year. The only thing I wear glasses for is using a computer, with both eyes corrected to -1.25. I wanted one eye at computer distance but the surgeon talked me out of it. It was probably a good decision since wearing glasses when using a computer is more convenient than when using a phone or reading. I do have a pair for full correction at distance, but only wear them when driving in unfamiliar places where I want to be able to read road signs at great distance.
Anyone who is worried about not handling monovision should get a pair of glasses or contacts with appropriate corrections and try it out for a few weeks when first diagnosed with cataracts (before they get bad). Assuming you have almost no focusing ability left, which is true for most people at that point, it will be basically the same.
That's a great idea to get a pair of glasses that simulate monovision BEFORE any surgery. That's not in the usual pipeline of steps for a cataract surgeon's office. Most people don't know what monovision would be like because they've never tried it. It's different! Even though it was a bit of a stab in the dark not knowing what to expect, it's what I opted for, and I'm OK with it (though I still need intermediate glasses and prefer to use distance glasses for driving - one lens is clear).
@@davidmartin123 These days you can get a good pair of glasses online with any correction you want for $20 (more if you need strong correction and/or prism), so there's no reason not to try first.
I find that I take about ten seconds to "adjust" when switching between monovision and full distance correction or computer distance. Otherwise, I'm not even aware of it.
I got Panoptix Toric lenses this year. Prefect vision near, mid, and far. I do have some haloing but don’t mind it at all. Best decision ever. No more glasses or contacts again.
I had the same iol done in February. So far so good. I learned to deal with the glaring problems (night driving).
I have panoptix multi focal for over 3 years 20/20 far and near no glasses can red fine print on drug packages. The halo and starburst driving at night does not bother me after I got use to them I will take that over having to keep up with reading glasses
Thanks for this very clear, comprehensive and hype-free account of current experimental efforts! It tells me not to hope for a workable fluid-filled lens just yet. Maybe this will always be the lens of the future...
Cataract surgery requires a simple choice, and many people utterly fail to make the right one. I had a surgeon who presumably just figured that everyone wanted "distance" lenses, but I had a lifetime with excellent "near" vision. NO WAY ON EARTH would I give that up, period. Who on EARTH needs "distance" vision, especially at the advanced age that most cataract surgery patients are getting this done? Are they "outside" all the time, hunting or doing whatever on Earth they need good distance vision for? Or are they mostly going to be "inside" most of the time -- reading, using smartphones, looking at computer screens, reading ingredient labels in the store, and so on? Most people are going to be using NEAR vision, for most of what they will be doing. GRAB THOSE GLASSES WHEN YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR, instead of reaching for them EVERY SINGLE TIME DURING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU WANT TO READ SOMETHING. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.
I kept my good near vision with near vision lenses, and my distance vision improved so much that I was able to remove the "corrective lenses" requirement on my driver's license, for the first time in my life. Still, I use sunglasses while driving as needed, and I use normal glasses when driving in the dark or driving on the freeway. Otherwise, I DON'T WEAR GLASSES AT ALL. You don't need to pay for expensive lenses to get "perfect" vision -- just choose the lenses that will fit most of your needs most of the time. And you sure don't need "distance" lenses to see anything while you are "inside" a building. Sure, we're all different, but most of the people who I've tried to explain this to wouldn't budge from getting distance lenses -- and after the fact, every single one has told me that they have regretted their choice. All I can tell you is that I would rather NOT wear glasses at all. Which is how I live my life around 95% of the time, now.
This is very interesting, as I had similar thoughts (I have 20/15 at a very close distance). Being able to see everything well but far distance would be really great.
Hmm not that easy, depends on your initial eyesight issues AND some of us old people are active, fit, and will live longer than you inside, couch potatoes.
Yep, I sprung for distance and it almost completely corrected my needing reading glass issues. Just need glasses for night driving as well. Wouldn't change a thing.
I'm not concerned about distance, and my optician also told me if I want to keep my near vision, (my super power) to go with near vision lens, when it comes time to have cataract surgery.
tance.
This has to be one of the most helpful comments I’ve seen yet!
I don’t have cataracts but at 57, I long to have my accomodation back.
I use multifocal glasses, but my work as a field engineer requires me to be able to see close up above my head (where my glasses provide distance vision.) It drives me crazy! My question for Dr Chua, is the accomodation reflex to the cillary muscle preserved after decades of presbyopia? I assumed that the muscle would atrophy and the reflex would be lost after the lens hardens. Does it take time for the reflex to recover?
I have a crystallens HD in my right eye. Biggest mistake I ever made. Do yourself a favor, don't rush out and get any multifocal lens. The laser surgeries performed to correct it caused several PVDs, and 16 tears and detachments on my retina. I now have a silicone strap around my eyeball trying to stop any future detachments. I wish I could join a class action suit against the manufacturer .
Great! I’m 51 and experiencing these issues with my eyes.
Impressive video. Your explanations are clear and easy to understand. Thanks so much!
Thank you for this news Dr. Chia, excellent video!
Exciting news. As someone whose getting close to 50 I’m going need science to advance faster than my already deteriorating vision! 😅
And if your teeth go south science is your friend - All on 5 upper and all on 4 lower dentures. Buy the ceramic zirconia dentures, the PanOptix lenses and a couple stents in the widowmaker and rock on. I'm expecting to be struck by lightning or hit by a bus, lol
Good luck. I fear I will be dead before they sort out accommodating lenses.
That Juvene lens looks pretty cool because supposedly, you can change the lens out if they get the prescription wrong or if anything changes.
Very well done Doctor.
May I suggest that you slow down a little bit to allow old folks like me to take this information in better.
Thanks.
If you click the little cogwheel-icon you will find an option to adjust the playback speed. There you can set the playback speed that suits you best, hope that helps.
My wife's eye surgeon gave her monovision without even asking or telling her... not what she was expecting at all. But it is working okay.
Those are amazing. Eye doctor said I have just the start of cataracts. He said maybe 10 yrs before I need surgery. When it happens I hope these will be available then.
All of this is great the problem is most insurance company’s won’t pay for them, causing out of pocket costs and most insurance companies won’t pay for laser surgery, the insurance companies rule our health care which is BS.
I had my appointment today to get laser eye surgery done, but the entire team advised against it, and suggested I go with IOL. I'm so happy to see this information, especially "recently" as this gives me hope for a glasses free life, hopefully sooner rather than later..
Thank you Dr Chua, very insightful and very well explained. Ima sign up for your newsletter.
Thank you so much! This information is so helpful. hope I can afford these lenses through Medicare. I have severe dry eye and the surgeon who wants to do the surgery said dry out was not a big deal and that the toric lenses would solve everything. So I’m waiting to get dry eye better and will be seeing a different surgeon.
I just had lens replacement surgery (no cataracts) and also have dry eyes. I have the Synergy Tecnis Toric lenses (I'm sure I don't have the name fully correct). My surgeon plugged my tear ducts and had me take 2g of fish oil/day, plus sterile eye drops, plus warm compresses each day, then did a second set of biometry measurements. I would ask your doctor about this. Although I'm just past the 2 week mark, I don't think it fixes dry eyes. I'm going to ask for a prescription for it because the fish oil and sterile drops aren't enough. After watching someone's personal video experience with the same lenses I got, I would say dry eyes are a huge deal. I'm so thankful I had a mindful surgeon about this.
Very worthwhile video. Accommodation lenses.
What about the risk of retinal detachment?
Had Lasik done in 2003 La Jolla to correct my 20/2000 vision. Went great, no halos, but now at 67 yrs old using 1.5d reading glasses typically. No cataract issues, but would be great to have a lens that would be better than typical at all distances.
I had cataract surgery on my left eye about 5 years ago. I asked my eye doctor about accommodation lenses then and he told me they were at least five years away and they wouldn't work with my eyes because I had Lasik done on them. Lasik is the issue that eye doctors always omit, but according to him, once you have had Lasik performed your options are narrowed down to only the most vanilla solutions. Maybe things have changed for the better, but I wouldn't count on it.
Thank you for the information! I had read about Juvene lens a couple of years ago, but like others, have been patiently waiting for their approval and availability. Shoot, at this point, I'd be willing to participate in the studies. Would you happen to have any contact info for them??
I have J&J lenses in both eyes. I'm grateful that they are working as they should. Still, I do miss the better than 20/20 vision I had before the onset of cataracts. I am hoping the technology will be there in a few years that I can get them replaced. Of course, I'll have to unchain myself from Kaiser Permanente, first.
With glasses it is better than 20/20 right?
So, I'm a little confused because I've had a lens implanted in my eye for almost twenty years that gives superb distance and intermediate vision and really good close up. Only in very dim light do I need to reach for a pair of reading glasses.
Interestingly, even though this lens was made in the USA, it has never been approved by the FDA despite having European approval for over twenty years.
What lens is it? Lenstec Tetraflex. It works absolutely great!
I was so fortunate to have had my cataract surgery in the UK, where I was able to have these lenses implanted with no issue instead of having to rely on much inferior multi-focal lenses.
It's absolutely disgusting that Americans are deprived of this solution. Chalk up another win to US bureaucracy!
I had my surgery about 8 years ago. I didn't want to take risks and maybe have to redo the surgery. I chose single vision distance lenses with astigmatism correction. Not only is my distance vision better than when I was young, but I only need glasses to see small print or for long periods of reading. Not having to wear glasses at all seems like a great experience. I don't know what I would choose if I had surgery today.
Excellent summary and overview of new lens technology, and of the basic natural functioning of the accomodation process that naturally occurs.
I had Crystal Lens IOL in my left eye due to a scar from my a nasty eye infection that kept me from getting LASIK. I was farsighted in both eyes prior to surgery (I had LASIK on my right eye). After surgery, my dr told me that it’s really a crap shoot on the prescription and they try to get you as close to 20/20 as possible. Well he ended up overshooting and the lens made me nearsighted, but he said the upside was that I wouldn’t need reading glasses in the future. I was ticked about this because I felt he was a little cavalier about this. The surgery was in 2006 and my vision has regressed a little and I do need glasses at times. As for the eye with the IOL, that nearsightedness doesn’t really help anything. It has always messed me up when it came to sports (I’ve been a lifelong athlete) and I wished he would have under shot the script and left it farsighted because now that my LASIK eye has regressed, I get headaches due to each eye doing their own thing instead both being farsighted prior to surgery.
Thank you! Question: are any of these new lenses good for astigmatism?
It looks like they all have a fixed lens in addition to the "adjustable" one, so I'm assuming they could correct any defect.
A video on icl options for myopia would be great
Will these new lenses also be able to correct myopia?
Fascinating. One assumes that the muscles automatically stop when focus is achieved via feedback from the brain ? Or do these lenses have to be crafted to match the muscle response of the patient ?
I hate my results. My close vision is at least twice as bad as before the surgery. I only needed 1.5 diopter reading glasses to read. My vision was clear from about 3 feet to 100 feet. Farther than 100 feet was a bit fuzzy. Now I need 3.0 diopter reading glasses everywhere. I can’t even see to shave. I can’t prepare food without glasses. I can’t see things on the floor without glasses. Sure distance vision is good, but I spend most of my time indoors. Extremely frustrated.
Which lenses did you use?
I spoke with my doctor about these new IOL’s and she quickly responded by saying she would not consider using them because there had been no long term studies to determine whether the fluid used inside the lens will stay clear over a long period of time. I found her objection surprising but not unexpected. Like many doctors reaching the end of their career she is very reluctant to try new treatments. And yet she has no problem using the latest diagnostic equipment when examining her patients. I hope I won’t need surgery until one of these new IOL’s is approved. Even then it looks like I will need to find a new doctor to perform the surgery.
I'm glad to see that there are efforts to improve IOLs. Is replacing implanted IOLs possible? I currently have fixed focus lenses which give me good distance vision, but I would consider getting them replaced someday when one of these multi-focal lenses is perfected and approved.
DON'T even think about having your monofocal lenses explanted & replaced with multifocal ones because this is even more risky than the original ops & anyway, the lenses you've got give the best vision quality!
@@TOMLINBISHthe original surgery is the most common surgery performed in world . Risky? Are you an ophthalmologist?
Fantastic video! Best explanation of all of this. Much appreciated. :)
I see so many pre‐IOl patients who think they won't need any spectacles after surgery! Most get some type of corretion after the surgery.
Hey Miran-Delorian... You said you had just visited Universal Studios Hollywood... well, a lot of the movie was filmed on the backlot. The courtyard, is the Back to the Future courtyard. Its changed a lot now, as they have moved on to Ghost Whisperer. Anyway, thats why you heard the music. If you go back to Universal, take the tour and hope they are not filming in the courtyard. Enjoying you catching up on these classics
Hmmm... perhaps better to focus on IOL designs and surgical techniques that minimize adverse outcomes - dysphotopsia, Maddox rods, postcapsular wrinkles, risk of capsule rupture, retinal detachment, macular edema, postcapsular opacification, floaters after Yag laser capsulotomy, etc. Seems to me the more complex the IOL the greater the risk.
OK, that was a pretty damn fine job. Thanks.
Fantastic. Hope it works. I had surgery and not totally happy. The wide range of focus required is not well accommodated by progressive lens glasses.
That was awesome. Thank you
what is really needed is a way to prevent capsule fibrosis which occurs in all patients after cataract surgery. All of these lenses depend on the capsules ability to change shape to allow accommodation to occur and I suspect they will gradually be less effective as the capsule becomes progressively more rigid over time.
What about the ocumetics lenses? What are your thoughts about it?
I just got the newest lenses. They are amazing. I see 20/20. My next hope is a good solution for floaters. I’ve always had them. Given the advances in lenses, I’m confident they’ll figure out floaters too.
Do you have any idea when will the Juvene IOL or Omni Vue be FDA approved?
I have multi focal implants and have to say that lights haloing at night is a big problem!
yes, unfortunately surgeons oversell the advantages of these very expensive lenses. I would not want to be a guinea pig for the innovative lenses discussed in this video
I have Panoptix toric lenses in both eyes. I've learned to ignore the bright street and car headlights.
I believe it diminishes over time and mine have only been in a couple of years. I try not to drive much at night because the lights are a strain.
me too, halos fade and don't look directly at the lights - I learned to look at the road shoulder when I got my drivers license in 1967.@@mikethomas4210
I'm 60 years old. Praying they make a breakthrough by the time I hit 70.
Well, AI (artificial intelligence) is on a rapid development right now, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see more emerging medical technology in a very short timeframe.
Thanks for all you awesome info..
What were the effects of a YAG procedure on the Juvene IOL implant? Did it decrease the effective "accommodative" ability of the lens by changing the nature of the posterior capsular bag?
As far as I heard from doctor Uday Devgan on his RUclips channel, there was no single case of PCO in the trials so far with the Juvene IOL, which means no YAG would be needed to start with.
Thats very interesting, I had basic cataract surgery about 2 years ago and am pretty happy, only need to wear glasses for night time driving.
These incredible inventions in the video look clunky, thats a lot of stuff to get inside the lens cavity, but the prelim results do look promising.
Another issue is the need for other surgeries like vitrectomy and other retinal surgeries and the need to do laser repair for PCO or hazing that covers the new lens.
Doctor Chua, do you feel that at some point we wouldn't need to wait till you need to do cataract surgery to implant these? If I'm in my '50s with presbyopia and I'm nearsighted, would there be a reason you would want to wait until you need cataract surgery? Once they are selling these to the general public? Would there be a reason? A ophthalmologist would refuse to implant them with somebody who doesn't have cataracts?
Hi, great explanation, thank you. I'm 52 and 2 years ago had got implanted a fixed lens for far vision in one eye: all good except that I need 2 pair of glasses for the close distance tasks (for different distances) Now It's almost time to fix my second eye. I'm waiting hoping for tech advancement as you nicely described. I was wondering if I could change my first fixed lens to a flexible one and the ciliary muscles would still work or they might have been compromised by a standard fixed lens implant. Tank you and greetings from Milan
Time will tell if the materials that are used for the soft lens component will last for decades or not. Nice summary of where the whole field will eventually go. Unfortunately I don't think I can wait for another three years for my implant. Going through a replacement lens implant will likely be costly and have its complications. However, I'm hopeful that others will have these future benefits.
This is exciting. I remember hearing about the juvene lens about a year ago, along with a lot of other competitors. My near vision is already started to crap out on me, so maybe in 5-10 years, I could get lucky and long term results for this lens will look good and I can get back my near vision w/o reading glasses :D
I had c surgery in both eyes, five years apart. I am now 68. I can see
far away so well, and even the moon doesn't have halos anymore, but
as far as reading up close, I have to have a magnifying glass to read
very small print and prescription bottles.
@@geofffikar3417 I'm not sure you meant to reply to me. My comment was about the juvene lens replacement, which would mimic our natural lens, giving us close vision and distance vision.
Would these lenses help with convergence insufficiency?
Could someone who previously had cataract replacement surgery have those lenses replaced?
These will not help CI. Prisms or maybe vision training can help. You are not replacing a previously successfully implanted lens. The risk factors for be too high.
I am watching this from Canada. Hopefully we will get the opportunity to buy these in the next twenty years.
Lainie writes I had cataract surgery done in de 1990s due to a chronic eye infection in back of de eye which clogged de lens. The pupil of de eye stayed open, & I'm also experiencing another picture in my view or focus. I was told years ago that it was a muscle issue. I think thus far it may be something I have to live with, however i need to get surgery done in de other eye. These lenses mentioned sounds really exciting & seems be good prospective options, but what's one to do, wait for it, get what's available or do surgery all over again for a better option. Thanks though for your presentation.
As a fellow eye surgeon, I will not get too excited about accomodation lenses . Eye healing is unpredictable .My prediction is that they may work in some patients early on and fade , and the rest not at all . At a predicted astronomical cost accommodating lenses will have to compete with other premium lenses that are already working really well . I will watch this space.
Do these lenses correct for astigmatism?
Only certain types or subtypes. This is based on another video I just saw.
Thank you for all your help and infomation
I wonder one thing. I will ask my doctors about this, but I will ask here. What will be (i know getting ahead of myself) ,the options for those of us who have already had cataract surgury? I was told that removal of a lens that has been in for years is a difficult procedure. I got my surgeries done very early due to antiVegf treatment. My cataract was exploding. (also young to have DME). But I would someday like to see at all ranges of vision. Just wondering if I should hold out hope. Can these solutions be layered?
Excellent presentation Dr. I am in NJ where are you located? I have interesting visual problems. I will be an excellent test candidate.
Very interesting Thank you. Can you do a video on scleral lens and any new therapies for asymmetric astigmatism?
Great video! What are your impressions of the vividity lens?
If you read some of the other threads here, quite a few of us have had it. Mine are just now 1 year old, and after living with -9.5 contact lenses for 40 years, and then needing reading glasses the last 5 years, I'm happy as heck with the Vivity. Knocked out needing reading glasses completely. I need a little more light in dimly lit restaraunts to read a menu, such as my cell phone main menu light, and I only need very thin glasses to drive at night. Cured about 95% of my vision I'd say. Miles from where I was, effectively blind once I took out my contacts for the evening.
I went to France for my surgery the lenses that I got were not approved by FDA in the States. I got my pilot vision back. In 2019 f the fda.
What lens did you get? I have cataracts in one eye and I’m thinking about going to Europe for surgery.
Your expression of genuine joy and happiness about these potential improvements makes me hopeful as well
Very good no need antipara
Recently I have matured cataract. Should I go for cataract surgery?
When they implant these lenses, how do you re-attach the zonules to the new lens?
That was my first question.
Wow, great info. Thank you!
In addition to the cost of the lenses is the cost of laser vs manual procedure. Which one that you recommend as laser is an additional cost?
Good talk but what are the other two lenses that you tease in the title?
Can you review the Ocumetics Lens?
That's right. Canadian DR. GARTH WEBB's Ocumetics tech. I was waiting for his name or lenses to come up here. Anyway, I'll be looking forward to a review of Ocumetics as well.