The Toric AcrySof Intraocular Lens

Cataract Surgery: The Basics

Cataracts are a common eye disorder that is characterized by a cloudiness of the natural lens of the eye. The result is hazy or blurred vision. In addition to cataracts, patients may have other refractive problems such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) or astigmatism. Correcting cataracts can only be done with the surgical removal of the cataract lens.

Dr. Ilan Cohen performs thousands of cataract surgeries and The Fifth Avenue Eye Center treats a wide variety of cases ranging from simple to extremely complex. In typical cataract surgery, the cataract lens is replaced with an intraocular lens. A standard intraocular lens will correct the hazy vision caused by the cataract, but it will not provide perscription vision correction. Without the use of a modern lens like Toric, glasses or contact lenses are needed after surgery with standard lens implants to correct refractive errors.

Toric Lenses: Treatment for Cataracts and Astigmatism:

In order to potentially abandon glasses and contact lenses after cataract surgery, patients need to choose a lens implant that is designed to address refractive errors. There are a number of different intraocular lenses to choose from, and Dr. Ilan Cohen can discuss your options with you. The AcrySof Toric IOL is specially designed to correct astigmatism, as well as near or farsightedness, for cataract patients. This lens implant can restore single-distance vision after cataract surgery in those who had pre-existing astigmatism.

A corneal astigmatism occurs when the cornea is not perfectly round. One side of the curve is steeper than the other like a football. This causes light to focus at more than one point in the back of the eye, which creates blurred vision. Most eyes with refractive error have some level of astigmatism. The Toric IOL is designed to correct for this vision defect by focusing the light scattered by the astigmatism.

Benefits of AcrySof Toric IOL:

Toric contact lenses are generally used to treat astigmatism, and there are several other types of Toric IOLs available as well. The AcrySof Toric IOL, however, is uniquely beneficial because of the AcrySof material. The patented AcrySof material is made from acrylic, and unlike other hard plastic intraocular lenses, it can be folded and inserted into the eye through a tiny incision. The benefit of a tiny incision is that sutures are typically not necessary for closure. Additionally, AcrySof IOLs are easier for surgeons to handle than silicone implantable lenses, making surgery safer. Studies have shown that the risk of post-operative complications using AcrySof IOLs is reduced in comparison to silicone lens implants.

AcrySof Toric IOLs have an additional benefit over standard implantable lenses. Besides vision correction, these lens implants also protect against UV blue light by approximating the natural yellowing of the crystalline lens with age. The yellow tint of the lens implant filters blue light, which can be damaging to the retina and can cause loss of vision. This feature does not alter color perception and may enhance it.

Other Treatment Options:

Corneal astigmatism in cataract patients is also commonly treated with astigmatic keratotomy (AK). In this procedure, strategic limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs) are made in the cornea to reshape it to be more spherical. After the eye heals, better visual acuity can be expected. The Toric IOL can be used as an alternative to astigmatic keratotomy for cataracts patients. Because the Toric IOL is implanted during the cataract surgery, it can potentially prevent the need for additional AK surgery in the future. Those who have severe astigmatism may need to have AK surgery even after cataract surgery with AcrySof Toric IOL, however. As with all surgeries, there is the potential for some complications. Infection and the lens rotating out of position are the two main risks with Toric IOL, which can be discussed with the surgeon.

Visit the Fifth Avenue Eye Center to find out if the AcrySof Toric IOL is right for you. Dr Ilan Cohen has extensive experience with this procedure, and is our patient's best information resource. He will explain your options for surgery and determine if you are a candidate for premium lenses during your evaluation.