Multifocal Lenses

If you’re suffering from blurred vision and have to wear glasses, multifocal intraocular lenses could be the solution you’ve been looking for.

Cataracts are an age-related disease that clouds the lens of the eye and leads to a decrease in vision or visual quality. Symptoms can include sensitivity to light, the fading of colors, or double vision. Surgical procedures for cataracts are relatively safe, and eyesight improves soon afterward.  Cataract surgery with standard or toric lens implants can often correct distance vision and eliminate the need for glasses to see far away.  But they cannot provide a solution for presbyopia.

Presbyopia occurs when the crystalline lens in the eye loses its flexibility, preventing it from quickly changing shape to focus light onto the retina when looking at close objects like a book or a phone. Developing presbyopia after removing cataracts is a post-surgical inevitability because the new artificial lens cannot change shape.  So the patient requires bifocals or reading glasses for the rest of their lives. But recent technological advances have created multifocal lenses, and now these patients have the opportunity to improve their lives drastically by correcting far AND near vision.

An introduction to intraocular lenses

One of the benefits of an intraocular lens (IOL) is that once implanted, it provides consistent improvements to vision. During cataract surgery, the eye’s organic lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. IOLs are made out of plastic, silicone, or acrylic and can be rigid or soft.

Multifocal IOLs and the benefits they provide

A multifocal IOL can provide vision across a range of distances, proving far more versatile than just the one range of visual clarity provided by a monofocal lens. They differ from monofocal lenses in that their surface is etched with concentric rings to improve near, intermediate, and far-distant vision. 

Multifocal lenses are great for seeing far away (driving), mid-range (computers), and up close (reading), and they don’t require replacement or upkeep of any kind. This frees you from cumbersome eyeglasses or contact lenses that require cleaning and regular maintenance and allows you to live an active, glasses-free life. 

Before your surgery, your doctor will perform a painless ultrasound to measure the size and shape of your eyes. Then, they’ll talk with you about your daily activities and interests to determine the best type of IOLs for you. 

Please note that multifocal lenses are not for everyone, which is why it is essential to determine if they’ll be a good fit for your lifestyle. Though they offer fantastic flexibility, multifocal lenses generate a slight loss in clarity with distance vision and can result in halos around lights. These types of lenses are often incompatible for specific careers or leisure activities, such as piloting an aircraft.

To see if multifocal lenses are right for you or to schedule a consultation, call Eye Specialists of Louisiana at 255-768-7777.