The implantable lens is made of a proprietary, optically clear biocompatible material that is similar to materials used for soft contact lenses. Though the PresbyLens has its CE mark and is approved for sale in Europe, it is considered an investigational device in the U.S. and is currently limited by federal law to investigational use only.
U.S. clinical trial of PresbyLens begins
April 8, 2010Tecnis multifocal IOL helps most patients see clearly without glasses after cataract surgery
April 1, 2010Cataracts are a leading cause of correctable vision impairment among older Americans. But until recently, if you underwent cataract surgery to restore your driving vision, you still needed to wear bifocals or reading glasses for near vision. With modern refractive cataract surgery and the use of multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs), that’s beginning to change.
Study finds wavefront-guided LASIK with IR safe, effective for LASIK enhancements
March 30, 2010When LASIK surgery fails to provide adequate uncorrected visual acuity, or patients are bothered by glare or other LASIK complications, a second LASIK procedure (called a LASIK retreatment or “enhancement”) sometimes is recommended. In a recent issue of Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice, a team of ophthalmology researchers reported the results of a study that evaluated outcomes of LASIK retreatments performed using wavefront-guided LASIK with iris registration (IR).
Study reveals long-term outcomes of LASIK and PRK for high myopia
March 25, 2010A 10-year study of outcomes of LASIK and PRK for the correction of greater than –10 diopters (D) of myopia reveals many patients still need prescription eyeglasses to see clearly. Lens-based refractive procedures, such as phakic IOL implantation, are now more popular than laser vision correction for the surgical treatment of high myopia.
Study reveals long-term risk of secondary cataract after cataract surgery
March 23, 2010Cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in the United States. According to the National Eye Institute, more than 1.8 million cataract surgeries are performed each year, and that number is growing with the number of aging Americans. In most cases, patients who undergo cataract surgery regain their vision once the cataract is removed and an intraocular lens (IOL) is implanted in its place.
PRK safe, effective for hyperopia and accommodative esotropia, study finds
March 18, 2010PRK may eliminate the need for prescription eyeglasses and straighten the eyes of young adults with low to moderate hyperopia and purely accommodative esotropia, according to a new study. Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine (Atlanta, Ga.) performed a retrospective chart review of 40 patients ages 17 to 39 years who underwent bilateral photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) to eliminate their dependence on glasses.
New multifocal IOL approved
March 16, 2010Abbott (Des Plaines, Ill.) announced last week it has received FDA approval for its new one-piece Tecnis Multifocal IOL for cataract patients with and without presbyopia. Also, the new multifocal IOL has received “presbyopia-correcting IOL” status by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), giving Medicare beneficiaries the option to receive the Tecnis Multifocal IOL during cataract surgery for an additional fee to cover the extra cataract surgery cost.
LASIK eye infections are rare, study finds
March 11, 2010Eye infections after LASIK are rare, but early detection and management of post-LASIK infectious keratitis is critical to saving vision, according to a new large-scale study of LASIK risks. Researchers in Spain reviewed the medical files of 107,613 patients who underwent primary or enhancement LASIK procedures from September 2002 to May 2008 at a single surgical center. A total of 204,586 eyes were included in the study.
Femtosecond lasers keep getting better
March 9, 2010The introduction of the first FDA-approved femtosecond laser for use in LASIK eye surgery by IntraLase Corp. in 2001 marked the beginning of blade-free, all-laser LASIK in the United States. Since then, there have been many advances in IntraLase femtosecond lasers (now sold by Abbott Medical Optics) as well as the introduction of several competing femtosecond lasers that have gained FDA approval.
Wavefront LASIK: Which type is better?
March 4, 2010You may have heard about custom LASIK — also called “wavefront LASIK.” But did you know there is more than one type of wavefront LASK? Most custom LASIK is wavefront-guided LASIK. The most popular laser platforms for wavefront-guided LASIK are AMO’s iLASIK and CustomVue excimer lasers.