What are IOLs?
Intraocular lenses, or IOLs, are the artificial lenses that replace the eye's natural lens that is removed during cataract surgery. IOLs have been around since the mid-1960s, though the first FDA approval for one occurred in 1981. Before that, if you had cataracts removed, you had to wear very thick eyeglasses or contact lenses in order to see afterward, since the natural lens that had been removed wasn't replaced with anything.
Traditional IOLs
Traditional IOLs are monofocal, meaning they offer vision at one distance only (far, intermediate, or near). They are definitely an improvement over the cloudy lens that is replaced during surgery, which provides only blurred vision at any distance. Since traditional IOLs are meant to provide vision at only one distance (usually far away), patients usually opt to wear eyeglasses in order to see close-up for activities such as reading.
Monovision
Patients who are having cataract surgery on both eyes sometimes opt for monovision. This involves implanting an IOL in one eye that provides near vision and an IOL in the other eye that provides distance vision. The patients who do best with this method are those who are already used to monovision with contact lenses.
Multifocal Lens Implants
The new multifocal IOLs offer the possibility of seeing well at more than one distance, reducing or eliminating the need for glasses or contacts.
Possible Risks & Side Effects
- Some patients who choose a multifocal IOL report experiencing halos around lights, especially at night. For this reason, we do not recommend a multifocal IOL to patients whose activities or employment requires extensive night driving.
- As with any surgery, pain, infection, swelling, and bleeding are possible, but very few patients experience serious problems.
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