| Correcting Presbyopia (Age-related loss of near focus)
Age related loss of clear focus up close is the main cause for wearing glasses in the general population and starts to be troublesome in everyone over the age of 45 years of age. Many people find that using a pair of reading glasses unsatisfying and limiting. They are often uncomfortable to wear, result in a distortion of the reading material, and are often misplaced or lost. With the Multifocal lens one has a modern artificial lens implant that enables one to be independent of spectacles.
The most typical patient to receive this lens implant is someone who is short- or long-sighted and has additionally an age-related loss of their near focus. However, those who naturally see clearly in the distance but want to get rid of their reading glasses (Presbyopia) can also choose to have this treatment. Lens exchange surgery is a treatment that has been carried out since the 1960´s in the form of cataract surgery and is a very well established and safe eye operation.
The opaque lens is replaced by a clear artificial lens implant |
With age the eyes natural lens looses the ability to focus at all distances (the so-called loss of accommodation) The reason for this is when we are younger the lens in our eye is able to change its shape in order to focus light from different distances. Our ageing into maturity results in this lens loosing it's natural flexibility (Presbyopia). Normal monofocal lens implants cannot restore this loss of accommodation, they are only able to focus light at one point, primarily in the distance. |
The Multifocal lens is designed to allow one to see in a manner similar to when the eyes natural accommodation system was still functioning. The special lens design optic creates numerous focus points to allow one to see up close as well as in the distance.
The correction of Presbyopia in addition to short- and long-sightedness make reading glasses unnecessary. However our patients must be made aware that the distribution of light over multiple focus points leads to a relative loss of visual contrast.
|
Phacoemulsification:
the lens is pulverised by means of ultrasound. |
The treatment follows two Steps. Firstly the bodies´ natural lens is removed (Phacoemulsification) followed by the implanting of this artificial lens. During Phacoemulsification a small opening is made in the lens capsule following which the lens is pulverised using ultrasounic waves, and then sucked out.
A foldable artificial lens is then placed through this hole into the capsule sack. This unfolds into the sack and is fixed into place using the two small elastic arms incorporated into the lens (shown above). |
The optimal function of the Multifocal lens is only obtained when the refractive error of the eye is fully neutralised. Should more than one dioptre of refractive error remain then a fine tuning carried out by a subsequent a LASIK treatment at around 6 weeks will rectify this.
|
