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Non-correcting IOLs vs. Crystalens, ReZoom or ReSTOR lenses
I'm 51, in fairly good health, have cataract surgery scheduled for 5/15 & have already had 2 laser surgeries to repair retinal detachments in that eye. (I posted on the post-op floater thread earlier today.)
I'm very nearsighted, astigmatic & now presbyopic. That eye's vision is very poor & I'm worried spending $2500 on a Crystalens (plus $$$ more for subsequent Lasik to fine tune) makes no sense for me. My cataract/Lasik doctor is highly regarded, but after 5 minutes with a support staffer, I was handed a Crystalens brochure. I knew I was being "upsold" & tried to resist the sales pitch. After spending a total of 15 minutes with me the Doc recommended the Crystalens as my best option (surprise!). I caved in & shuffled out of her office feeling dazed & soon-to-be-broke. And hopeful it would all work out OK.
After reading this & other patient forums, I'm considering delaying surgery or having a lens implanted that either doesn't correct my vision or is at least covered by Blue Cross PPO insurance. My questions are, are potential complications the same for all IOL's? Even the non-correcting type? Am I being paranoid and/or cheap? Are my $400 progressive/transitions lens glasses going to be totally useless on the 16th? Thanks Very Much for any advice you can offer, Doctor.
I'm very nearsighted, astigmatic & now presbyopic. That eye's vision is very poor & I'm worried spending $2500 on a Crystalens (plus $$$ more for subsequent Lasik to fine tune) makes no sense for me. My cataract/Lasik doctor is highly regarded, but after 5 minutes with a support staffer, I was handed a Crystalens brochure. I knew I was being "upsold" & tried to resist the sales pitch. After spending a total of 15 minutes with me the Doc recommended the Crystalens as my best option (surprise!). I caved in & shuffled out of her office feeling dazed & soon-to-be-broke. And hopeful it would all work out OK.
After reading this & other patient forums, I'm considering delaying surgery or having a lens implanted that either doesn't correct my vision or is at least covered by Blue Cross PPO insurance. My questions are, are potential complications the same for all IOL's? Even the non-correcting type? Am I being paranoid and/or cheap? Are my $400 progressive/transitions lens glasses going to be totally useless on the 16th? Thanks Very Much for any advice you can offer, Doctor.
100% of the available light going to the retina.
I hate to burst your bubble, but no lens uses 100% of the light. It seems to be a little impossible since the ocular media absord small amounts.
The Array was not a monofocal. However, AMO tells us it is no longer available. 100% of the light is distributed with the ReZoom as it is a refractive optic. I do not dispute that crystalens has better intermediate than ReZoom.
I'm back - just found out I got an AcrySof foldable acrylic lens, power 21.5 D, which accounts for my progressive lens glasses still working - think that eye is now just as - if not more - nearsighted than ever. Which is fine, I can continue to use my progressive superlight lens glasses, which cost me a fortune.
Downside: my eye is still sore & feels dry & scratchy (especially in the mornings) but all is as expected. Nothing too bad. Upside: That icky dark yellowish haze is no longer blurring or darkening my world anymore & the halos around all lights are much diminished. My floaters aren't as noticable amazingly enough, I can see every pore & freckle on my hands, arms, face without glasses (hmmm, maybe that's a downside) but using my glasses, can see every leaf on the trees across the street. Everything has a precise clarity I'd forgotten existed.
I found a helpful book today by Dr. Robert Abel called The Eye Care Revolution, wherein he outlines the cause, treatment & prevention of eye conditions & diseases. Wish I'd read it when it came out in '04, but I probably wouldn't have taken the bushel of recommended supplements, lost all my excess weight & reduced/stopped drinking wine then anyway. I sure will now, though!
If changing my lifestyle can delay or prevent another cataract surgery, I'll try it. My surgery wasn't terrible but also not that fun & will cost me big bucks in co-pays. Luckily work at home for my husband now. Would have been very tough to go right back to work after this. Drove a bit on Thursday but it tired my eyes out & needed to rest most of the day afterwards. I'm taking it easy until next week, as instructed by my eye doc. Sure is hard not bending over or picking things up, though. Turns out I drop stuff all the time...
Oh - Dr. Abel's website in case anyone is interested: http://www.eyeadvisory.com/index.cfm
In summary he strongly advocates living & eating as healthy as possible to increase overall & therefore eye health. No brainer, I know, but I seem to be cursed with self-destructive urges. My 83 yr old mother has eaten fresh, natural foods all her life & doesn't have cataracts, isn't overweight, isn't senile, most serious health problem was a benign cyst over one eye. No heart trouble, cancer, nada. Her parents & siblings all died fairly young of cancer, fyi. My 83 yr old dad drinks regularly, never wore hats or sunglasses, eats meat like a caveman, at 65 had a quadruple bypass, since then several skin cancers dug out of his face, arms, legs & now has degenerative rheumatoid arthritis & is bent over w/age. I assume he has cataracts too but he never complains anymore, says he's shot, so what's the diff. His sister & brother ate like frat boys & drank like fish & both had detached retinas & cataracts, both dead of cancer/alcholism-related diseases in their 70's, so in my family I've seen attitude & lifestyle matters alot when it comes to health.
For what it's worth, folks. Good luck to y'all!
Downside: my eye is still sore & feels dry & scratchy (especially in the mornings) but all is as expected. Nothing too bad. Upside: That icky dark yellowish haze is no longer blurring or darkening my world anymore & the halos around all lights are much diminished. My floaters aren't as noticable amazingly enough, I can see every pore & freckle on my hands, arms, face without glasses (hmmm, maybe that's a downside) but using my glasses, can see every leaf on the trees across the street. Everything has a precise clarity I'd forgotten existed.
I found a helpful book today by Dr. Robert Abel called The Eye Care Revolution, wherein he outlines the cause, treatment & prevention of eye conditions & diseases. Wish I'd read it when it came out in '04, but I probably wouldn't have taken the bushel of recommended supplements, lost all my excess weight & reduced/stopped drinking wine then anyway. I sure will now, though!
If changing my lifestyle can delay or prevent another cataract surgery, I'll try it. My surgery wasn't terrible but also not that fun & will cost me big bucks in co-pays. Luckily work at home for my husband now. Would have been very tough to go right back to work after this. Drove a bit on Thursday but it tired my eyes out & needed to rest most of the day afterwards. I'm taking it easy until next week, as instructed by my eye doc. Sure is hard not bending over or picking things up, though. Turns out I drop stuff all the time...
Oh - Dr. Abel's website in case anyone is interested: http://www.eyeadvisory.com/index.cfm
In summary he strongly advocates living & eating as healthy as possible to increase overall & therefore eye health. No brainer, I know, but I seem to be cursed with self-destructive urges. My 83 yr old mother has eaten fresh, natural foods all her life & doesn't have cataracts, isn't overweight, isn't senile, most serious health problem was a benign cyst over one eye. No heart trouble, cancer, nada. Her parents & siblings all died fairly young of cancer, fyi. My 83 yr old dad drinks regularly, never wore hats or sunglasses, eats meat like a caveman, at 65 had a quadruple bypass, since then several skin cancers dug out of his face, arms, legs & now has degenerative rheumatoid arthritis & is bent over w/age. I assume he has cataracts too but he never complains anymore, says he's shot, so what's the diff. His sister & brother ate like frat boys & drank like fish & both had detached retinas & cataracts, both dead of cancer/alcholism-related diseases in their 70's, so in my family I've seen attitude & lifestyle matters alot when it comes to health.
For what it's worth, folks. Good luck to y'all!
Honey, you need to take your crown off and do some serious homework....way off base on ReZoom!!! Where are you getting your numbers?
Crystalens is declining in popularity and marketshare week after week. Yes it can work, but much lower statistics 20% or so I am told by the surgeons that are using it, so surgeon has to be top notch.
Crystalens is declining in popularity and marketshare week after week. Yes it can work, but much lower statistics 20% or so I am told by the surgeons that are using it, so surgeon has to be top notch.
Shame on you - You have made the array ALMOST a monofocal lens, clever use of re-distributing your zones. You do not have 100% of light rays deduicated to the area of focus that you are trying to see. Who are you trying to convice? The truth is you cannot hold a candela to the crystalens when it comes to distance or intermdiate vision.
This is not supposed to be an industry forum to bash competing companies, please keep this forum for which is was intended, patient resources.
This is not supposed to be an industry forum to bash competing companies, please keep this forum for which is was intended, patient resources.
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