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Pros and cons between silicone and acrylic lenses
I would like your opinion on silicone vs. acrylic lenses used after cataract removal and if it will cause conflicts if I have one of each. Two months ago I had the cataract removed from my left eye. My doctor used an acrylic high clarity lens. Since the surgery I have had a problem with flickering and a dark ark in my side vision. The intensity of the flickering has diminished but the flickering still happens every day several times a day.
It is time to do the right eye. I have talked to my doctor about the side effects after surgery on my left eye and she said that we might try a silicone lens next time. That it is a little more difficult to place and that there would be a larger incision to place it but it may help prevent the dark ark and flickering from happening when we do the right eye. I am very concerned that if the flickering happens in my right eye, too, that it will compromise my vision and ability to read. I drive for a living so my vision is very important.
I also have other complications. A very small diopathic paraforeal telangrectasia has been diagnosed in my left eye. We are watching it hoping it will correct itself. Also, the pressure was up to 30r/36l eye when the retinal specialist checked my pressure. I have Glaucoma in my family history so he put me on Xalatan. My Cataract doctor said that having the silicone lens might make it harder to do lasering if it is needed in the future
I hope I haven’t made this too convoluted to follow. I would appreicate any insight you could give me I would like to make an informed choice about which lens to use for my right eye.
It is time to do the right eye. I have talked to my doctor about the side effects after surgery on my left eye and she said that we might try a silicone lens next time. That it is a little more difficult to place and that there would be a larger incision to place it but it may help prevent the dark ark and flickering from happening when we do the right eye. I am very concerned that if the flickering happens in my right eye, too, that it will compromise my vision and ability to read. I drive for a living so my vision is very important.
I also have other complications. A very small diopathic paraforeal telangrectasia has been diagnosed in my left eye. We are watching it hoping it will correct itself. Also, the pressure was up to 30r/36l eye when the retinal specialist checked my pressure. I have Glaucoma in my family history so he put me on Xalatan. My Cataract doctor said that having the silicone lens might make it harder to do lasering if it is needed in the future
I hope I haven’t made this too convoluted to follow. I would appreicate any insight you could give me I would like to make an informed choice about which lens to use for my right eye.
The Tecnis lens that Dr. Hagan referred to is an aspheric monofocal IOL. Go to www.tecnisiol.com and check out the patient education video; it's quite interesting and informative. I believe that the Tecnis lens comes in both acrylic and silicone.
Is the TECNIS® IOL a monofocal or multifocal IOL? I am not sure what aspheric means? Does that refer to shape of the lens or to it being a monofocal or multifocal lens? My cataract doctor blames tha dark arch in my side vision on the fact that the lens I have in my left eye has square edges that is fitting into a round area. The corner of the lens fold back on it's self forming the arch.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Both silicone and acrylic IOLs are excellent and neither material is clearly superior than the other. Any and almost all IOLs can have glare, arching, halos, flaring etc after cataract surgery. Most of these symptoms get better with time. I don't think its fair to say that silicone is less likely to cause the problems but a different IOL in your case may be a good idea. If you ever had a retinal detachment and needed silicone oil to help in the repair it may damage your silicone IOL but not the acrylic IOL.
There are three aspheric IOLs on the market by B+L, AMO and Alcon to reduce your problems. Our practice uses the Technis IOL with good success.
Your glaucoma is a much bigger threat to your vision than the type of IOL. You should be under the ongoing care of an Eye MD that does glucoma. You need a full work up: visual field, Optic nerve OCT, gonioscopy, optic nerve photographs, corneal central thickness measurement and frequent IOP meansurments (each 3-4 months).
If I were having cataract surgery done on me I would chose a Technis IOL.
JCH III MD
There are three aspheric IOLs on the market by B+L, AMO and Alcon to reduce your problems. Our practice uses the Technis IOL with good success.
Your glaucoma is a much bigger threat to your vision than the type of IOL. You should be under the ongoing care of an Eye MD that does glucoma. You need a full work up: visual field, Optic nerve OCT, gonioscopy, optic nerve photographs, corneal central thickness measurement and frequent IOP meansurments (each 3-4 months).
If I were having cataract surgery done on me I would chose a Technis IOL.
JCH III MD
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