crystalens inplant

[wanttoseewell]

How successful the far-, intermediate-, near sight correction with the Crystalens inplant?

I'll have a cataracts surgery in a week, and trying to find the best multifocal lens.  Currently I have 20/40 vision in one eye and 20/50 in the other.  I need to have new prescription every other year.  I am confused about patients' experiences regarding the multifocal lenses. Is the Crystalens worth the $2400 extra per eye, and does it really work as well as the brochures and videos hipe it?  I really hope after spending that much that I would not need glasses for intermediate, nor reading range.  I love to read and spend a lot of time on the computer.  Is there any frequent complications with the Crystalens?

Once I'll have the cataracts removed, and if I would choose mono lense IOL, would I still need new glasses so frequently?

Please advise which multifocal lense is the over all "winner" and is the $2400 per eye is a reasonable charge in the South (in Louisiana)?

Thanks in advance,
EM

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear wanttoseewell,

No lens implant is perfect; however, the crystalens and multifocal lenses give a person a greater range of vision.  No lens is able to correct all three distances perfectly.  Your doctor should discuss with you which one is best given the activities that you do and your personality.

Dr. Feldman

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California

[jump007]

I got my cataracts done last year in April and May.
My reasoning to go for the Crystalens HD was the hope that I get good or at least some accommodation (hopefully not needing reading glasses at all). If that did not occur, I would have basically the same outcome as aspheric monofocal.
What I have now is: I need rarely reading glasses (only very small print or when light is low. And in good light I have 20/25 vision.
I don’t think the accommodation is working well. When I am working long time on the computer, the refocussing on other distances can be a struggled and I get my reading glasses. And, I believe that my good range is because the Dr. put in 0.5 difference in the second implant. This comes out as a mini monovision.

I went for the extra expenses just for the hope that it may work well. If not so be it. If I couldn’t   afford it, I would have gone for the standard (mini monovision) aspheric lenses.

Hence, I would do it again, if I hadn’t gotten another problem outcome; Negative Dysphotopsia, which appears like as if you can see the edges of the lenses. I got used to it by now (it is like you actually ware glasses and you can see the frame). This seems not to be a problem that occurs with Chrysalens only.

[JodieJ]

My impression is that in the best case scenario, the Crystalens can provide excellent distance and intermediate vision and some reading ability.  You would probably need glasses for prolonged reading or seeing small print.  You might get similar results from aspheric monofocal IOLs set for mini-monovision.  It's very important to find a surgeon who is experienced with the Crystalens.  (Check their website.)

I think that your frequent need for new glasses is related to your developing cataracts.

[caren123]

My experience with the crystalens was not good.  
the surgeon had the power wrong, the lens settled in the forward position, and I had retina complications where before surgery the retina had a macular pucker that the surgeon knew about.  If you do choose this lens, find a surgeon who is acknowledged by the crystalens center of excellence.  According to the literature, most do not need glasses.  What they don't say is that 51 percent do not need glasses - that certainly could be called "most" if you are writing an advertisement, but to me a  50/50 chance is not worth $2600. I am sure that if it is done right from the beginning, it could be a good lens choice, but that was not the case with me.

[yarrow]

There is a lot of information on this board, but I don't think you are going to find a summary as complete as you want in any single answer here.  I suggest going to the "search this forum" box at the upper right of this screen, and typing in something like 'crystalens outcome' or 'crystalens satisfaction' and so on.

You can also do a google search using terms like 'crystalens satisfaction."  Your research will be time-consuming, and you may want to postpone your cataract surgery until you have gathered more information.  One week is a very short period to learn so much.