Crystalens implants

[Cbee35]

Third week in August I (72 yrs old) got a Crystalens implant in right eye. One week later received Crystalens implant in left. The right eye is very good at all distances. The left eye is blurry indoors in artificial light but ok outdoors and good for close up. I live primarily indoors. I used mono vision contacts for many years prior to cateract surgery using the left eye for the reading Rx. Perhaps that is why focusing for distance is takes more adjustment, but it is not improving.Consideration was given to explanting the left lens and replacing it with a less myopic lens, however Crystalens does not recommend explanting, but does advise lazar treatment for the clouding in the capsule, which could improve it. However I understand once lazar treatment is done explantation cannot be done. I realize the longer this lens is in the more complicated explantion is. I am in a quandry as to whether to go ahead with the LAG or risk insisting on explantation.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

If you can get by the way you are and especially if when you wear glasses you can use both eyes together, then I would advise my patients not to have the surgery and just wear the glasses when needed. On the average crystalens patients wear glasses 10-20% of the time.

If you were insistent on doing something to the left eye I would consider LASIK to make it less myopic rather than explanting the IOL.

JCH III MD