Aa
Need to hear from people who know about the Nanoflex
I am not even 30 and need cataract surgery in both eyes, so getting this right is very very important to me. I don;'t think I would be happy with any of the commonly used options, so I'm looking into lesser known ones.
The Nanoflex IOL from STAAR supposedly gave 100% of study participants 20/20 at distance (best corrected cuz they don’t always focus it perfectly) and 20/63 at near. That’s 100%, 75% of participants could see 20/40 or better at near. Supposedly when used for monovision people have 20/20 across the board. (instead of needed glasses for intermediate) Supposedly blended vision with this lens can be done in several different ways to supposedly give you perfect vision, no glasses, and you would not be able to tell that your eyes were not focused the same if done correctly.
100% of study participants could see 20/32 or better at intermediate. It certainly seems miles better than any monofocal, and pretty competetive with multifocals or crystalens with no drawbacks. The nanoflex is approved as a monofocal, but supposedly they are trying to have that changed to accommodative for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, this information comes from two small studies, both of which were paid for by the manufacturer. In addition, there are probably only 20 or 30 doctors in the country who offer this particular IOL. If it was as great as the study results indicate, I can’t imagine why it would not be the ONLY available choice for cataract surgery. In fact, I think everyone over 50 would be lining up to have it implanted for presbyopia correction as well. So, either it’s the best kept secret in the world, or the study results are not giving the whole picture. I want to know if doctors are seeing similar results in their patients, and I want to know if those results stay stable after YAG capsulotomy. There is a doctor in PA I think who advertises it on his website, but he indicates that he wants to operate on the dominant eye first to ensure crisp distance vision. He then talks about the possibility of doing LASIK afterwards if there is a refractive error. It makes me wonder if the power on this lens might be a little bit more difficult to calculate than with other monofocals. (It just seems strange that someone would advertise difficulties with power calculation in the same place they are advertising why you should come to his office and get “blended vision.”) I have called ten doctors who offer this lens so far, and have written emails to two. Both emails were not replied to. Most calls were not answered. In one office the person answering the phone insisted it was a monofocal and two pairs of glasses would be necessary. In another they stated it was FDA approved as a monofocal, but when pressed she then indicated that patients could usually read around J5 (light reading glasses only, if any at all) and then politely reminded me that it was a monofocal. In one office, office staff actually called me back two days later to inform me that the doctor would not be returning my call unless I wished to travel 500 miles to come in for a consultation. Nobody permitted me to speak with a doctor who had experience with the lens, and nobody was able to answer my questions.
The Nanoflex IOL from STAAR supposedly gave 100% of study participants 20/20 at distance (best corrected cuz they don’t always focus it perfectly) and 20/63 at near. That’s 100%, 75% of participants could see 20/40 or better at near. Supposedly when used for monovision people have 20/20 across the board. (instead of needed glasses for intermediate) Supposedly blended vision with this lens can be done in several different ways to supposedly give you perfect vision, no glasses, and you would not be able to tell that your eyes were not focused the same if done correctly.
100% of study participants could see 20/32 or better at intermediate. It certainly seems miles better than any monofocal, and pretty competetive with multifocals or crystalens with no drawbacks. The nanoflex is approved as a monofocal, but supposedly they are trying to have that changed to accommodative for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, this information comes from two small studies, both of which were paid for by the manufacturer. In addition, there are probably only 20 or 30 doctors in the country who offer this particular IOL. If it was as great as the study results indicate, I can’t imagine why it would not be the ONLY available choice for cataract surgery. In fact, I think everyone over 50 would be lining up to have it implanted for presbyopia correction as well. So, either it’s the best kept secret in the world, or the study results are not giving the whole picture. I want to know if doctors are seeing similar results in their patients, and I want to know if those results stay stable after YAG capsulotomy. There is a doctor in PA I think who advertises it on his website, but he indicates that he wants to operate on the dominant eye first to ensure crisp distance vision. He then talks about the possibility of doing LASIK afterwards if there is a refractive error. It makes me wonder if the power on this lens might be a little bit more difficult to calculate than with other monofocals. (It just seems strange that someone would advertise difficulties with power calculation in the same place they are advertising why you should come to his office and get “blended vision.”) I have called ten doctors who offer this lens so far, and have written emails to two. Both emails were not replied to. Most calls were not answered. In one office the person answering the phone insisted it was a monofocal and two pairs of glasses would be necessary. In another they stated it was FDA approved as a monofocal, but when pressed she then indicated that patients could usually read around J5 (light reading glasses only, if any at all) and then politely reminded me that it was a monofocal. In one office, office staff actually called me back two days later to inform me that the doctor would not be returning my call unless I wished to travel 500 miles to come in for a consultation. Nobody permitted me to speak with a doctor who had experience with the lens, and nobody was able to answer my questions.
I had the surgery in April of 2013. I had the Synchrony IOL implanted in Germany. I was fine until I needed YAG capsulotomies done in July of 2014, and have had severe issues ever since. Thank you for checking in on me.
re: "Only worry is that the other eye is much more 'yellow' than the 'new' one,"
I'm posting this response a bit late, but another issue might be that one is a blue blocking lens, which some patients notice distorts colors. Of course usually you aren't comparing your two eyes and merely using the result of both, and you'll just adapt to however your brain combines them over time.
I'm posting this response a bit late, but another issue might be that one is a blue blocking lens, which some patients notice distorts colors. Of course usually you aren't comparing your two eyes and merely using the result of both, and you'll just adapt to however your brain combines them over time.
re: "this time planted in the sulcus. "
I don't know for sure, but I would suspect that his means that any replacemnet lens for that would likely also need to go into the sulcus. So unfortunately
re: "proficient in using the Envista IOL"
The Envista isn't meant for placement in the sulcus:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3937253/
"Likewise, if the capsule bag breaks during surgery, this lens, like other single-piece acrylic IOLs, should not be implanted in the sulcus.59"
I don't know for sure, but I would suspect that his means that any replacemnet lens for that would likely also need to go into the sulcus. So unfortunately
re: "proficient in using the Envista IOL"
The Envista isn't meant for placement in the sulcus:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3937253/
"Likewise, if the capsule bag breaks during surgery, this lens, like other single-piece acrylic IOLs, should not be implanted in the sulcus.59"
I had the acrysof IQ sn60wf lens put in in Jan. 2016 in left eyet only. Dealt with terrible negative and positive dysphotopsias. Had 2nd opinion,waited 3 months, still bad, so the Dr. Suggested a lens exchange. I looked up several facts on dysphotopsias and what causes them. My Dr. And I discussed what to do, then he said to me that I should pick one and he would put it in. In total disbelief, how would I know what to use. So once again I researched iols that would not give this problem like the Envista MX60 from Bausch and lomb, plus in some of the reports of CRST, I found 2 Drs. In Fla. That use this lens and have no problems. But I live in Pa. And it's so difficult to find a Surgeon that uses these around me. I did find a Dr. About an hour away from me and had a consult with him. He said he never used this lens but he will get it for me. All set for the day of surgery, he discloses that he changed his mind and decided to use the B&L LI60 ao instead, this time planted in the sulcus. I have no eye problems except the cateracts. I was very hesitant but he sounded confident this was the best to get rid of my problems. But this lens is much worse than the other, being neg. & pos. Dysphotopsias plus halis, streaks, glares, 2 directional lines that intersect each other with any sort of lights, day or night and when I look towards a light source, I get a ripple of light effect that goes across the lens, like tossing an object into a pond and watch the ripples it creates. I wish he just would have tried the Envista iol. I am 1 month post op, and will be going to talk about getting this out. I'm looking for guidance on how to handle this and find someone that would be proficient in using the Envista iol
1 Comments
You're welcome. IOLs have great track records now and high level of manufacturing excellence even the basic models used in 3rd world 'cataract surgery camps". It takes some time for the eye and brain to re-calibrate the color spectrum. If both eyes have IOLs in a few months believe colors will look same or nearly same.
Hello Dr Hagan, both my eyes should now be cataract free, so I'm assuming that either neural adaptation has meant that the eye I had done last year has been influenced by the left, (before it got the implant), or there is a need for laser surgery? I realise that the incredible blue effect does fade, whatever the case. Thank-you for your reply. You are probably correct on the price for NHS lenses. I really chose a a monofocal lens for the second op after reading all your papers, and others I found.
I'm not complaining, I just wanted to be reassured that my IOLs wouldn't be any more likely to pit or to crack than more expensive ones.
I hope that in the next decade doctors will be able to roll out the method of injecting stem cells into an affected lens, which wil then l clear itself. Thank-you again.
I'm not complaining, I just wanted to be reassured that my IOLs wouldn't be any more likely to pit or to crack than more expensive ones.
I hope that in the next decade doctors will be able to roll out the method of injecting stem cells into an affected lens, which wil then l clear itself. Thank-you again.
The eye looking through the IOL is the real color. Calibrate this by looking at something you know to be white. Look at it with each eye. In the IOL eye it will be white and the cataract eye will be off white. Cataract is yellow-brown and changes color perception especially on the blue end of the spectrum. I do not know what IOL the NHS uses I suspect the cheapest they can buy.
Hello, you greatly encouraged me last year when I had my first monofocal implant on the NHS. I was troubled by floaters at the time but have adapted fairly happily to these. As my non-dominant eye had been done already and finally came out at -0.25, and vision in this eye was fairly good (astigmatism 1.0)I, despite annoying Weiss ring, I decided to have the other eye done in the same way. I was hoping night driving would be okay again as I am the main chauffeur for my teens. Op was done last Monday. Apart from shower of tiny floaters which are already abating, I am delighted and can drive in sunglasses easily and use cheap readers to read. I am very grateful to my surgeon. Only worry is that the other eye is much more 'yellow' than the 'new' one, so will ask my surgeon to check this next month. Do you know which IOLs the NHS use? Try as I might I could never discover this on the web. By the way, dry eyes much better now. Stress ref eye ops etc...seemed to be main driver for this!! All the best, Sue.
Oh, now I see above your October 2014 post of why some doctors have not liked this IOL and I would tend to think that might have the result of your choosing a different IOL option. Since it's now 2016, you may have had the surgery by now.
Did you have your cataract surgery, anomalychick? I found this thread b/c I had never heard of the "Staar nanoflex" IOL which I found a couple of articles by Dr. David Richardson on 'why I like the Staar nanoflex IOL" and I visited the Staar web site (very pretty web design but when you try to figure out WHERE they're headquartered, the address is nowhere to be found on the site.....) Then on this thread, I guess it was, I see it's in Monrovia, CA, which is I think a small town. Anyway, on the site the 'selling' point is apparently that it's made of a 'bio-friendly' substance called collamer. They also make 'preloaded' ones of acrylic or silicone.
Anyway I was wondering if you had had your surgery and it looks like there are cautionary notes regarding this IOL as well as patients' experiences who have liked them a lot.
Hope it turned out well whatever you chose.
Anyway I was wondering if you had had your surgery and it looks like there are cautionary notes regarding this IOL as well as patients' experiences who have liked them a lot.
Hope it turned out well whatever you chose.
The last I heard these were still experimental and not approved in the US. It is very hard to get reliable information.
Good point about up selling. Actually there is another place they can increase their income: By doing laser cataract surgery ie using a femtosecond laser to help with the surgery.
A correction! I gave an incorrect name. The place is called The Eye Center of La Jolla. Sorry if I've confused anyone.
- A.
- A.
Addendum to my previous post. Dr. Alborzian commented to me that very few doctors seem to want to use this lens because it is moderately priced and most of the doctors want to "up sell" to a more expensive lens as, due to the structure of the government and insurance payment system, that is the only place they can increase their income. I paid for my surgery in cash. I must say, the price I paid was much less than my previous surgery and the care and results are much better. Dr. Alborzian indicated to me that he is VERY pleased with this lens and had recently put them into his mother's eyes. So far I must concur.
I just had a Nanoflex lens installed in my right eye by Dr. Shervin Alborzian of the EyeCareClinic of La Jolla, California. I had a different lens put in my left eye earlier in the year by a different doctor. I cannot say enough good things about this lens and this doctor. I've got sharp vision from about 1 meter to the horizon. The lens in my other eye was chosen for close focus and it has a VERY limited range of focus. I wish I'd known about Dr. Alborzian and the Nanoflex before I had my first eye done.
I repeat, I cannot say enough good things about this lens in my particular experience, which is about 6 days at this point.
- A.
I repeat, I cannot say enough good things about this lens in my particular experience, which is about 6 days at this point.
- A.
Some doctors didn't like the nanoflex. These are the reasons I got.
1) Its a 1 piece IOL, which means it needs the capsule to be intact. A backup IOL is always necessary, and doctors dont see a reason to have a backup monofocal to another monofocal since on paper, they're the same IOL
2) Collamer seems to cause slightly more aggressive PCO than either silicone or acrylic. They almost definitely need a yag.
3)The soft collamer material is prone to being damaged during YAG. The laser will leave pits in the in material, and they could necessitate explantation. Some doctors did state that the pits in the material seemed to spontaneously close up after a time, and not be permanent, which is why they continued to use it.
4)Collamer is known for a recurrence of PCO. In a low percentage, the cells can cover the back of the eye AGAIN, even after the posterior capsulotomy has been done. This could necessitate a 2nd yag procedure, with additional risk of damage to the IOL.
1) Its a 1 piece IOL, which means it needs the capsule to be intact. A backup IOL is always necessary, and doctors dont see a reason to have a backup monofocal to another monofocal since on paper, they're the same IOL
2) Collamer seems to cause slightly more aggressive PCO than either silicone or acrylic. They almost definitely need a yag.
3)The soft collamer material is prone to being damaged during YAG. The laser will leave pits in the in material, and they could necessitate explantation. Some doctors did state that the pits in the material seemed to spontaneously close up after a time, and not be permanent, which is why they continued to use it.
4)Collamer is known for a recurrence of PCO. In a low percentage, the cells can cover the back of the eye AGAIN, even after the posterior capsulotomy has been done. This could necessitate a 2nd yag procedure, with additional risk of damage to the IOL.
That was it. Dr. Lewis was the one I tried to contact. The office told me to email him. When I never heard back they said he was on vacation. Then they said he must not recieved it and I should email again. This went on for months. Then they said he was too busy to get to his emails and I would just have to schedule an appointment.
Yeah, the biggest Nanoflex booster seemed to be a Dr Lewis in Philly, but I couldn't get any meaningful info from that office.
http://www.cataractphiladelphia.com/nanoflex.html
http://www.cataractphiladelphia.com/nanoflex.html
I wrote my post 2 years ago. I do remember that I was able to find two doctors who used them, but at one office nobody would speak to me at all, and at the other the office staff would try to answer questions although i was not permitted to speak with the doctor. There was also some guy in virginia I think it was, who I emailed a few times on instructons of his staff and never heard back.
Ms Jill,
When I pulled the trigger and went for my cataract surgery (Crystalens Trulign) I deleted most of my email and Bookmark/Favorite files for all the other options.
I think you may be putting the cart before the horse in trying to pre-select an IOL.
I finally decided that being close to home and support was my best option and made appointments for cataract evaluations based on recommendations from my primary MD and my Optometrist with ophthalmologists that have experience with all the IOLs, rather than a one-trick pony Dr who only implants one type. I cancelled the 3rd appointment when the first 2 told me pretty much the same thing.
Stay away from multifocals.
Best results (for MY eyes) would be with torics and laser assisted surgery.
If you have a good surgeon near you that recommends Nanoflex as best for your vision, I don't think you can go wrong.
Good luck and God bless.
When I pulled the trigger and went for my cataract surgery (Crystalens Trulign) I deleted most of my email and Bookmark/Favorite files for all the other options.
I think you may be putting the cart before the horse in trying to pre-select an IOL.
I finally decided that being close to home and support was my best option and made appointments for cataract evaluations based on recommendations from my primary MD and my Optometrist with ophthalmologists that have experience with all the IOLs, rather than a one-trick pony Dr who only implants one type. I cancelled the 3rd appointment when the first 2 told me pretty much the same thing.
Stay away from multifocals.
Best results (for MY eyes) would be with torics and laser assisted surgery.
If you have a good surgeon near you that recommends Nanoflex as best for your vision, I don't think you can go wrong.
Good luck and God bless.
And this is exactly what I wrote over a year ago! Getting information out of doctors can literally be impossible. Part of me wondered if I just didn't try hard enough back then.
I am sure I had my glasses on when I wrote the last post - perhaps I am really going blind too!
Anyhow what I meant to say was:
LOL - I have done that a lot, not just typos; I have bought stuff from supermarket shelf when I didn't have my glasses and only found out when I got home I have bought the wrong thing.
Anyhow what I meant to say was:
LOL - I have done that a lot, not just typos; I have bought stuff from supermarket shelf when I didn't have my glasses and only found out when I got home I have bought the wrong thing.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Eye Care Community
Top General Health Answerers
Kansas City, MO
Grand Prairie, TX
San Diego, CA
Discharge often isn't normal, and could mean an infection or an STD.
In this unique and fascinating report from Missouri Medicine, world-renowned expert Dr. Raymond Moody examines what really happens when we almost die.
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
When it comes to your health, timing is everything
We’ve got a crash course on metabolism basics.
Learn what you can do to avoid ski injury and other common winter sports injury.
