Crystalens™

Being able to see your world as well as you did when you were younger, without the help of glasses or contact lenses. Being seen the way you want people to see you. Youthful. Energetic. Vibrant.

Being able to see the way you want to see. Near, far and all distances in between. Seamlessly. Effortlessly.

Naturally.

Imagine all the possibilities. Imagine Crystalens™.

What is the Crystalens?
The Crystalens is a revolutionary new breakthrough in vision enhancement. It is the first and only intraocular lens (IOL) replacement that focuses like the eye's natural lens, allowing for continuous vision up close, far away and all distances in between. By using the eye's muscle to move the lens backwards and forwards naturally in response to the brain's desire to see at different distances, the Crystalens enables the eye to focus continuously and seamlessly through a range of distances. Patients experience the same vision they had when they were younger, for most without the inconvenience of corrective lenses.

What makes the Crystalens different from other intraocular lenses?
The Crystalens has the unique ability to focus on objects at varying distances using the eye’s natural muscle. This means that the Crystalens can provide sharper vision, without corrective lenses, throughout a full range of vision from near to far and everything in between. Standard (single vision) lens implants do not have the ability to provide a full range of vision. Most people who have single vision lens implants MUST wear glasses for middle and near vision.

How do I know if I am a good candidate for Crystalens implantation?
Your doctor will perform a thorough examination and advise you of a customized treatment plan for effectively correcting your vision. Virtually everyone with good general health is a candidate for implant surgery, but people with chronic infections, uncontrolled diabetes, or other health problems may have to wait until these conditions are under control prior to surgery.

People who have had prior corneal refractive surgery are acceptable candidates for Crystalens implantation as long as their eye is in good health. Talk to your doctor. If you have already had cataract surgery, you are not a candidate for the Crystalens procedure.

How long will the surgery take? Will I feel anything?
The Crystalens procedure is performed in our outpatient surgical facility. A number of topical drops will be placed in your eye and oral medications may be administered to help you relax. The eye drops anesthetize your eye and dilate your pupil. Once in the surgery suite, you will lie down on a comfortable bed, a microscope will be positioned over your eye and you will be asked to look up into the light of the microscope. The actual surgery usually takes less than 20 minutes. The surgeon will stabilize your eye with a device to keep your eyelids open. You will feel no pain, only slight pressure on your eye. All you have to do is to relax and hold still.

Once the surgery is complete, additional drops will be placed in your eye to prevent infection, decrease inflammation, and keep your pupil dilated. A patch may be placed over your eye and someone will need to drive you home. Once at home, you should rest for the remainder of the day. You should avoid any strenuous activities. Your doctor will see you the day after surgery to remove the eye patch and examine your eye. The doctor will give you additional medications that you will need to put in your eye for the next week or two. These drugs help the eye heal leaving no residual effects.

When will I be able to return to normal activities after Crystalens refractive implantation?
Typically you will be able to return to normal activities within several days after implantation with some limitations. Your eye may be sensitive to touch and bright light, but you should be able to drive and return to work in two to three days. It is important that you avoid heavy lifting or straining that would increase the pressure in your eye for several days after surgery. You also must avoid rubbing or pushing on your eye. Refrain from using eye makeup, lid liner and mascara for several weeks after implantation. You should avoid public swimming pools, hot tubs or other sources of bacterial contamination for several weeks. Consult your doctor on recommendations for specific activities.

How often do I need to have my eyes checked after surgery?
Your doctor will advise you as to how often your eyes need to be checked. Typically, the doctor will see you one day after surgery, after 2 to 4 weeks, and again around 3 to 6 months after surgery. Thereafter, an annual exam is usually sufficient unless you have a specific problem.

What about future eye surgery?
Advanced implantation techniques and the biocompatibility of the Crystalens allow the body to treat the implant as a normal part of the eye. The artificial lens is encased in the original membrane that surrounded the crystalline lens. This membrane, called the capsular bag, traps and holds the Crystalens in the correct anatomical position in the eye. Since the implant is fixed in the same position as the original lens, any future eye surgery that could be performed in or around the normal eye can be performed in an eye with the Crystalens. BOTOX treatments, plastic surgery, pterygium removal and other cosmetic procedures should not be performed until your eye is well healed. Typically this is around 3 months, but your doctor will advise you when it will be safe to undergo these procedures.

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