TESTIMONIALS

PanOptix Lens

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed below, and feel that you are no longer able to enjoy your daily activities as you used to, then it may be time to remove your cataracts and replace them with an intraocular lens implant (IOL).

Common signs and symptoms of cataracts include:

  • Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription.
  • Need for brighter light for reading and other activities.
  • Increasing difficulty with vision at night.
  • Clouded, blurred or dim vision.
  • Seeing “halos” around lights.
  • Fading or yellowing of colors.
  • Sensitivity to light and glare.

An exciting new intraocular lens option to correct for near, intermediate and far distances (without glasses) after your cataract surgery is the new AcrySof® IQ PanOptix® IOL.

This intraocular lens option has been called the “next-generation trifocal” due to its ability to provide correction at all three distances. And, this lens is also available in a toric option for patients who have astigmatism. Find more information about this new lens option here.

Why Do I Need Reading Glasses After All These Years?

Your near vision is referred to as accommodation. As we perform daily activities such as reading, watching television or working at the computer, our eyes are constantly accommodating (or squeezing) to focus on objects at varying distances – up close, far away and everything in-between.

Unfortunately, accommodation decreases as we grow older. This condition is called presbyopia and it begins around age 40. Around this age the lens in the eye gets more rigid and can no longer be squeezed by the muscles that surround it. That’s when we start to use reading glasses, bifocals or progressives for close-up activities. In time, that hardened lens will become a cataract and may obstruct your vision.

What Are My Options?

Many presbyopic patients are choosing to remove their hardening lens and have a multifocal lens inserted. The PanOptix lens was designed to provide quality near and distance vision using apodized and refractive technologies. Similar technology has been used for years in microscopes and telescopes to improve image quality and has now been patented for use in intraocular lenses.

Apodization is the gradual tapering of the diffractive steps from the center to the outside edge of a lens to create a smooth transition of light between the distance, intermediate and near focal points. Diffraction involves the bending or spreading of light to multiple focal points as it passes through the lens.

This procedure is called a refractive lensectomy or clear lens replacement surgery. The procedure is much like a cataract removal procedure. Afterward, you will not need cataract surgery later in life. Patients not only regain their distance vision but also their near vision.

Many PanOptix patients who use computers heavily have found that they still use reading glasses for some intermediate-range activities. But, they state that regaining their near vision and their distance vision is worth it.

The Cataract Procedure

The procedure is performed at Christus Santa Rosa Surgical Center New Braunfels. Our patients remain awake and comfortable during their procedure and are able to return home within minutes of having surgery.

New Braunfels Vision Center is one of the first ophthalmology clinics in Texas to offer the ORA System for cataract surgery. Speak with our doctors to learn how the ORA system is improving cataract surgery outcomes and reducing our patients’ dependence on glasses.

What’s the next step?

If you are curious as to whether the PanOptix IOL is an option for you, schedule a cataract evaluation with Dr. Smith or Dr. Levar.

Financing Options

Financial consideration should not be an obstacle to obtaining this important service. We are sensitive to the fact that different people have different needs for payment. Click the following link to apply for financing online:

  • Care Credit (no initial payment, 0 or low interest). Fast, confidential service by phone – 866.624.2428. Or apply online at their secure website www.carecredit.com.

Schedule a Cataracts Consultation

New Braunfels Vision Clinic is your local solution for exceptional vision care. Schedule a cataracts consultation today and learn about our procedure.