Almost 4 million Americans have cataract surgery every year. Despite having a success rate of 97%, many patients still require glasses after surgery with reading glasses being the most commonly needed.
Now, with a new kind of intraocular lens that corrects for all ranges of distances, more patients will be able to toss their glasses after cataract surgery.
Cataracts occur when the eye's natural lens is clouded. Cataract surgery involves removing this clouded lens and replacing it with an intraocular lens (IOL). Most patients receive a monofocal IOL, which allows the patient to see at distance but not up close.
After years of trying to develop an IOL that corrects the full range of vision, the FDA approved Johnson & Johnson Vision's Tecnis Synergy IOL in May 2021. The lens is now available in the United States and Canada. 9 out of 10 patients receiving the new IOL reported that they didn't have to wear glasses after having their lens replaced.
One important possible side effect of this and other diffractive multifocal intraocular lens implants is that they may increase night glare. Discuss this issue with your eye doctor before undergoing surgery with this lens.
-Dr. Krawitz
