Smart intraocular lenses

In cataract surgery, the opaque lens in our eye is surgically removed. In the next stage of the surgery, an artificial intraocular lens is placed inside the eye. The artificial intraocular lens is a very thin lens. It is made of many different materials. Although the materials are different, the intraocular lens materials used are compatible with body tissues and do not have harmful toxic effects.

What does smart intraocular lens mean?

Multifocal intraocular lenses placed in the eye after cataract surgery are called "smart lenses" for ease of naming.

What are the types of intraocular lenses?

1. Monofocal (Monofocal) lenses: They are the most commonly used lenses in cataract surgery. They focus on a single point. In the vast majority of cases, intraocular lens adjustment is made so that far vision is clearer. For this reason, it requires the use of a separate eyeglass for reading or close work after surgery.

2. Multifocal (Multifocal) intraocular lenses: After the surgery, both near and far distances can be seen clearly without the need for any additional glasses. There are different types of these lenses as trifocal, accommodative, EDOF lenses.

3. Toric intraocular lenses: Suitable for patients with high degree of astigmatism.

4. Toric Multifocal: They correct high-grade astigmatism and at the same time provide clear vision at both near and far distances with their multifocal structure.

How to choose an intraocular lens?

In the selection of the intraocular lens, it is necessary to consider the medical condition of the patient as well as the needs of his daily life. The patient and physician contribute to the decision-making process together. The situations that should be questioned while making a decision are as follows;

1. Are activities that require clear close vision, such as reading, looking at a computer screen, dealing with fine details, more important to you in your daily life? or Are activities that require clear distance vision, such as driving, spending time outdoors, or watching television more dominant?

2. Do you have to drive very often in all seasons and at night?

3. Do you have serious diseases such as diabetes, neurological diseases?

4. Do you have any additional eye problems such as strabismus, double vision, thyroid ophthalmopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (yellow spot disease) and previous eye trauma, previous eye surgeries?

5. Is there an additional eye condition that will affect the stability of the intraocular lens in the eye?

6. Do you have a history of drug use that may have a toxic effect on eye tissues?

7. Do you have night blindness or any other genetically inherited eye disease?

8. Are there any people in the family who have eye disease?

What are the advantages of multifocal intraocular lenses?

1. After cataract surgery, you will not have to spend money for additional glasses or contact lenses as you will see both far and near clearly without glasses.

2. Since you are not dependent on glasses, you will have a more comfortable and active life.

3. In addition to seeing near and far, you will have an uninterrupted vision as you will have a clear view at intermediate distances.

What are the disadvantages of multifocal intraocular lenses?

1. Additional near glasses are sometimes required to see very small print.

2. In night conditions, halos and flashes of light can be seen around the lights. This may make it difficult for you to drive.

3. There may be blurred vision in insufficient light conditions.

4. Most people adapt to multifocal intraocular lenses in a short time after surgery. However, there may be people who cannot adapt to these lenses. In this case, the replacement of the intraocular lens can only be done with an operation.

Can I see the near and far distances clearly even without multifocal intraocular lenses?

By determining the refractive power of monofocal intraocular lenses differently in each eye, one eye can be adjusted to see clearly in the near and the other one can be adjusted to see clearly in the distance. With this process called monovision, patients do not need near and far glasses in most of their daily lives. The vast majority of patients adapt to different vision conditions in both eyes in a short time after surgery.