SoCal Eye is one of the first Ophthalmology practices in Long Beach to introduce the new Light Adjustable Lens from RxSight™. This is a revolutionary new IOL technology for Cataract Patients that allows them the ability to change and perfect their prescription after the cataract surgery has been completed.
What are Light Adjustable Lenses?
The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) by RxSight™ is an exciting new intraocular lens (IOL) technology that can be customized to a patient’s exact preferences after cataract surgery has been completed. The LAL is implanted during a conventional cataract surgery but can be adjusted through the use of ultraviolet light treatments that are performed 2-3 weeks after surgery. The power of the lenses can be modified after the patient is healed from surgery to achieve the highest level of prescription accuracy.
Light Adjustable Lenses are made of a special photosensitive material that can be modified and reshaped by the targeted use of ultraviolet (UV) light from a Light Delivery Device (LDD). This reshaping can adjust the power of the lenses giving your eye surgeon the ability to adjust and preview a patient’s vision until it meets their personal desires and lifestyle requirements. LALs can also be used in the treatment of astigmatism.
The Advantages of Light Adjustable Lenses.
An FDA study of 600 patients was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Light Adjustable Lens and Light Delivery Device. Six months after the procedure, patients saw an average improvement of about one additional line down the vision chart, for distance vision without glasses, compared to a conventional IOL.
Prior to Cataract Surgery, the eye doctor will estimate the prescription of a patient’s IOL before implanting it. This can often be hard to do accurately owing to a patient’s vison being distorted, blurry, or cloudy. It is not uncommon for a patients to still have some minor residual refractive error after cataract surgery, requiring the continued use of glasses or contact lenses.
Light Adjustable Lenses are adjusted after surgery when a patient’s vision is clear and as a result the eye doctor can reduce the refractive error more precisely. Multiple adjustments can be made under guidance from the patient until the final power setting is established and then it is ‘locked in”. A patient’s vision can be entirely customized to their eyes and their visual goals.
The FDA study found that the LAL adjustments were twice as likely to achieve 20/20 distance vision at 6 months without glasses as those who received a standard monofocal IOL.
How Does the Light Adjustable Lens Work?
During Cataract Surgery, the Cataract Surgeon will remove the clouded natural lens and implant the Light Adjustable Lens in exactly the same was as a traditional IOL. Immediately following surgery the patient will need to wear protective glasses at all times during waking hours for a total period of 4-5 weeks. The lenses are very sensitive to direct sunlight and the glasses will prevent the lens from adjusting its shape prematurely. After a healing period of 2-3 weeks, the patient will receive a visual acuity test to determine their best prescription. The LALs are then shaped to the exact prescription by a series of ultraviolet light treatments. Patients will be asked to look into the Light Delivery Device (LDD) for only 60-90 seconds per session. 2-3 sessions, 3 days apart are generally required to achieve the desired shape for the exact prescription. Patients will be able to experience and approve the end result before the lens power is ‘locked in’ by a final light treatment that treats the entire optic. Patients will receive the lenses one at a time in separate surgeries as with traditional cataract surgery.
Who is not a good fit for Light Adjustable Lens?
LALs are not a good fit for everybody considering cataract surgery. Here are some exceptions:
- Taking medications that increase sensitivity to UV light
- Taking medication that is considered harmful to the retina
- Unable to wear the UV-protective glasses for 4-5 weeks period after cataract surgery.
- Unable to commit to a schedule of UV light treatments
- With history of eye infections, herpes, or uncontrollable eye movements, known as nystagmus
SoCal Eye – Light Adjustable Lens, Long Beach:
SoCal Eye is excited to bring the latest in IOL technology to patients in Long Beach and Orange County. All treatment begins with a Consultation with a SoCal Eye Cataract Specialist or Cataract Surgeon in Long Beach. At this consultation the Ophthalmologist will perform a complete eye exam with dilation and discuss Lens Implant options and whether Light Adjustable Lenses are an option for you. SoCal Eye feels strongly that patients should be informed and educated on all applicable lens technologies when they make their final IOL selection.
Cataract Treatment for patients in Long Beach, Cypress, Cerritos and Garden Grove. Schedule an Appointment today at (562) 531-2020 or send us an Online Consultation Request
