Vision Correction
Many advances have been made in vision correction giving patients more choices than ever before. At The Eye Associates, we take pride in always staying on the cutting edge of technology and providing our patients with the most advanced procedures. While LASIK is still the leader in vision correction, there are other options available for those who want to be less dependent on glasses and contacts. The following is information on some of those options, but the only way to find out which procedure would be best for you is to come in for an appointment with one of our experienced physicians who will carefully analyze your eyes to determine the best choice for your vision.
If you would like to be evaluated for clear lens extraction, please contact The Eye Associates at (941) 798-2020 to make an appointment.
Clear Lens Extraction (CLE)
Are you over 50 and been told that you’re not a candidate for LASIK? Thanks to a procedure called Clear Lens Extraction, there is another choice for you. Clear Lens Extraction, or CLE, is a surgical procedure designed to reduce or eliminate the need for distance glasses or contact lenses for people over 50, either with farsightedness or nearsightedness. Unlike other refractive procedures like LASIK that change the shape of the cornea, CLE corrects your vision by removing the natural crystalline lens in the eye and replacing it with a new artificial lens, called an IOL, of a different focusing power. This is much like what happens in cataract surgery; however, in cataract surgery the removed lens, called a cataract, is clouded, whereas in CLE, the removed lens is clear. State-of-the-art ultrasound instruments are used to measure your eye for the correct lens power, taking your lifestyle and desired activities into consideration. These custom measurements are entered into sophisticated formulas to calculate your personalized treatment.
Clear Lens Extraction has been performed extensively in Europe for years with excellent results. The number of CLE procedures performed in the United States has dramatically increased in the last few years due to the elevated interest in vision correction procedures.
Clear Lens Extraction is an alternative you may not have considered previously. While not everyone is a candidate for this procedure, the doctors at The Eye Associates can help you decide the best choice for you and your eyes. If you would like to be evaluated for clear lens extraction, please contact The Eye Associates at (941) 798-2020 to make an appointment.
CLE and Premium IOLs for Reducing the Dependence on Glasses
Since Clear Lens Extraction is best suited for people over 50, the premium IOLs are a great match for this procedure. Most people at this age begin to lose "accommodation” and their ability to focus from near to far without the need for reading glasses, bifocals, or progressive lenses. In the past, CLE patients would automatically receive a single focus IOL. These single focus IOLs provided patients with good functional distance vision, but offered little benefit for a full range of vision. Typically reading glasses or bifocals were used for near vision, making most patients dependent on glasses even after the surgery. But now with the newly FDA approved premium IOLs, The Eye Associates is able to offer patients the possibility of improving their vision to a level perhaps not experienced even before the surgery. The crystalens®, the ReSTOR®, and the ReZoom™ are three of the most technologically advanced premium IOLs on the market today that help patients reduce their day to day dependency on glasses and contacts.
If you would like to discuss the treatment possibilities of Multifocal IOLs, LASIK, or any of our other vision correction procedures, contact The Eye Associates for a appointment.
