Finally, the
opportunity for freedom from reading
glasses and bifocals. Until recently,
life without reading glasses or bifocals
was not an option for most
patients.
You now have an option.
The AcrySof® ReSTOR® is a unique
technological innovation that can
provide you with quality vision
throughout the entire visual spectrum –
near through distance – with increased
independence from reading glasses or
bifocals!
How does the
AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL work?
As we perform daily
activities such as reading, watching
television or working at the computer,
our eyes are constantly focusing on
objects at varying distances – up close,
far away and everything in-between. The
ability to quickly change focus
throughout this range of vision is
called
accommodation. Accommodation: The
ability of the eye's lens to change
shape to focus on objects at various
distances.
Unfortunately, this
ability diminishes as we grow older,
causing us to become dependent on
bifocals or reading glasses. However,
the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL was designed to
provide quality near to distance vision
by combining the strengths of
apodized diffractive 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 by Alcon.
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Apodized Diffractive
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. On
the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL, the center of
the lens surface consists of an apodized
diffractive optic. This means that the
series of tiny steps in that center area
work together to focus light
for
near through distance
vision
Refractive
Refraction involves the
redirection of light passing through the
lens, to focus on the retina.
The
refractive region of the AcrySof® ReSTOR®
IOL bends light as it passes through the
lens to a focal point on the retina.
This outer ring of the AcrySof® ReSTOR®
IOL surrounds the apodized diffractive
region and is dedicated to focusing
light for distance vision.
Refraction:
Redirection of light rays as they pass
through the lens.
How You'll
See:
The ability to read
quickly and easily
In an independently conducted study,
AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL patients were
tested to see how easily they could read
paragraphs of decreasing font size, and
their results were compared to patients
with other IOLs. While only one of 13
patients with other IOLs could read
small type (such as the newspaper), four
of five AcrySof® ReSTOR® patients were
still able to read small type quickly
and easily.¹
Better vision for various
lighting situations
The AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL delivers
quality vision for various lighting
situations. In brightly lit conditions,
the central apodized diffractive portion
of the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL sends light
waves simultaneously to both near and
distant focal points, while, in dimly
lit conditions, the surrounding
refractive area sends greater energy to
distance vision.²
Distance vision: Refers
to focal points that are typically 7
feet or further from your eyes. Items
that typically fall within the distance
range of vision are billboards, street
signs, and movie screens.
Clinical
Results:
Finally, quality vision and true freedom
from glasses for 80% of patients
During the AcrySof®
ReSTOR® IOL clinical studies, patients
experienced lifestyle enhancement
through quality vision, and greater
freedom from reading glasses and
bifocals. In fact, according to the
AcrySof® ReSTOR® clinical studies,
four out of five patients with the
AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL reported never
wearing glasses following cataract
surgery in both eyes, compared to
only 1 out of 10 patients with monofocal
lenses. This is the highest level of
freedom from glasses ever demonstrated
in an IOL clinical trial.
Additionally, the AcrySof®
ReSTOR® clinical studies indicated that
nearly 94% of the study subjects were
so satisfied with their new quality
vision that they would have the AcrySof®
ReSTOR® IOL implanted again.
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Making your Decision
Exploring a world of IOL choices
If freedom from glasses
is your desired outcome, the AcrySof®
ReSTOR® IOL may be your best choice.
This lens gives you the best possibility
to have distance vision, in addition to
the ability to read and perform close-up
tasks, without the need for glasses.
However, results of the clinical trials
indicated that there is a slightly
greater chance of having difficulty with
halos
or rings around lights
(five out of 100) and glare (five out of
100), as compared to a
monofocal IOL
(one or two out of 100).
Over time, some people grow accustomed
to these disturbances and cease to
notice them, while others may continue
to see them long after surgery.
Although not all IOLs
provide the full range of vision, there
are cases when a monofocal lens offers
more desirable outcomes for certain
patients. For these situations, Alcon
offers the AcrySof® IQ IOL. Both the
AcrySof® IQ IOL and the
AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL can restore
your vision following cataract surgery.
Discuss your lifestyle and visual needs
with your eye doctor to determine which
lens is right for you.
You may have some
difficulty in your ability to
distinguish an object from a dark
background. This may be more noticeable
in areas with less light. Therefore, you
should take extra care when driving at
night.
Your eye doctor should
consider the following points before
implanting the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL:
-
To achieve your best
vision after cataract surgery, your
doctor must determine the lens power
best suited for your needs.
-
The front surface of your
eye may be irregular in shape
astigmatism
before and after
cataract surgery. The amount of
astigmatism you have may affect your
results after surgery.
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Cataract
Surgery Costs
Medicare
coverage
In May of 2005, the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services issued a ruling allowing
Medicare beneficiaries undergoing
cataract surgery to choose, at an
added fee, a presbyopia-correcting IOL
that provides distance, intermediate and
near vision with reduced spectacle
dependence. The AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL
qualifies under this ruling.
Under the new policy,
Medicare will continue existing
reimbursement amounts for cataract
surgery, and patients may elect to pay
additional charges for advanced
technology lenses such as the
AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL. Talk to
someone at your doctor's office to
discuss your Medicare options.
Private
insurance
Insurance policies vary,
but most private insurance companies
cover cataract surgeries involving a
conventional IOL. Some insurance
companies are following the lead of
Medicare and offering patients the
choice to pay for the additional costs
associated with the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL. You should talk with
someone at your doctor's office, or your
primary insurance provider about what is
covered under your policy.
Frequently
Asked Questions about Cataract Surgery:
Here are some of the most
common questions about the new AcrySof®
ReSTOR® IOL. Contact your eye doctor for
more information about how this
breakthrough lens can unlock your
lifestyle.
How is the AcrySof®
ReSTOR® IOL different from monofocal
lenses?
Monofocal lenses focus
at only one distance, meaning that you
will likely need glasses following
surgery either for distance or near, and
sometimes for both. The AcrySof® ReSTOR®
IOL differs from regular monofocal IOLs
in that it focuses at distance
and near, decreasing your dependency on glasses at all
distances.
What is the difference in
cost between a traditional monofocal
lens and the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL?
Insurance policies vary, but Medicare,
supplemental insurance, and private
insurance will typically still cover the
basic cataract surgery procedure with a
conventional IOL. However, if you decide
to have an AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL
implanted, there will be an additional
cost that is not covered by insurance or
Medicare.
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Inserting AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens. |
AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens in the
eye. |
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