Lens Implants:

Harvard Eye Associates — 30 Years of Lens Implant Experience!

The Crystalens - First 'Accommodating' Lens Implant for Near and Distance

The first FDA-approved "accommodating" intraocular lens, the Crystalens automatically moves forward and backward with the eye's internal ciliary muscle, to allow patients to focus naturally at all distances.

— Crystalens Surgery, WATCH PBS TELEVISION INTERVIEWS of actual
Harvard Eye Associates patients and surgeons!

 Segment 1: Reading Vision and How the Crystalens Works (8 minute)
 
 Segment 2: Cataracts and Surgical Technique of Crystalens,
with Patient Interviews (16 minute)

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• Fixed focal point • Corrects only Distance Vision • Does not move in eye • Glasses required	• Moving Focal Point • Full range of distance, intermediate, and near vision • Uses eye's natural focusing mechanism

In conventional lens implant surgery, which has been the standard treatment for cataracts for many years, the surgeon implants a fixed focus plastic or silicone artificial lens. This lens allows the patient to see well only at distance. For reading vision, patients would require a pair of glasses.

How well does the Crystalens Work?

In FDA clinical trials Crystalens patients enjoyed life-changing benefits. More than 98% of patients who received Crystalens implants in both eyes had uncorrected visual acuity of 20/30 or better at distance without glasses, and could read 6 point type on a medicine bottle. Also, 92% had distance visual acuity of 20/25 or better. In Europe and Mexico, where the lens has been in use for five years, nearly all patients continued to enjoy this range of vision year after year. In these studies 93.8% of patients surveyed said they could perform most daily activities without glasses.

Thanks to Crystalens, people may no longer have to put up with impaired or diminishing vision. And, cataract and refractive surgeons have a new way to provide this growing population of aging but youthful people with the rejuvenating effects of high-performance vision without glasses or contacts.

Does insurance cover the cost of Crystalens surgery?

Medicare: Prior to May, 2005 people with Medicare were not eligible to have a Crystalens implant. However, a new Medicare ruling, which declared this special class of lens implants as a non-covered service, makes this new technology available. Out-of-pocket costs do apply. Read Medicare's ruling on these new lenses . To learn more about your own insurance coverage, contact us .

Non-Medicare: At this time, most insurance plans do not cover the cost of the Crystalens implant. Your insurance may cover the cost of surgery, anesthesia, and surgery center fees, however. Contact us to learn more about your own insurance coverage.

ReZoom and ReSTOR Lens Implants
Two other FDA-approved lens implants can also provide near and distance vision without glasses. Read about ReZoom and ReSTOR Lens Implants .

Monovision LASIK
Monovision is very simple and effective way to avoid the use of reading glasses. This technique has been applied to contact lens wearers for many decades, and the same technique works extremely well with LASIK. Monovision LASIK takes advantage of the fact that each of us has a dominant and a non-dominant eye, much as we do with our hands. For distance vision, our dominant eye provides the high-definition detail information about our word, while the non-dominant eye provides depth perception, which does not rely on sharp focus.

In monovision, we correct the non-dominant eye to be sharply focused on reading material, leaving the dominant eye focused for distance vision. This allows the non-dominant eye to play a greater role in reading while the dominant eye plays a greater role in distance vision.

With careful measurements and proper planning, monovision LASIK can provide good reading vision that will last for decades.

If you've never tried it, it can be difficult to imagine what monovision is like. During your FREE LASIK consultation in our office, we'll give you a demonstration of what monovision is like. Read more about LASIK .