New lens to restore reading vision for people age 45+

Dave Allamby | Jul 08, 2008 | Comments 0

A new lens to help reading vision has received approval from the American Food & Drug Administration (FDA), according to manufacturers Bausch & Lomb, based at Rochester in New York state.

These lenses are inserted inside the eye during a procedure very similar to that used for cataract surgery. The natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The traditional IOL has a fixed focus and is unable to replicate the natural flexibility of the young human lens that allows us to zoom in on near objects to have clear close vision, e.g. reading a newspaper print.

Accommodating lenses are designed to mimic the natural zoom ability to not only provide clear distance vision but also to restore good near vision. This loss of near vision with age is called ‘presbyopia‘ and affects 20 million people in the UK alone.

The Crystalens HD is designed for enhanced depth of focus and features something called “proprietary optical focus,” B&L stated in a press release. This optical ability is claimed to be capable of improving near vision without reducing distance or intermediate vision. In the research study from B&L, 125 eyes were implanted with the new Crystalens HD. These patients had a visually significant cataract (usually age related clouding of the lens inside the eye), less than 1 D of corneal astigmatism, and the potential for best corrected visual acuity of 20/25 or better in both eyes. Of this study population, four out of five patients (80%) had vision of J2 (equivalent to small ingredients lists on food packets) or better at 4 months. B&L said it plans to begin sending out the Crystalens HD in early July.

Filed Under: LASIK

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About the Author: Mr. Dave Allamby FRCS FRCOphth is a leading London-based laser eye surgeon. You may have seen him on the This Morning TV show with Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton or read one of several articles in the national press, recently for treating Denise Van Outen, rock giant Rick Wakeman and broadcaster Paul Ross. David is Medical Director at Focus Laser Vision, known as a world-leading clinic in the treatment of presbyopia, or age related loss of close vision. Focus Laser Vision is also London's only clinic to offer next-generation Z-LASIK laser eye treatment for short sight, long sight or astigmatism.

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