crystalens®
What is the crystalens®

The crystalens® accommodating intraocular lens is an intraocular lens used after cataract surgery or as a lens alternative in presbyopic lens exchange. The concept of the lens was engineered with a hinge design to allow the optic, or part of the lens that you see through, to move back and forth as your focus on an image changes. The crystalens® accommodative intraocular lens is permanently implanted with a surgical process and functions in a similar fashion as the natural eye. Once the surgery has been completed your eyes can focus on far or near objects in a comfortable way with no discomfort. If you are experiencing presbyopia or cataracts please feel free to consult us about the possibility of utilizing the new crystalens® accommodative intraocular lens.

HOW DOES THE crystalens® IOL WORK?

After the age of 40 people will often start to experience difficulty reading as the eye’s natural lens starts to harden. Prior to this many people often experience excellent vision and are typically confused as to what is happening with their eyes. Because their vision may have been perfect they have never consulted an ophthalmologist as to what is naturally occurring. This inability to see at close distances or difficulty for the muscles in the eye to auto-focus can be very discouraging. This is known as loss of accommodation, or presbyopia. The crystalens was engineered with a hinge design to allow the optic, or part of the lens that you see through, to move back and forth as your focus on an image changes.

FDA Clinical Trial Information

98.4% of patients implanted with crystalens in both eyes could pass a driver's test without glasses

100% could see intermediate (24" to 30") without glasses, the distance for most of life's activities

98.4% could see well enough to read the newspaper and the phone book without glasses.

Some patients did require glasses for some tasks after implantation of the crystalens

Significantly more patients implanted with a crystalens (88.4%) could see better at all distances then patients implanted with a standard IOL (35.9%)


What makes the crystalens different from other intraocular lenses?

The crystalens has the unique ability to focus on objects at varying distances using the eye’s natural focusing system. This means that the crystalens can provide a continuous range of vision, without corrective lenses, from near to far and everything in between. Standard (single vision) lens implants do not have the ability to provide a full range of vision. Most people who have single vision lens implants MUST wear glasses for middle and near vision. It was shown in the two year clinical trial that supported the FDA approval of the crystalens that significantly more patients implanted with a crystalens (88%) could see better at all distances than patients implanted with a standard lens (36%). (Courtesy of www.crystalens.com)

If you are seeking crystalens surgery in Maine the doctors at Maine Eye Center would like to help you through this process. Please feel free to contact us directly at 1.800.269.6529. Maine Eye Center is dedicated to excellence in Maine eye care. Call us today!