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What You Need To Know About Cataracts
And Cataract Surgery

A cataract is a cloudy area in the normally clear lens of your eye, causing blurry vision. Most cataracts are related to aging and, over time, can lead to vision loss. When a cataract interferes with your usual activities, such as reading and driving, your physician will likely recommend cataract surgery. During cataract surgery, your lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens. This lens is called an intraocular lens (IOL). Cataract surgery is the most common procedure in the world and is one of the safest and most successful procedures performed today.

Cataract surgery can also offer the opportunity to correct other vision problems you may be experiencing such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (irregularly shaped lens), or presbyopia (diminishing ability to focus with age).

The First And Only IOL Adjustable After Cataract Surgery—The Light Adjustable Lens™

Despite numerous advances in modern cataract surgery technologies, many patients continue to be disappointed with their vision outcomes. That is why RxSight developed the first IOL that allows your physician to optimize your vision after your cataract surgery rather than trying to predict how the IOL will perform in your eye before your surgery.

RxSight offers two lenses in the Light Adjustable Lens platform: the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL®) and the Light Adjustable Lens+™ (LAL+™). Your doctor will determine the lens that is best suited to your eyes. Both the LAL and LAL+ provide the same opportunity to customize your vision with your doctor after surgery.

With the Light Adjustable Lens, you will have the unique opportunity to adjust and preview your vision based on your personal desires and lifestyle requirements. This optimization is done by your eye doctor after lens implantation through a series of light treatment procedures that take only a few minutes each.

The Light Adjustable Lens delivers superior vision outcomes that non-adjustable IOLs cannot match.

In a study of 600 subjects, those who received the LAL followed by adjustments were twice as likely to achieve 20/20 vision at 6 months without glasses as those who received a standard (fixed) monofocal IOL.1

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Achieving Customized Vision With The Light Adjustable Lens

The Light Adjustable Lens is made of a special photosensitive material that changes the shape and power of your implanted lens in response to ultraviolet (UV) light. Light treatments are delivered in your doctor’s office with the Light Delivery Device (LDD) after your eye has healed.

The Light Adjustable Lens is the only adjustable IOL available that allows optimization of your vision after lens implantation and healing.

You will preview possible vision outcomes with your doctor and choose a prescription for your adjustable lens based on your preferences and lifestyle requirements. After surgery, you can test drive your vision and customize it further through a series of light treatments that precisely reshape your implanted lens to the correction that is needed.

Light Treatments

With your doctor’s input, the LDD noninvasively delivers UV light to your Light Adjustable Lens to adjust your vision to the desired target. The system gives your doctor the flexibility to make adjustments and refinements to meet your specific criteria.

Between 3 and 5 total light treatments, each lasting approximately 90 seconds, are required. The total number of light treatments is based on achievement of the desired visual outcome that you and your doctor selected. Once you have achieved your final optimal vision, the lens power is permanently locked with two final light treatments to prevent any further changes. When you experience the results of your adjustments, you will better understand the value of adjusting and customizing your vision after your surgery.

”My vision is better than it was 20 years ago—I feel like I have eagle eyes!

Doug V.LAL Patient
Schedule a LAL Consult

What To Expect After Surgery

In the weeks following your surgery, you and your doctor will work together to optimize your vision using UV light treatments. During this period, you will need to wear UV-blocking glasses provided to you by your doctor. These glasses will protect your eyes from exposure to all other sources of indoor and outdoor UV light, which can cause uncontrolled changes to the Light Adjustable Lens.

The UV protective glasses should be worn from the time of lens implantation until 24 hours after your last light treatment is completed. At that point, no further changes can be made to the implanted Light Adjustable Lens, and you can remove the UV protective glasses and enjoy your custom vision!

Who Can Benefit From The Light Adjustable Lens?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Light Adjustable Lens and Light Delivery Device for patients with preexisting astigmatism of 0.75 diopters or more who are undergoing cataract surgery.

Ask your doctor to explain the possible risks and benefits of cataract surgery. For risks and benefits specifically related to the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens, please see the RxSight Patient Information Brochure.

Sources:

  1. US Food and Drug Administration. Summary of Safety and Effectiveness (SSED) of Light Adjustable Lens and Light Delivery Device system.

Cataract and Laser Institute is a LASIK Doctor Network Provider

Cataract and Laser Institute is a proud member of LASIK Doctor Network. LASIK Doctor Network is a cooperative of independent LASIK doctors and practices across the nation, united by a common mission: to deliver exceptional eye care, world-class service, and convenience during every step of your journey toward improved vision.

When you choose a LASIK Doctor Network-affiliated practice, you’re ensuring that your vision needs will be comprehensively addressed. Whether you opt for LASIK or require a different solution, our doctors have you covered. We believe that every patient is unique, and so are their vision needs. That’s why we approach every consultation and procedure with a patient-centric mindset, tailoring our recommendations to suit your individual lifestyle and goals.

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