Toric Implant for Irregular Astigmatism

Question: I have astigmatism which can't be corrected well with glasses or contacts. Thus the vision in my left eye is always blurry and has been for over 30 years.  Can Toric Lens Implants or a type of lens implant be used to correct my astigmatism even though I don't have cataracts?  

Answer: It sounds like you are describing irregular astigmatism-which would not correct well with any type of lens implants. You do not indicate why you have the uncorrectable astigmatism. If it is due to cornea trauma, cornea disease such as keratoconus or marginal degenerations, infection or previous surgery you need to be evaluated by a cornea specialist to have a firm diagnosis. from this it may be possible to recommend treatment options as many new treatments are available to both strengthen the cornea and correct irregular astigmatism.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Lifespan of Astigmatism Lens Implants

Question: I had successful right eye, detached retina repair surgery in February 201l. I am now scheduled, 6/2011 for right eye cataract surgery and lens replacement to correct a cataract and astigmatism. I am 63 years old and except for high cholesterol, I am in very good health. How long should the AcrySof® Toric Lens Implant last? Is it the best or close to the best? How much should I expect to pay?

Answer: The AcrySof® Toric Lens Implant is made of the same material as all of the other AcrySof® Intraocular Lens Implants:  A highly biocompatible, flexible acrylic material that lasts for MANY MANY years. It was first FDA approved and made available in the United States in approximately 1994 with some 4 million or so having been implanted. So, there is a long clinical history-greater than 15 years-that suggests the life span is quite long. They are implanted in children and young adults and thus are expected to last a "lifetime" without degradation. It is regarded as an excellent toric lens but with any surgery it is the skill, experience and expertise of the cataract surgeon that determines the result. Fees for astigmatism correcting toric lens implants generally range fro $900-$1500 per eye.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery of Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Lens Implants for Astigmatism

Question: I have astigmatism and am having cataract surgery. If I have the lens implants for astigmatism, will I ever need glasses for distance. I realize I will need glasses for reading and computer but will I ever need correction for astigmatism again?

Answer: Lens Implants for astigmatism correction after Cataract Surgery-or toric lens implants-help to correct vision at distance as you have stated. They correct the astigmatism portion of your prescription at all distances but do not replace the focusing ability required to see at arm's length or near. The question of whether or not you will ever need an additional correction for astigmatism really depends on whether or not the shape of your cornea changes over the years to come. For the vast majority of patients who have Cataract Surgery there is little or no additional change in prescription over time. There is a VERY slight predisposition toward a slight increase in what is called "against the rule" astigmatism-but it is slight over a relatively long time horizon and occurs because of the normal change in shape of the cornea with age-with or without Cataract Surgery.

So the simple answer to your question is that no one can guarantee that you will never need glasses for seeing at distance again but there is a high probability that you will be able to enjoy "glasses free" distance vision for many many years with an astigmatism correcting lens implant.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery of Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.

Cataract Surgery Astigmatism Correction Techniques

Patients who have cataracts and astigmatism and are now considering Cataract Surgery need to understand that in order to see clearly at distance after their Cataract operation they will need to correct their astigmatism by either wearing eyeglasses, having a secondary surgical procedure called a Limbal Relaxing Incision (LRI) or have an astigmatism correction toric lens implant (IOL). According to researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine’s Cullen Eye Institute as reported in the March 2011 edition of the Journal of Refractive Surgery both Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRI) and toric lens implants both produce similar results. While both types of astigmatism correction performed well for lower correction levels, at higher levels of astigmatism the toric IOLs produced better results. Another variable that may lean in favor of the toric lens implants for astigmatism is the amount of surgeon experience. For those surgeons with less experience with LRI, the toric implants would be preferred to produce the best results.

Cataracts and Astigmatism Correction

Question: I have Cataracts and astigmatism, worse in one eye. Would it be okay to put a toric lens in one eye and regular IOL in other eye?


Answer: Cataract Surgery with Lens Implants is performed to get you the best possible vision correction. In general the prescription in both eyes is somewhat symmetrical but not always. If you have preexisting astigmatism is one eye and not the other it is entirely possible that you would need to have an astigmatism correcting toric lens implant in only one eye. There is no increased risk or complications from implanting a toric IOL in one eye only if that is what is optically necessary to correct your vision. If you have consulted a top cataract surgeon for your examination the best thing to do is follow their recommendation.

Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on http://www.aboutcataractsurgery.c/om is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery of Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of http://www.aboutcataractsurgery.com/ is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.