Selecting the right intraocular lens (IOL) for your cataract surgery depends on many factors, including the unique features of your eye, your budget, and your lifestyle.
Cataracts and Cataract Surgery
The development of cataracts is a normal part of ageing and is when the natural clear lens inside our eye becomes stiff and cloudy, making our vision foggy and blurry.
Cataract surgery is one of most common types of eye surgery performed around the world each year.
Cataract surgery is where the cloudy lens (cataract) is extracted through a small incision and replaced with a tiny artificial prescription lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL.
Cataract Surgery Lens Options
Monofocal
Monofocal IOLs are designed to provide the best possible vision at one distance, either near or distance vision. Most patients choose to have their IOL set for clear distance vision and are happy to use reading glasses for near-vision activities, like reading.
Multifocal
Multifocal IOLs are designed to provide the best possible vision for both near and distance vision, similar to bifocal or trifocal glasses.
Other types of IOLs:
Extended Depth-of-Focus – designed to provide the best possible vision at one distance, but it is stretched to accommodate intermediate distance.
Toric – either monofocal or multifocal lenses with a built-in correction for astigmatism.
Choosing the Right IOL for You
Choosing the right IOL for you, from all the different designs available, can be difficult and you will need to consider the unique features of your eyes, your visual requirements, lifestyle, and budget.
A discussion with your Ophthalmologist is a critical step in identifying the best IOL for your cataract surgery, and these are some important lifestyle questions to consider:
- 1. How important is it to reduce my dependency on glasses?
- 2. For which activities would I be most willing to wear glasses?
- 3. What is my most important daily activity?
- 4. How important it is to reduce glare and halos around lights?
- 5. Do you need precise vision for fine up-close work or to read small text?
Other Considerations: Eye Conditions and Past Surgery
If you have glaucoma, macular degeneration, or other eye conditions or diseases, this may limit the IOL designs recommended for you by your Ophthalmologist.
How much does an IOL cost?
Not all types of IOLs are covered by insurance, however Medicare and most insurance companies do cover the cost of monofocal IOLs. Multifocal and other IOL types are known as “premium” lenses and are generally more expensive.
Cataract Surgery on the Gold Coast
Our team of Ophthalmologists have extensive experience in successful intraocular lens surgeries, both refractive lens exchange and cataract operations.
Providing an additional layer of security when choosing who to trust with your vision, we also have two vitreoretinal surgeons, Dr Robert Bourke and Dr Lewis Lam, who are additionally trained to operate in the posterior chamber of the eye (vitreous/retina).
Dr Bourke and Dr Lam’s specialty training means they are highly skilled to definitively address surgery complications such as a dislocated lens, capsular tears, and loose lens fragments which can fall into the back of the eye. These complications are rare but can occur and our team is fully equipped to deal with them.
MBBS, FRANZCO | Our Founder
Refractive, Cataract & Vitreoretinal Surgeon
BM MRCSEd FRCOphth FRANZCO
Refractive, Cataract & Oculoplastics Surgeon
MB ChB FRANZCO
Refractive, Cataract & Vitreoretinal Surgeon
OAM MBBS FRANZCO
General Ophthalmology
Our Ophthalmologists are available at three convenient clinic locations across the Gold Coast.