“This is unlike anything we have seen in ophthalmology,” said Kenneth King, O.D., a bright-eyed optometrist at the Alliance Vision Institute in Fort Worth, TX. He’s referring to a particularly ingenious type of artificial intraocular lens (IOL) that’s changing the game in cataract surgery.
When you think of cataracts — a clouding of the lens of the eye — you may picture an elderly person suffering from the disorder. And while over half of all Americans age 80 or older have cataracts or have had surgery to eliminate them, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI), the CDC reports that about “20.5 million (17.2%) Americans aged 40 years and older have [cataracts] in one or both eyes, and 6.1 million (5.1%) have had their lens removed by surgery.”
The good news is that surgery options are considered safe, with the NEI stating that 9 out of 10 people “can see better” afterward. Cataracts may hamper everyday activities, and the CDC says they’re one of the leading causes of vision loss in the United States.
A fine-tuned solution
Commercialized by RxSight® — an ophthalmic medical technology corporation based in Aliso Viejo, California — the Light Adjustable Lens™ (LAL®/LAL+™) is the only FDA-approved IOL that can be adjusted and customized in the eye, after cataract surgery. At the forefront of these surgeries is Taylor Strange, D.O., a board-certified ophthalmologist who specializes in laser vision-correction surgery and vision-enhancement procedures.
So, what makes the Light Adjustable Lens so unique? As explained by Dr. Strange, it’s “made of a special photosensitive material that can be modified by a specific wavelength of light. After the lens is implanted, we’re able to use a special light delivery device to make very specific, fine-tuned adjustments to the patient’s visual outcome by correcting any residual refractive errors.”
Currently, no other intraocular lens on the market has this ability, which makes the LAL quite remarkable. It allows for more precision, true adjustability, and freedom of choice in the patient’s vision, post-surgery — allowing them to go through a trial-run of how they see the world with the new lens, then modifying as needed or desired.
A team effort
To date, Dr. Strange has performed more than 750 Light Adjustable Lens surgeries. He partners with Dr. King, who specializes in pre- and post-surgery treatments (among other specialties) and works on the light-treatment portion as part of the overall procedure.
“The lens requires surgical expertise on the front end and extensive attention to detail on the back end,” Dr. King pointed out. “So, we quickly divided the care of the patients into surgical care and post-op care. Dr. Strange handles the surgery and I handle the adjustments. It also became obvious that extra time must be spent with patients to understand their needs and expectations for their vision, pre- and post-operatively.”
Recently, Dr. King decided to enhance his vision by choosing the Light Adjustable Lens for himself. Naturally, Dr. Strange performed the surgery.
“The surgery was very easy,” Dr. King recalled. “There was no pain. In fact, I don’t remember much — just some green lights. And I could actually see on my way home. I went to work taking care of patients the next day and could read charts and see faces down the hallway! After healing for a few weeks, we did my first adjustment and that improved my vision even more. I was then able to ‘lock in’ what would be my final vision. The adjustments on the machine were a bit bright, but I had no pain at all.”
Moving forward, what makes Dr. Strange optimistic about the future of this technology?
“It’s all about the power of adjustability,” he said. “That’s what gives the Light Adjustable Lens the advantage for truly customized vision after cataract surgery. The lenses can even be adjusted up to three times, if necessary, to meet the patient’s lifestyle.”
To learn more, visit allianceeyes.com and rxsight.com
