Crystalens® FAQs

1) What is Crystalens®?

Crystalens® is a unique new refractive intraocular lens with advanced features. Unlike a standard monofocal IOL, the Crystalens® focuses and can treat both a person’s cataracts and a person’s Presbyopia (loss of near and intermediate focusing ability). You probably noticed in your forties that you started to lose some of your up-close vision and had to start wearing reading glasses; this was due to a loss of focusing power and accommodation. Crystalens® is designed to recreate your accommodation and reduce or eliminate wearing glasses. With the unique Crystalens®, you can enjoy activities such as: reading a book, working on the computer, and driving a car.

2) How does Crystalens work?

Crystalens® replaces the eye’s natural lens and is designed to mimic the eye’s natural focusing ability, thereby enabling vision across a broad range of distances similar to a young healthy eye. As with the natural lens, Crystalens® accommodates, or moves and flexes, in response to your muscle contractions in the eye. These contractions drive forward movements of the lens so the eye can maintain a clear image as it focuses on near, intermediate and far objects.

3) How is Crystalens® different from regular cataract surgery?

In the past, cataract surgery was only able to treat a patient's cataracts, so patients would still be dependent on glasses for most of their daily activities, especially for up close and intermediate activities. Crystalens® will correct far more than just your cataracts. Crystalens® can offer you a fuller range of vision and reduce or eliminate your dependence on glasses.

4) Who is a candidate for Crystalens® - accommodating refractive lens surgery?

• People over the age of 40, with or without a cataract, who are in good health

• People with a cataract at any age

• People who have nearsightedness, farsightedness, Presbyopia, and/or astigmatism.

• People who have had prior corneal refractive surgery and need glasses for reading and/or distance vision.

• People who wear glasses, but, are not a candidate for laser vision correction, such as LASIK

5) How do I know if I am a good candidate?

Florida Eye Center will perform a thorough examination and advise you of a customized treatment plan for effectively correcting your vision.

If your eyes are healthy, and you have no major health problems, you may be an excellent candidate for Crystalens®.  Dr. Sibley will perform a through exam and advise if Crystalens® is right for you. 

**If you’ve already had cataract surgery, you’re not a candidate.

6) How is Crystalens® different from other “lifestyle lenses” on the market?

Crystalens® is the only accommodating intraocular lens on the United States market. As with the natural lens, Crystalens® accommodates, or moves and flexes using an innovative design, in response to your eye muscle contractions. These contractions drive forward movement of the lens as it focuses on near, intermediate and far objects, possibly eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses.

(Standard monofocal (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 vision and near vision.)

7) Can my vision be corrected to 20/20 for both reading and distance?  

No surgeon can guarantee 20/20 vision because everybody’s eyes function differently. However, our patients have been reporting excellent results and most enjoy the majority of their activities without glasses.

The Crystalens® has been designed to focus your eyes at all distances after surgery. While virtually everyone will experience a significant improvement in their uncorrected vision after surgery, some people will not see 20/20 at all distances, with glasses or without glasses.
 
The two-year clinical trial that supported the FDA approval of the Crystalens® indicated

• 98% of Crystalens® patients could pass driver's license eye exams, experiencing 20/30 vision or better

• 100% of Crystalens® patients had good intermediate vision, allowing them to see their computer monitor or an object at arm's length without the assistance of prescription glasses

• 98% of Crystalens® patients had good near vision, allowing them to read numbers in the phone book and newspaper stock quotes without the assistance of prescription glasses

• 93% of Crystalens® patients stated they did not require prescription glasses to perform most daily activities

It is important to keep in mind that visual acuity is subjective and depends upon each individual's own ocular and physiological conditions as well as lifestyle preferences.

Some patients implanted with the Crystalens® still require glasses for certain activities.

8) Will I really be able to see without glasses? Will I be 20/20?

Since everyone’s vision, expectations, and lifestyles differ it is difficult to determine how much you will be dependent on glasses. If you are like the majority of Crystalens® patients, you should be able to experience the same quality vision you did when you were younger, with minimal or no dependence on glasses after Crystalens® surgery.

9) Will I be able to read in all lighting conditions?

Crystalens® works similarly to your natural lens in that it delivers 100% of available light rays to the retina at all distances - near, far, and intermediate. Crystalens® is unlike the two multifocal IOLs on the market, because lighting conditions have very little impact on patients with Crystalens®. Crystalens® directs all available light received by the eye to a single clear focal point, resulting in quality of vision similar to a healthy natural lens. Patients have reported very minimal disturbances. However, it is recommended that you use good lighting when reading.

10) Will I experience halos and glare? Will this lens effect how I drive at night?

All IOLs, including standard monofocal IOLs, first introduced in 1949, can create some degree of halos and glare. Glare and halos have sometimes been observed with the Crystalens®. However, unlike a multifocal IOL, Crystalens® works similarly to your natural lens in the way it delivers available light rays at all distances -- near, far, and intermediate. As a result, Crystalens® patients typically experience fewer halos and less glare than a “multifocal” IOL patient.

If you experience halos or glare following your surgery, there are a number of things that Dr. Sibley can do to improve your vision at night, including medications or night driving glasses.

11) What about my intermediate vision, like working on the computer?

We are happy to report that in the Crystalens® clinical trials, patients reported good intermediate vision. Most Crystalens® patients are able to see their computers, dashboards and anything else at arm’s length without glasses.

12) What will my vision be like after Crystalens surgery?
 
Your distance vision will usually be very good within a day or two after surgery. However, your intermediate and near vision may be somewhat blurred at first.
 
After about 2 weeks, your eye muscles get stronger an you will notice that your intermediate (arm’s length) vision is improving and your near vision is also starting to get better. It is important that you discontinue the use of the reading glasses at this time so that you strengthen the focusing muscle of your eyes.
 
It may take several months for your eyes to reach their full focusing potential. The more you try to read without reading glasses, the quicker you will be able to read without them.

13) Will Crystalens® stop working over time?

Crystalens® surgery is permanent and there is no evidence that the lens will stop working over time. Patients have had Crystalens® implanted in their eyes for nearly 7 years with no change in its ability to flex. It is an extremely well tested and durable design. In fact, there is clinical evidence to support that most patients' vision continues to improve with time.

14) What are the chances that something could go wrong with the surgery? What would they be?

A: The medical procedure to implant the Crystalens® is the same safe, proven cataract surgery performed on over 7 million eyes in the world each year. The Crystalens® represents the state-of-the-art in artificial lens design and is the result of over 50 years' evolution in the treatment of cataracts. Over 40 million successful cataract procedures have been done in the last 25 years. But because it is surgery, it is not completely risk-free.

Possible complications range from minor, usually temporary side effects, to sight-threatening complications. Fortunately, significant sight-threatening complications are extremely rare, and include, but are not limited to infection, hemorrhage, and retinal detachment. People with existing medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic inflammatory conditions and chronic infections are at a higher risk of developing complications. Over 99% of Dr. Sibley's patients have no complications after Accommodating Lens surgery and are very satisfied with the improvement in their vision.

Dr. Sibley will perform a thorough examination and fully inform you of any increased risk of a complication.

15) Will Insurance/Medicare cover any of the Crystalens procedure?

Insurance coverage varies greatly from policy to policy. Generally speaking, private insurance and Medicare will cover “their portion” of the cataract surgical procedure. They usually also allow a certain additional amount for a basic standard monofocal lens implant. With Crystalens, you are receiving an additional benefit of Presbyopia correction that will allow you to enjoy a fuller range of vision with decreased dependence on glasses. You will be responsible for paying for the Presbyopia-correcting portion of the surgery, and any astigmatism correcting surgery charges, which are not covered by Medicare or private insurance plans.

If a patient does not have cataracts, Refractive Lens Exchange with a Crystalens accommodating refractive lens would be a totally elective, non-medically necessary procedure. An elective surgery is not eligible for insurance reimbursement. Therefore, the costs would be completely out of pocket for the patient.

Florida Eye Center offers several different payment and financing options to help make the new advanced Crystalens® premium lens upgrade fit your budget.

Reimbursement Grid for Cataract Patients and Premium Implants

16) How do I know Dr. Sibley is a qualified Crystalens® implant surgeon?

Dr. Sibley is listed on the Crystalens® website: www.crystalens.com All surgeons who are implanting the Crystalens® have gone through a comprehensive training and evaluation course.

However, there is no substitute for a face-to-face consultation with the surgeon prior to undergoing implant surgery. Therefore, please call us today to schedule your Crystalens® evaluation with Dr. Sibley.

Surgery Questions

Dr. Sibley will perform a thorough examination and advise you of a customized treatment plan for effectively correcting your vision.  Every patient is different and only your surgeon can fully explain the details of your Crystalens® procedure. However, the following information may be helpful for most patients.
 
17) Should I have the Crystalens procedure in both eyes?

Typically cataracts will develop in both eyes, and we recommend the Crystalens® refractive lens implant surgery be done in both eyes.  Both eyes work together when focusing on near objects and the “custom-ordered” Crystalens® will be more effective when used in both eyes.

Dr. Sibley will look at a number of factors in deciding which eye to implant first.  We prefer to wait one to two weeks between surgeries, to allow the first eye to heal and to determine the visual outcomes of the new lens.
 
18) How long will the Crystalens surgery take?   Will I feel anything?

Dr. Sibley performs the Crystalens procedure in an Ambulatory Surgery Center, which is an outpatient facility. You will arrive about an hour before the procedure. A number of topical drops will be placed in your eye, to anesthetize your eye and dilate your pupil.  In addition, IV sedation and oral medications will be administered to help you relax; you will not be asleep during the procedure.

Once in the surgery suite, you will lie down on a comfortable bed, a microscope will be positioned over your eye and you will be asked to look up into the light of the microscope.

The actual surgery usually takes around 15-20 minutes. Dr. Sibley will stabilize your eye with a device that gently holds your eyelids open, so you won't have to worry about blinking during the procedure. You will feel no pain, only slight pressure on your eye. Many patients see beautiful colors during the surgery.

Once the surgery is complete, additional drops will be placed in your eye to prevent infection, decrease inflammation, and keep your pupil dilated. Someone will need to drive you home. Once at home, you should rest for the remainder of the day. You should avoid any strenuous activities on the day of surgery. Dr. Sibley will see you the day after surgery to examine your eye. You will use eye drops for the next 6-8 weeks. These drops help the eye heal.

19) When will I be able to return to my normal activities?

Typically you will be able to return to normal activities within several days. You should be able to drive and return to work within 2--3 days.

Your eyes may be sensitive to the touch for a few days, and you should avoid strenuous activity and rubbing your eye. It is important to avoid lifting or straining that would increase pressure on your eye.

You can shower, but avoid getting soap in your eyes. Refrain from eye makeup for several weeks. You should also avoid public pools and hot tubs.

20) What should I expect during the recovery period?

Patients vary widely in how they are affected during the recovery phase. For example, for some patients it takes longer for their near vision to come into focus, while others achieve great near vision almost immediately. The best way to learn about the recovery period is to talk to your surgeon about the procedure.

21) How often will I need to have my eyes checked after surgery?

Dr. Sibley will advise you based on your procedure. Typically, Dr. Sibley will see you one day after surgery, 1 week later or prior to surgery on your second eye, after 2-4 weeks, and again around 3-6 months after surgery. Thereafter, an annual exam is sufficient.

22) Will I have to have cataract surgery again?

Once your cataracts or natural lens is removed and replaced with an IOL, the cataract is “cured” and you will never need to have cataract surgery again. Occasionally, after the lens has been placed in the eye, your vision may start to become cloudy again. This can happen with any type of IOL. This is sometimes called a “secondary cataract” and refers to the clouding of the membrane that surrounds the implant. Your surgeon will go in and quickly remove the clouded cells. This is done painlessly with a laser in an outpatient center and usually takes just a few minutes.

Call 727-895-2020 today to schedule your Crystalens® Refractive
Lens Implant evaluation!