Boland Eye Center is pleased to announce the addition of Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) to our list of services. For patients who suffer from Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome, the Refractive Lens Exchange may be the best solution.
RLE is gaining popularity as a surgical option for people age 40 and beyond who want to decrease or eliminate their dependence on glasses or contacts. During RLE, the eye's natural lens is replaced with an artificial lens to correct vision (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia) and eliminate the need for cataract surgery in the future.
When you are young, the natural lens acts like a zoom function in a camera, allowing you to focus up close, without the need for reading glasses or bifocals. As you age, the lens progressively becomes dysfunctional resulting in loss of near vision (presbyopia) that requires the use of reading glasses or bifocals. With aging, the lens also progressively become hard, yellow, and cloudy (cataract). Cataracts block and scatter light reducing visual quality, quantity and color perception. This progressive loss of function of the natural lens inside the eye is referred to as Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome (DLS).
Your lenses continually age throughout life. This results in the need for reading glasses or bifocals in your 40's and eventually cataract surgery in your 70's and 80's. Lens changes cause progressive deterioration in vision. More and more patients do not want to tolerate the years of progressive decline in their vision as they develop cataracts; they want it permanently fixed now. With the advancement in technology and the safety of the procedure, patients are now choosing to have their natural lenses replaced at an earlier age. After RLE, cataract surgery will never be needed. The artificial lens will not age, which provides visual stability to the lens of the eye. There are several lenses to choose from to best customize your specific eyes.
Here at Boland Eye Center, we utilize state of the art technology to diagnose Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome. Our highly trained staff works closely with Dr. Boland to ensure that each patient receives the premium care they deserve and expect from their healthcare professional.
As we age, the lens inside the eye progressively loses its natural flexibility. Overall quality of vision also begins to deteriorate due to changes in the protein that makes up the lens, causing it to become yellow rather than clear. There may be an increase in lens opacity, less contrast sensitivity, mild glare and an increase in aberrations. This is what is known as Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome (DLS). DLS will affect everyone at some point in their life, with most noticing these symptoms in their 40's. Patients find that they are holding the newspaper further away and eventually find that reading glasses are needed to bring small print into focus.
Eventually, these lens changes will lead to cataracts. In years past, individuals needed to wait until cataracts were significantly affecting their vision before surgery was an option, however with today's advances in technology, patients with DLS have options to treat their visual disturbances before cataracts develop. Refractive Lens Exchange is a great option for patients who are motivated to get out of glasses but don't want to wait until cataracts develop.
"How is your vision? How well are you seeing?" are questions not easily answered. Often times we know our vision has changed but cannot quite seem to put into words what those changes are and how they affect our daily living. Many individuals find they need glasses both for distance and close up in order to see images clearly. However, even with glasses they aren't satisfied with the quality of their vision. Now, Dr. Boland and Dr. Holmes have the technology to know how you actually see objects without having to ask you the question "How well are you seeing today?". With the HD Analyzer, our doctors are able to evaluate how well an image is projected onto the retina by delivering both a simulated image and a score of the eye's optical limit. This information is critical in all eye exams and more so when pathology may be the underlying cause for not seeing well. What truly makes it important is that many times our doctors can improve your score by surgical or other therapeutic means and thereby improve your vision.
Another benefit of the HD Analyzer is its ability to accurately measure the tear film and its influence on the final image quality. The tear film may be the first limiting factor preventing good vision. Dry eye symptoms are unfortunately more and more common today. The HD Analyzer can evaluate the dynamics of the tear film with just one click and thus evaluate the success of treatment plans.
The HD Analyzer is not a reimbursed test. We are, however, sure that the cost of the test will not be a limiting factor when compared to the mutual benefit it will bring you and your doctor.
Learn more about cutting edge technology used to diagnose and treat dry eye disease.
