7
Is there a difference in quality
between different kinds of
artificial lenses?
New technological developments have led to the creation of
many new types of intraocular lenses (IOLs), suitable for different
situations.
Monofocal IOLs
are the classic lenses used in cataract surgery for
the last few decades.
They have the same refractive power on their surface so they cannot
focus in different distances. A general rule is to prefer to fully correct
distant vision (infinity) without the use of glasses. For near vision the
patient will thus need presbyopic (near) glasses.
1
In the first stage topical anesthetic drops are instilled, together with
drops to dilate the iris. This initial phase takes 20-30 minutes. The
surgeon or the staff then places a special instrument called an eyelid
speculum, to keep the eye open and the lids apart, so that the main
procedure can commence.
Firstly, a small incision is made (2-3 mm) in the corneal periphery.
Then a circular incision is made in the anterior capsular bag which
contains the opacified lens (anterior capsulotomy). Subsequently,
with a syringe which contains normal saline, the lens is separated
from the capsular bag (hydrodissection). The lens is now ready to
be removed using the phacoemulsification technique, as the lens
is dissected into small pieces and then aspirated, together with a
complete washout of the capsular bag.
When the lens has been fully removed a new artificial lens is installed
in the capsular bag.
