Do you have cataracts? Do you also have a common refractive error called astigmatism? Toric IOLs may be a good choice for you during cataract surgery.
An essential aspect of cataract surgery is choosing the type of intraocular lens (IOL) that will replace the cataract-affected natural lens of your eye after the procedure.
Toric IOLs are the only IOLs specifically designed to correct astigmatism. They help by reducing the amount of glare and halos that people with astigmatism usually experience.
Keep reading to learn more about whether toric IOLs are the best if you have astigmatism.
What are Cataracts?
Cataracts occur when the natural lens of the eye becomes clouded. The lens is a flexible, clear disc that sits in front of the retina.
It helps focus light so the retina can transmit images to your brain. Over time, the proteins that make up the lens form clumps that can become cloudy or discolored.
This reduces the amount of light reaching the retina and affects your vision. Most cataracts are age-related; however, they can also be congenital or occur after an illness or injury.
You may not notice any symptoms in the early stages of cataracts, as they typically develop slowly over time. As cataracts progress, you’ll likely start to see changes in your vision.
Increased blurriness, difficulty seeing in low light, colors seeming dimmer, and halos or glare around lights are common symptoms of cataracts.
Eventually, cataracts may result in blank or cloudy spots in your vision.
What is Cataract Surgery?
There is no way to prevent cataracts or slow their progress. Cataract surgery is the only way to reverse visual changes from cataracts.
Cataract surgery replaces the clouded natural lens with a clear, artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). It is a safe, effective procedure that only takes about 30 minutes.
The new lens can completely fix vision problems caused by cataracts. Depending on the IOL you choose, they can correct other vision issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.
Some premium options can also correct presbyopia or age-related farsightedness. There are a variety of IOLs that address different vision correction needs, including distance vision, close vision, and multifocal correction.
For people who have astigmatism, toric IOLs are often the most effective choice.
What is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a common cause of refractive errors. It occurs when one or both of your eyes have a slightly irregular shape.
The eye is typically shaped like a sphere. In the case of an eye with astigmatism, the eye is shaped more like an oval.
When your eye is wider than it is tall, you have horizontal astigmatism. If your eye is taller than it is wide, you have vertical astigmatism.
Astigmatism usually causes both close-up and distance vision to be blurry. Glasses can correct astigmatism, but people with astigmatism who wish to use contacts may need specialty contact lenses called toric contact lenses.
They are lenses that are specially shaped to fit the irregularities of the shape of your eye and give you clarity. Many people can wear soft toric contact lenses, but other types of astigmatism respond better to hard or gas-permeable lenses.
Toric IOLs for Astigmatism
Like toric contact lenses, toric IOLs are shaped to correct visual errors associated with astigmatism. Toric IOLs are available in a variety of options at Herschel LASIK & Cataract Institute, including:
Monofocal
Monofocal IOLs are standard lenses that only offer one focusing distance. They can be set to distance, intermediate, or up close vision, depending on your prescription and personal preference.
This means you will need to wear glasses or contacts to access a full range of vision after cataract surgery.
Multifocal
Multifocal IOLs are premium lenses that can give you a full range of vision and reduce reliance on glasses and contact lenses. They are made up of concentric rings of different magnifications that your brain learns to adapt to, giving you clear vision at multiple distances.
Aspheric
Aspheric IOLs come in monofocal and multifocal varieties and can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and spherical aberrations. Spherical aberrations are visual abnormalities like halos, glare, or starbursts that occur when the outer parts of a lens don’t focus light at the same power as the central part of the lens.
Light Adjustable Lens
The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) is an excellent choice for patients with astigmatism. It is the only type of IOL that can be adjusted after cataract surgery, meaning you can test-drive your new vision before it is finalized.
Using scheduled UV light treatments, your cataract surgeon can adjust the power of the Light Adjustable Lens to customize the prescription to your specific vision needs. All of these intraocular lens choices come in toric and non-toric varieties, so they all have the potential to treat your astigmatism.
Do you want to learn more about cataract surgery and find out whether toric IOLs are right for you? Schedule an appointment at Herschel LASIK & Cataract Institute in Orlando, FL, today!
