About 17.2% of Americans 40 and older have cataracts, a common age-related clouding of the eye’s natural lens. One of the most effective cataract treatments is intraocular multifocal lenses, also known as IOLs.
At Orange County Cataract and Glaucoma, where Anand Bhatt, MD, and our team provide highly specialized cataract surgery and treatment, we often use PanOptix® and Odyssey™ multifocal lenses during cataract surgery.
Read on to learn how IOLs work and why they’re considered the gold standard in cataract treatment.
Multifocal intraocular lenses are artificial lenses that Dr. Bhatt implants in your eye to replace your natural lens. What makes them unique is that they offer multiple focusing zones for near, intermediate, and distant vision. This helps keep your vision sharp at multiple points of focus and often eliminates the need for reading glasses or bifocals after surgery.
Several types of multifocal IOLs exist, but we typically use PanOptix and Odyssey lenses. These state-of-the-art lenses feature advanced technologies that enhance vision and support a better quality of life.
Multifocal IOLs offer many benefits for people who have cataracts, including:
Many people no longer need to wear glasses following IOL placement, so you can read, watch TV, or scroll on your smartphone without hunting down (or using) your spectacles.
Do you often have to wear glasses to see billboards or other signage in the distance? What about when you’re watching TV? Multifocal IOLs provide crystal clear vision at near, intermediate, and far distances, making everyday tasks like driving or trying a new recipe easier.
Many people with cataracts avoid certain activities because they can’t see as well as they used to. Since multifocal IOLs can fully restore your vision, you can get back to your usual routine, whether that means taking road trips, reading, or painting.
PanOptix and Odyssey IOLs are considered the gold standard in multifocal lenses. They’re designed with enhanced features to ensure comfort and clarity, making them an ideal choice for a wide range of patients, including those with underlying eye conditions.
Placing multifocal IOLs is an option with routine cataract surgery. The surgery is an outpatient procedure lasting 10-15 minutes and performed with local and IV sedation.
First, Dr. Bhatt administers a local anesthetic to numb your eye and then makes a small incision in your eye’s surface. He then removes your eye’s natural lens with ultrasound energy and/or laser, and replaces it with the intraocular lens implant, being very careful to preserve the lens’s capsule (a protective layer that provides the lens with natural support).
Once your multifocal IOL is in position, Dr. Bhatt performs finishing touches and you are able to return home and recover.
Multifocal lenses can provide many benefits but may not be the best choice for every patient. Dr. Bhatt can examine your eyes to see if they may be appropriate in each individual case or if there is a different solution to meet your needs.
Dr. Bhatt and his team at Orange County Cataract and Glaucoma have years of experience diagnosing and treating cataracts with multifocal intraocular lenses. Don’t wait to get treated if cataracts are blurring your vision.
Schedule a consultation today by calling our office in Orange County, California, at 714-541-4185 or using the online booking feature.
