What to Expect following your Crystalens procedure SU6161-Post Op Brochure REVISED Landscape.indd 1 10/11/10 9:56 AM
Congratulations on taking the first step to clearer vision. Please take a few moments to review this brochure and make sure you follow all of your Doctor s post-op instructions. Florence Henderson, Crystalens Patient 2009 SU6161-Post Op Brochure REVISED Landscape.indd 2 10/11/10 9:56 AM
What Can I Expect? The Crystalens is designed to allow movement back and forth as the muscles in the eye contract and relax. This movement is what gives patients back an increased range of vision. A 12 point font should be a reasonable expectation for uncorrected near vision in the majority of patients. You are reading a 12 point font now. The goal of your Crystalens procedure is to keep from reaching for your reading glasses as much as possible thus allowing you to experience, like the majority of Crystalens patients, an increase in independence from glasses. Many patients will use +1.00 or +1.50 readers for some tasks, such as to see fine print, reading for extended periods, or to perform complex near vision tasks. Time needs to be allowed for healing to take place. Please do not expect maximum vision one day or even one week following surgery.
What Should I Do Following Surgery? Follow up and post-operative care is very similar to that of traditional cataract patients, but there are a few additional considerations: Following surgery, optimal results will not be immediately apparent. You might not see your full visual outcome for one to three months. Most find that their vision continues to improve with time. When customizing your surgical outcome, your doctor may opt to give you eye drops that will dilate your pupil to aid in the healing and positioning of the Crystalens. If these drops are used, you may experience light sensitivity and large pupils for up to two weeks after your cataract surgery. This is to be expected and these symptoms will resolve as the effects of the medication wear off. Your doctor may instruct you to wear low power reading glasses for one or two weeks following your procedure to aid in the proper healing and positioning of the Crystalens. Expect some early fluctuation of both near and distance vision. The muscle in your eye has been inactive for some time and it may require time to retrain this muscle. Crystalens gives the most natural vision possible because it depends on the eye s natural focusing muscle. As your muscle adjusts, improvements in reading ability should be seen over time.
You can think of this as visual rehabilitation. You may help hasten this process by alternatively reading and watching T.V., doing crossword puzzles, or any other activity that requires looking from distance to near and back again. Sometimes an enhancement is needed to fine tune your result by treating residual nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. An enhancement is generally not advised until three months after your initial surgery. For certain levels of astigmatism, it may be necessary to have another procedure to treat this condition following or during surgery. Your doctor will discuss with you if this is indicated for you. After cataract surgery, the capsule that holds the Crystalens in place will sometimes get cloudy. When this occurs, typically a YAG laser is used to create an opening in the capsule to remove this cloudiness. Your doctor will discuss this with you further, if indicated for you.
Post-Surgery Checklist: What Happens Next? Having realistic expectations of what the Crystalens is designed to do for you will increase your likelihood of having a lifetime of vision with the Crystalens. It is important to keep all of your postop appointments with your doctor and use your eye drops as you have been directed. We hope this guide has answered many of your questions as you begin to not just see, but see better! Please talk to your doctor regarding any other questions you may have about the Crystalens.
Notes
POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS Implantation of Crystalens is a surgical procedure. All surgical procedures entail some risk. The risks of implantation with Crystalens are generally the same potential risks that exist for implanting all intraocular lenses. Because Crystalens has a smaller optic compared to the standard IOL, glare and other visual disturbances may occur under certain lighting conditions, including at night when the pupil widely dilates. Only your surgeon can determine if Crystalens is right for you and explain the applicable risks. Your doctor will perform a thorough examination and fully inform you of any increased risk of complication. Because Crystalens only absorbs a portion of ultraviolet light, you should wear sunglasses with UV400 protection when out in daylight. INDICATIONS FOR USE Crystalens intraocular lens is indicated for implantation in the capsular bag of the eye for the visual correction of aphakia secondary to the removal of a cataractous lens in adult patients with and without presbyopia. Adverse events are comparable to the FDA-published historical controls.* Rx only. Only your surgeon can determine if Crystalens is right for you and explain the applicable risks. *Data on file at Bausch + Lomb. 2010 Bausch + Lomb Incorporated. / denote trademarks of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated. SU6161 10/10