Light Adjustable Lens™ (LAL)
As we age, the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy and hardens, decreasing the quality of vision and perception. If you have difficulty judging distances, focusing on nearby objects, difficulty seeing at night, or you have become light sensitive – you likely have cataracts. If not dealt with in a timely manner, it could lead to vision loss. That is why your physician will recommend cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery is one of the most common and safest surgeries performed in an outpatient basis. During cataract surgery, your clouded natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens. This lens is called an intraocular lens (IOL).
Traditionally, the intraocular lens implanted during cataract surgery has a predetermined lens power that must be selected by your doctor before surgery for vision correction. Once your surgery is complete and the IOL has been implanted, there are limited options to adjust the lens power, UNTIL NOW…
FDA approved RxSight Light Adjustable Lens (LAL), now affords you and your doctor the ability to customize your vision after your eye has healed from cataract surgery. This is because the Light Adjustable Lens is made of a special photosensitive material that changes the shape and power of your implanted lens in response to ultraviolet (UV) light.
With RxSight Light Adjustable Lens, you and your physician now have the special ability to adjust and preview your vision to suit your individual needs. YOUNG EYE INSTITUTE is the first and only practice to offer the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens in the entire TEXOMA region!
The Light Adjustable Lens delivers superior vision outcomes over IOLs. In an FDA study of 600 subjects, those who received the LAL were twice as likely (as those who received a standard monofocal IOL) to achieve 20/20 vision without glasses.
The cataract removal and IOL implantation procedure are the same as if you selected a non-adjustable IOL. Then, in the weeks that follow, your physician will customize your vision through a series of non-invasive light treatments that take only a few minutes each. You may need 2 to 4 total light treatments over a period of 1 to 2 weeks to reach your vision goals. Once your vision is adjusted, the final light treatment is used to lock in the results.
You and your doctor will work together to optimize your vision using UV light treatments. During this period, you will need to wear UV-blocking glasses to protect your eyes from exposure to all indoor and outdoor sources of UV light. The UV protective glasses must be worn during all waking hours, from the time of lens implantation until 24 hours after your last light treatment is completed. After this time, no further changes can be made to the implanted Light Adjustable Lens and you can remove the UV protective glasses and enjoy the freedom of custom clear vision!
Previous
Next
The unique feature of the Light Adjustable Lens is that the shape and focusing characteristics can be changed after implantation in the eye using an office-based UV light source called a Light Delivery Device or LDD. The Light Adjustable Lens itself has special particles (called macromers), which are distributed throughout the lens. When ultraviolet (UV) light from the LDD is directed to a specific area of the lens, the particles in the path of the light connect with other particles (forming polymers). The remaining unconnected particles then move to the exposed area. This movement causes a highly predictable change in the curvature of the lens. The new shape of the lens will match the prescription you selected during your eye exam.
Please follow all instructions provided to you by your eye doctor and staff, including wearing of the UV-blocking glasses that will be provided to you. As with any cataract surgery, your vision may not be perfect after surgery. While your eye doctor selected the lens he or she anticipated would give you the best possible vision, it was only an estimate. Fortunately, you have selected the Light Adjustable Lens! In the next weeks, you and your eye doctor will work together to optimize your vision. Please make sure to pay close attention to your vision and be prepared to discuss preferences with your eye doctor.
The UV-blocking glasses provided to you protect the Light Adjustable Lens from UV light sources other than the LDD that your doctor will use to optimize your vision. Exposing the Light Adjustable Lens to other UV light sources will potentially change the lens correction in an uncontrolled manner. If you do not wear the provided UV-blocking glasses, your vision may not improve or it could get worse. If this happens, please contact your physician.
The UV-blocking glasses must be worn at all times until your eye doctor tells you that you no longer need to wear them (usually 24 hours after your final light treatment). Total wear is typically about 4 to 5 weeks in duration, however, this may vary depending on the number of light treatments delivered.
Yes, you must wear them all waking hours to prevent uncontrolled changes to the Light Adjustable Lens. It is important to think about the time period over which you must wear the UV-blocking glasses and any commitments that you may have. It may be best to schedule your surgery and treatments around these commitments.
No. You must wear the UV-blocking glasses provided to you. These glasses have a special protective coating that no other glasses have.
Please notify your eye doctor/clinic as soon as possible if one of your two pairs of UV-blocking glasses are lost, damaged or unwearable, and then continue to wear the other pair. If both pairs are lost or damaged, wear the darkest sunglasses you have and contact your eye doctor/clinic.
It is very important that you do not forget to wear your UV-blocking glasses. However, if you do forget, please put them on as soon as you remember.
A minimum of two light treatments—each lasting approximately 90 seconds—are required. The total number of light treatments is based on achievement of the desired visual outcome that you and your doctor selected. Once you have achieved your final optimal vision, the lens power is permanently locked with a final light treatment to prevent any further changes.
Each light treatment will last between 8 and 120 seconds, with the average being approximately 90 seconds. Variation in time is dependent on the type of treatment performed.
Numbing drops will be applied to your eye, and there may be some mild pressure or discomfort. However, the light treatments should not be painful.
Your vision may be blurry immediately after each treatment due to a gel used during application of the light treatment, but this should resolve quickly. Additionally, your eye may be dilated for the treatment, which may require wearing tinted glasses for a few hours. It may take approximately 24 hours after each light treatment to notice an improvement in your vision. The light from the LDD may also cause a temporary or long-lasting pink or red afterimage, which is common with a light source directed to the eye. This tinge to your vision is especially noticeable on things that normally look white.
• Showering: If there is a window or possible direct sunlight in your shower, please wear the UV-blocking glasses in the shower. If there is no direct sunlight, you do not need to wear your UV-blocking glasses when you shower. However, please put them on immediately afterwards.
• Sports: Your eye doctor will advise you when you can return to sports. Your return to more impactful activities may need to be delayed until all light treatments are complete to guarantee a stable Light Adjustable Lens for light treatments.
• Tanning Studio: A tanning studio bed is a very strong source of UV light, and should be avoided until all light treatments are complete and you have been advised that you can remove your UV-blocking glasses.
• Makeup: Your eye doctor will advise you when you can return to wearing eye makeup. Be careful when removing eye makeup and do not place excessive pressure on the eye. Permanent makeup
should be delayed until the eye is considered fully healed by your eye doctor.
• Travel: Travel is not impacted. Be sure to remember all of your UV-blocking glasses and wear at all times. Be particularly diligent in protecting your eyes from UV sources in unfamiliar environments.
• Work: Work is not impacted, unless your profession puts you at a higher risk of UV exposure. Please remember to wear your UV-blocking glasses at work until you are told by your eye doctor that it is no longer necessary.
• Laser Treatments: It is recommended that you wait until all light treatments are complete and you have been advised that you can remove your UV-blocking glasses before proceeding with hair removal (IPL) treatments (different IPL devices use different wavelengths). This should include other facial beauty treatments that use light sources.