The AcrySof Toric intraocular lens implant (IOL) is designed to correct the astigmatism that may be distorting your vision. If you need cataract surgery and also have astigmatism, you may be an AcrySof Toric IOL candidate, as these IOLs can help you correct both problems.
The result is typically improved distance vision and less dependence on glasses. However, most patients still need corrective lenses for near and intermediate tasks.
Cataract patients have a choice of treatments, including the AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL that treats pre-existing corneal astigmatism at the same time that it corrects cataracts.
With a single procedure, you have the potential to enjoy freedom from glasses or contacts for distance vision with enhanced image quality—allowing you to see life through a new lens.
A cataract is like a cloud over the eye’s lens. It interferes with quality of vision and makes normal activities, such as driving a car, using a computer, or seeing people’s faces, increasingly difficult.
Astigmatism is caused by an irregular curvature of the cornea or the lens, and it hampers the ability to see fine detail. Astigmatism affects vision at all distances and is a separate vision problem from cataracts.
Because cataract surgery is an important decision, you may have some questions. Make sure to discuss any questions you have with the doctor who will perform your surgery. This is the best way to get clear answers that apply specifically to your vision and the cataract procedure you’re considering.
As the eye ages, the lens becomes cloudier, allowing less light to pass through. The light that doesn’t make it to the retina is diffused or scattered, leaving vision defocused and blurry.
When the surface of the cornea has an uneven curvature and is shaped more like a football than a basketball, light rays are not able to focus on one spot, and vision becomes distorted. This common irregularity is called a “corneal astigmatism.”
During cataract surgery, the cataract-affected natural crystalline lens is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). IOLs are typically made of a flexible material, which allows your surgeon to fold and insert the IOL through a very small incision. Once the cataract has been removed and the IOL is in the proper position, light can once again travel unimpeded to the back of the eye.
The most basic option is a monofocal IOL, which does not correct existing vision problems such as astigmatism. With a monofocal IOL, you may still experience blurred and distorted vision if you have astigmatism; this is because it cannot correct preexisting corneal astigmatism. High-quality vision cannot be regained unless the astigmatism is also corrected.
The AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL is changing the way people see cataract surgery—and life. This foldable, single-piece lens is implanted during cataract surgery to replace the clouded lens. It provides clear distance vision for patients with astigmatism and reduces their need to wear glasses.
Simply put, in most cases, the AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL lets you leave your glasses and contacts behind by recapturing your quality distance vision in one step.
All surgeries have risks; however, cataract surgery is one of the safest and most common surgical procedures performed.
If you have a cataract and astigmatism, ask your doctor if you’re a candidate for the AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL.
