In November of 2016, Lynda Peers was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. She was referred to Dr. Matthew Albright of VisionAmerica and it was determined that surgery was needed to remove the cataracts. Dr. Albright had previously performed cataract surgery on Mrs. Peer's husband and had used a monofocal lens. When this was mentioned, however, she balked at the idea. "My husband is completely happy with the results of his surgery, but when Dr. Albright went over the first lens with me and mentioned that I would have to wear reading glasses, I told him I did not want to have to bother with them," said Peers. "That is when he recommended the new lens." At VisionAmerica, our goal is to be a true resource to your patients. One of the ways we feel we can achieve this is by providing you access to the best and newest technologies on the market. A big part of this is looking ahead and seeing what's next. It is no secret that a large portion of the population in the United States is entering senior citizenship. Within the next 10-15 years, the United States Census Bureau predicts that 59.8 million Americans will be between the ages of 66 and 84 years old. With this aging of the citizenry comes many challenges, but the most prevalent may be decreasing vision and other issues of the eye. Statistically speaking, this means that a large number of our patients will potentially be diagnosed with cataracts. As you know, there are many different treatment options for cataracts, but cataract surgery is one of the safest and most-effective surgeries in the United States. It is estimated that 90 percent of people who have cataract surgery have better vision afterward. Statistics are just that, though. They are numbers that paint a bigger picture. But if you get down on an individual patient level, you might hear something like this... "It was just depressing. My mom had cataracts when she was 80, but I didn't think that, at 65-years-old, I would be faced with this." I don't think any of us ever forget that we work with actual people, but statements like this further humanize what we do as healthcare professionals. In November of 2016, Lynda Peers was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. She was referred to Dr. Matthew Albright of VisionAmerica and it was determined that surgery was needed to remove the cataracts. Dr. Albright had previously performed cataract surgery on Mrs. Peer's husband and had used a monofocal lens. When this was mentioned, however, she balked at the idea. "My husband is completely happy with the results of his surgery, but when Dr. Albright went over the first lens with me and mentioned that I would have to wear reading glasses, I told him I did not want to have to bother with them," said Peers. "That is when he recommended the new lens." The new lens is the TECNIS Symfony® Intraocular Lens (IOL), which was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in July of 2016. It is designed to provide a full range of continuous high-quality vision following a cataract surgery, while also mitigating the effects of presbyopia by helping people focus on near objects. "It's true that the monofocal lens often used to replace the natural lens of the eye during a cataract surgery is designed to allow the patient to see at a distance," said Albright. "One of the great benefits of the Symfony IOL is that it was designed to improve both the range and quality of vision. It has an extended depth of focus, which allows the patient to see further out. "The Symfony IOL has been tested in clinical studies involving over 2,000 eyes. It improved day-to-night vision, decreased dependence on opticals, and cut down on the typical halo and glare experienced by cataract patients. This IOL can also be used to reduce patient's dependency on glasses for near tasks, but is also the first presbyopic correcting IOL that will also correct astigmatism," said Albright. Peers underwent cataract surgery on her left eye on December 21st of 2016 and had surgery on her right eye on February 1 of this year. The Symfony IOL was used as the replacement lens in both operations. "Before the surgery I could not see at a distance and I was also having trouble seeing close up," said Peers. "Driving was a huge challenge. I couldn't read road signs and driving at night was difficult." Now a little over a month removed from her last surgery, Peers sees a dramatic difference. The results, to use her words, are simply, "Amazing!" "These lenses are awesome," she continued. "Dr. Albright is an awesome surgeon. I would recommend him and VisionAmerica to anyone. I am very, very pleased and only have to reach for the magnifying glass if I need to read very fine print." VisionAmerica is excited to offer this procedure because we are certain it will improve the care provided to your patients. If you have a patient who is in need of cataract surgery, please contact VisionAmerica and Dr. Albright to see if the Symfony IOL is a viable option. For more information on the TECNIS Symfony® Intraocular Lens, click here.
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2/13/2023 11:23:12 pm
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