Experience of Physician AND Crystalens

[jade9923]

I have read that the skill of the physician is very critical to a successful outcome with crystalens.
Can the physicians here explain what additional experience is needed for crystalens vs. "traditional cataract surgery",,
and most importantly, what problems a  crystalens patient may experience with an inexperienced crystalens surgeon?
Thank you.

[caren123]

I had crystalens placed in my right eye almost 2 years ago.  My surgeon admits his eye measurements were off,  and I ended up unexpectedly nearsighted (refractive error of -1.50 refractive error).  I can see my fingertips clearly.  Problem is, if I change vision to distance by wearing glasses, or contacts, or accept his offer for free  Lasik correction to distance, it would not result in adding distance to the vision I have now,  rather, I exchange close vision for distance vision, losing the close vision. There is no way I know for me to get the range of vision which was promised in the first place.  I do not know how many crystalens procedures my surgeon had done before I had mine.  All second opinions I got indicated that that the lens is placed correctly.  Inidentally, I believe my pre-existing problems (which could not be seen clearly until the centrally located cataract was removed, may have been exacerbated by the cataract surgery.  In any case, the retina problems were of more concern than correcting the cataract surgery and after retina surgery ta year ago to remove ERM, my sight is much clearer, though still distorted (I may have waited too long to get the retina surgery).

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

Lens must be centered perfectly and the capsule behind the lens needs to be cleaned well.  The comfort zone for the surgeon with these lenses sometimes takes a hundred or so cases to get just right and comfortable but that does not mean a conscientous cataract surgeon with no prior experience with it can not place it perfectly.  The skills used are the same as those used by regular cataract surgeons (just less room for error with this lens' placement).  Look through previous discussions on this forum as well as blogs on this subject for more info.

HV