Crystalens HD vs Tecnis Multifocal

[stutk]

I am 36 years Old and have had perfect vision until now. My doctor recently discovered I have a cataract in my right eye due to injury. I can still see perfect out of my left eye. I am so confused on which way to go with this. I have seen two opthamologists and here is what each of them told me.

They both have said because of my lifestyle ( i work with computers all day, I am very active..ski, play softball etc) that they definitely recommended the multifocal lenses.

One recommended the Crystal Lens HD because he said this works the best with a one eye cataract. This dr also said he hasnt had any experience with the Tecnis Multifocal.

The other one recommended the just recently release Tecnis multifocal because he said he has had excellent results and it is by far superior to any other multifocal lens...but didnt say if it was good for just one eye like the previous dr.

Any information or help on this would be greatly appreciated..

[stutk]

also anyone that has had just one eye cataract surgery could you please post your experience.

[peakhope]

If you are willing to wear glasses for some activities, you should at least consider a plain monofocal lens. They have fewer risks, and cost less.

I also work a lot with computers, and was ok wearing reading glasses but hoped to avoid glasses for intermediate/distance. That led me to Crystalens HDs in both eyes. My distance vision is "good" and still improving (5 months post-op). My intermediate vision was excellent shortly after the operations, and near was excellent a few weeks after.

Sometimes on this board there are a lot of complaints about CL lenses, and other times hardly any. I think a lot of the complaints (certainly not all of them) can be tied to one of two causes: Unrealistic expectations, and inexperienced doctors.

With any medical procedure there are unknowns and risks, so there is no way to know in advance what your outcome will be. If you happen to be in the 1% or 10% who have a bad result, it's 100% bad for you.

I don't know much about the Tecnis lens. Good luck no matter what you decide.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

There is a wealth of information here about the problems of Multifocal IOLs.

Both the tecnis and crystalens HD are excellent. It is not fair to say the tecnis is best because its new and experience is limited.

Ultimately you will have to make the call.

Some eye surgery practices work very hard to have patients "upgrade' to the more expensive multifocal IOLs.

JCH MD

[austintejas]

Dr. Hagan:

I had Rezoom IOLs implanted 2.5 years ago and one eye has experienced terrible problems.  That eye causes me great pain and does not see as well as the other.  I want to have the Rezoom in the bad eye replaced with a mono focal IOL.  I have had YAG on the eye which I understand will make the exchange more difficult and pose greater risks.  Do you know of a particular doctor or clinic that is nationally known to be the foremost experts on performing difficult explants?  Any other suggestions for me?

[stutk]

thank you so much for replying to this...I am so torn on what i should do...or even if I should get the surgery done at all and just keep relying on my one good eye...

[cdn_glenn]

I've had Tecnis multifocals for nearly three years.  Functional vision with Tecnis MF is excellent, but you WILL encounter the multifocal issues including halos and ghosting.  This was pretty severe for me at first. Over many months this decreased.  It never totally disappeared.

The Crystalens HD has its own issues, but I don't believe ghosting is one of them.

No IOL is going to be perfect.  Keep reading and it's up to you to decide.  Take your time with a difficult decision.  Cheers and good luck!

[Lerbea]

I would not take the chance with any brand of multifocal IOL's being used. I had Alcon multifocal and they were simply horrible. Read the archives here you may end up worse than you started out with.

[chickencurry]

I'm also trying to decide whether I should go with the Crystalens or Technis(or Restor 3.0).
I don't want to get glares and halos as I play tennis at night so I'm leaning towards Crystalens HD and hoping I don't see the edges of the lens. Any input on the latest Crystalens HD, Restore 3.0 and Technis would be great.

[mmmmpppp]

I've read in a couple different forums (not within MedHelp) that the multifocals are not so good in one eye only.  At least anecdotally, one doctor reported some very bad stats for a patient (I seem to remember J5) and took it as confirmation that the rule of thumb against multifocals in only one eye is true.  Crystalens, which is NOT a multifocal in this sense, is also not as good in one eye as in two, according to Dr O and others.  I'll be getting a Crystalens in July in hopes of good intermediate and distance and thinking that Crystalens is only poorer in one eye in regard to near vision, while the multifocal I think would be poorer in near, intermediate, and distance.  I ultimately chose the Crystalens mostly because it should be better for intermediate, and I am resigned to reading glasses (much as I hate them).

[ace399]

I had the Crystaloens HD in my right eye.  When it did not accommodate, I implanted the latest Restor in my left eye.  Over 2 months, my CL HD shifted myopic.  So, I had my Dr. just recently replace it with the new Restor.

The Restor lenses are really good.  I only see some halos at night from bright lights, but I am used to them and they do not bother me.  In good lighting I can read without readers, but do need them in dim light (e.g. restaurant).

[Lerbea]

If your work is tied to good eyesight I would suggest not putting Multifocals in of any kind. I did not have good vision at any distance. So I had IOL explants to remove these multifocal. It is too big of a chance to try Multifocals.

[Lerbea]

Check out this link with the FDA for adverse reactions for these lenses. Last time I checked Restor had over 800 complaints reported.

www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMAUDE/search.cfm
Sometimes just clicking on this link doesn't work so you may have to do a search thru FDA Maude to find the input page.

[savannahcharlestx]

I have restor lenses and I don't like them...can they be changed or is it too late to have them changed...I want to be able to see at night....I can't drive anywhere and it is bad bad bad..sometimes it is worse then other times...Restor site says not for people who make a livng driving at night....what do  I do now...seems like they are getting worse...like they work and then they don't and I have a strange sharp pain in the white of my right eye..just a sharp pain..and that same eye is afways feeling like something is in it...I am not even aware of my left eye but the right drives me nuts...what do I do...hate to think of trusting the dr. who put them in in the first place...need dr. who is specialist in Houston,Texas area...any ideas?
I need help...have had black do going across field of vision lately....and I can actually see the circles of the lenses in my eyes if I focus or close my eyes to swint it is really strange...I need help

[chickencurry]

Thank you for the comments and sharing the informations.  I always had 20/20 vision in both eyes and although I just turned 36, I have a cataract in my right eye. It seems like it's one of those cataracts that developed quickly. I had some slight blurriness in September and was told I have a cataract and I started thinking about surgery in March the following year.  It's now June, as I needed to do some research on IOL lenses and I finally decided to try the Crystalens HD. I only have a cataract in my right eye.  I'll try and report back after my surgery.Thanks again all.

[Lerbea]

Yes the Restor can be exchanged. Find a teaching hospital or a very well known doctor to do this.  I've had my 2 exchanged. It eliminated the glare, ghosting, poorvision for the day.  I've not gotten out much at night. But know the giant star bursts are eliminated by l/2.  I do wear glasses to do the final sharpening of my vision.

Good luck.  

[ace399]

How long have you had the Restor's?  It may take some time for your eyes and brain to adjust.

[Lerbea]

Yah that's what the old doctor tried to blame it on. But it was not "adjustment" issues. Maybe yours will take time also.

[frenchfloaters]

Hi Stuck

Wait long as possible before to do your cataract surgery . And finaly , forget the multifocal lens . You are to young for this kind of lens . HAlos, galres etc..are terrible . I had cataract surgery in both eyes with Multi OL at 37 Y old . I read an abstract that IOL multifocal are better for people above 55/60 Y old

John

[stutk]

I have perfect 20/20 in my left eye and need cataract surgery in my right eye...would you recommend a monofocal set for reading....that way i can see far with my left eye and have both eyes for reading (essentially monovision)...and eventually when i hit over 40 and my left eye starts losing the reading then i will have my left eye for seeing distance and my right eye for reading...

[crystannot_lens]

I had Crystalens HD 500 just put in both eyes in May / June. The right eye is messed up bad. Need to have it replaced with something. Does anyone know if the newer Tecnis multifocal has the same problem as the Restor 4 as far as intermediate slightly fog vision??? Like accross a room. Also has anyone had problems with the newer Restor 3 ?
From what I read with studies, the Tecnis multifocal seems to be a pretty good lens. But not sure.
IF Anyone is considering a Crystalens HD500,,, MAKE SURE that the surgeon has been doing them for quite some time "Experienced". My surgeon messed up my eyes to where I will never be able to have a Crystalens that works. Does not know what she is doing!!!. Would appreciate your quick response. Having surgery in 10 days.

[OldNavy966]

My 2 cents.  Crystalens HD = 1 of the worst decisions in my life.  And folks, I've made many bad decisions in my life.  The only thing that is "High Definition" in my vision with this lens are the halos, glare, shimmering, ghosting, and double vision.  I think the  "Crystal" has to do with the clanking of champaign flutes after my surgeon sold me this lens.

[fundybay101]

did you get your Crystalens in your right eye and how is it.
I am trying to decide as well between mono Crystalens and multifocal in mt right eye which had lazic surgery done 3 years ago for monovision and  lost all my depth perception. Now has anyone had only one eye done
with Crystalens and been happy?

[Restorsucess]

I did my lenses as a clear lens exchange. To lose my glasses. I didn't have cataracts. It was an elective procedure that my husband and I had to pay for through a pre-tax health account. It was a package deal... all tests and follow up for one year included. There were quite a few tests. I also had to sign a HUGE document that listed all the things that could go wrong. I also had to watch a movie, and was given a quiz on it. Apparently so they knew, that I KNEW that things don't always go as hoped. I'll be the first to admit, I took a gamble really. But after the reading vision went, and having 20/400 distance vision all my life, I would have been happy to lose glasses even some of the time. I was SO dependent on them.

I had restor +3.0's done in January 2010 for clear lens replacement. I love them. Vision is 20/20 reading and 20/16 distance. I have one "less crisp" spot at about 3 feet. Can't even call it fuzzy. If I move my head forward or back a couple inches, it goes away. I does not interfere with anything I do. I work on the computer most of the day, and I see it fine with no eye stress. The only reason I found it was "experimenting" with my new vision when I first got it.

Headlights and traffic lights at night, at a distance 1/4 to 1/2 mile?)look like "fuzz balls", but get clearer as they approch. At a stop light, the car lights across an intersection look like normal headlights. Actually, my night vision is better than when I had glasses. If you call fuzz balls halos, I guess I have them; I'd call them super mild.

I may have lost a little contrast sensitivity.... If there is small black writing on a red background in dim lighting for instance, it can be hard to read. If I move it into more light, it is not a problem.

All in all, it's not like perfect 20 year old vision, but the side effects are slight. I am so happy to have great vision after wearing glasses since I was 7. After the presbyopia started kicking in, my vision was very annoying (I couldn't read with my distance glasses on). I don't think an eye doctor ever pinpointed my distance vision before this procedure, but always said I was "Oh, 20/300, 20/400... somewhere in there". You can imagine my delight daily!!!!

Not sure about having it in one eye.  Difference between you and I is you still have your reading accommodation in your good eye.  I developed presbyopia, so the time between eyes was tough.  The restor eye worked great for reading, but not the unoperated eye.  Most likely you would need a multifocal in the other eye also when prebyopia time hits in order to have balance between the eyes.

The only difference I heard there may be between restor and tecnis is that on the tecnis, the rings go all the way to the edge... better reading with big pupil (dim lighting), but the chance of more night time halos because of the rings with the big pupil.  Restor's rings do not go to the edge, so you might need more light to read in dim lightinig, but there is less chance of halo's.  I guess you need to consider how much you drive at night and how much dim light reading you do.

Good luck!

[hobo167]

I have had technis multifocal lens for two years now and they are horrible. I have a terrible greasy film in both eyes although it's much worse in one eye. I wish with all my heart I had never done this.  I am sad about it daily.