Crystalens Hd

[TW101]

I am 54 and just had surgery on 11-13-08 I had the new CrystalensHD installed in my right eye. Everything went well and I could see long distance very well immediately. I cannot read without readers and have trouble with glare but my doctor says that is due to the eyedrops I'm taking and it will improve with time. I tried wearing my old glasses for the help with the other eye but that just doesn't work, so I wear a contact lens in the non operated eye. Eventually I'll have that eye done with a Crystalenshd and then not have to deal with the contact lens which I absolutely hate wearing. I'm hopefull that in time I'll experience great vision.


This discussion is related to Crystalens HD 4th Generation Lens.

[ace399]

I read on this forum a person who had clouded vision due to PRK?

[peakhope]

PRK is like lasik, except that instead of cutting a flap in the cornea, they just rub away the outermost layer and let it grow back. Lasik is more popular because the recovery time is faster, but PRK is less invasive to the eye and so is preferred in some cases (like, I believe, post-IOL surgery).

The wikipedia article on PRK (Photorefractive keratectomy) looks reasonable now, although it was a mess a few days ago.

[ace399]

I just wanted to clarify.  My experience with diminished vision in the right eye in low light with the CL HD, was only after exercising that eye (eye patch over the left eye), doing the word puzzles my Dr. gave me to practice accomondation.  After a few minutes, my right vision returns to normal.

I wonder if the close up eye exercises may cause the CL to be stuck temporarily in the forward position.  I don't feel like it is and it is never permanent.  Also, I've never experienced getting an "unstuck" sensation.

Can you explain what PRK is?

[peakhope]

I'm no expert. I just did a lot of research before (and after) choosing the HD lenses. I haven't replied to Ace's last question because I have no idea whether it is normal. (For myself, I do sometimes need more light than I wish I would need).

My understanding is that it is difficult to hit the target refraction exactly with Crystalens (CL). Also, there seems to be a high variability of how much accommodation each patient might achieve (1D-4D). Finally I suspect some doctors are having a hard time un-learning their non-HD CL experiences where some of the best outcomes were with mini-monovision settings.

So in a perfect world, both HD's would be at -0.25, and you would get at least 2D accommodation. That would allow you to see roughly 20/20 at distance, and to see clearly as close as about 4/9 of a meter (16").

In the real world, you might end up at -0.75, giving you 20/40 distance, and difficulty focusing farther than 4/3 of a meter (4 feet). Or you might end up at 0.0 but only get 1.5D of accommodation, leaving you without near vision inside 2/3 meter (26").

Obviously you can (and perhaps should) get a second opinion. But from what you are describing, it doesn't sound like you got the wrong power lens. It sounds like it was within the expected margin for outcomes. It sounds like your lenses are more near-oriented than mine, as I have no trouble reading text on the TV.

As I mentioned, I have found some tricks with my eye to improve distant vision. They are far easier to learn with one eye closed. I'm going to talk to my doctor this week to make sure doing this trick won't risk dislodging the lens. Until then, try them at your own risk.

After your eye has healed, I would think you could undergo a PRK procedure to eliminate your residual myopia. My doctor offered a discount on laser surgery if you had an IOL done by him. In my case it would have been for my astigmatism, but the LRI's seem to have worked well enough that I don't expect to need a PRK. And my distance vision is "good enough" for my needs.

[blackwell69]

You appear to be quite knowledgable regarding the Crystalens HD and have had a similar result to mine. I had Cl Hd implanted in both eyes in Sept.2008 and Oct.2008 by a renowned surgeon. I expected to have very good distance vision and probably need glasses for reading. That did not happen. I can read most print without glasses and work on the computer as well but cannot read the print on the T V at 8-10 feet away and would not be able to pass the eye test to drive without glasses although I can drive O.K. with or without an old pair of weak distance glasses. I told my doc that I wanted my right dominant eye to give me better distance vision after my left eye was done first and was able to read immediately. I am now of the opinion that I had the wrong power lens implanted in the right eye since it has now been over 3 months and my distance vision has not improved.On my last visit in Dec., he gave me a new r/x for bi-focals.Any suggestions? I am not a happy camper. Blackwell69

[ace399]

This problem after prolonged exercises to practice accommodation.  The feeling is as if a flash light bulb went off in front of the right eye.