News

Patient Selection for Refractive IOLs
09/16/2008

Patient selection for refractive IOLs is probably the single most important determinant of success for you and your practice as well as for patients' satisfaction. The entire staff of a practice needs to understand the significance of patients' having a choice of technology. Of paramount consequence is how patients learn about the different available refractive IOLs. In addition, staff members must ensure that they receive the proper education and informed consent.

Aiming for Emmetropia
09/16/2008

When discussing how to achieve emmetropia using lens-based surgery, it is imperative to consider that some patients may need postoperative enhancements. When using multifocal IOLs, the vision is most satisfactory when you hit the target right on because the residual sphere or residual cylinder can affect both the distance and the near acuity. Preoperative planning significantly helps improve the accuracy of targeting, but in some patients you may need to adjust that target postop based upon patient feedback.

Sizing Up Your Biometry Options
09/16/2008

Inaccurate IOL power, by way of off-target axial length measurement, has long been a leading reason for IOL explantations. But in this era of demanding patients and sophisticated IOLs, missing the mark with biometry is no longer acceptable. It's also much less likely given the availability of newer instruments and techniques.

With this in mind, we asked experts to comment on the latest developments and their experience with the instruments in this product category.

Switching to Immersion Biometry
09/16/2008

Today, patients expect cataract surgery to not only restore visual clarity, but to provide excellent vision in refractive terms as well. Unfortunately, the commonly used method of contact biometry isn't accurate enough to produce outcomes that live up to these expectations. The only way biometry technicians can obtain consistent, accurate, reliable readings is by eliminating the error induced by corneal compression.

Axial Length: DO YOU MEASURE UP?
09/16/2008

During the past decade, refractive expectations for cataract surgery have been steadily increasing. Patients have come to view cataract surgery as both a rehabilitative and refractive procedure, and for better or worse, surgeons are now being judged mainly by their refractive outcomes. Gone forever are the days when being within 2 diopters of the intended target was acceptable.

New Techniques in Biometry
09/16/2008

Accurate axial length measurements and calculations are essential in cataract surgery. Paying attention to the details and eliminating common errors are necessary for excellent intraocular lens calculation. This article discusses current and future biometry methods, offers tips to achieve consistent measurements, and suggests steps to address challenging ocular situations.

Increase A-scan Accuracy For Improved Outcomes
09/16/2008

Blame it on the accuracy of LASIK and the graying of America: A-scan biometry needs to be dead-on to satisfy today’s cataract patients and refractive surgeons. Candidates for intraocular lenses are better educated about cataract surgery. Frequently, they are younger and more demanding about postop outcomes because they have longer to live with their pseudophakic eyes. This article reviews how accurate biometry is now, more than ever, an important part of successful cataract surgery and offers some recommendations for those taking and reading the A-scans.

How to Perfect Your Post-Op Refractions
09/16/2008

Few things elevate my spirit more than achieving crisp distance and near vision in my post-op patients. That's why everyone in our office goes the "extra mile" to make sure we achieve excellent post-op refractions almost every time. In fact, by working doggedly at it, we've markedly increased the number of patients who are within +/- .50 D of the intended refraction (which is about as good as you can do with IOLs that come in .50 D steps). Ten years ago, we reached this lofty goal in less than 50 percent of our patients.