La presbyopia o tired eyesight It is the loss of visual ability to see things up close. It usually starts from 40 years and gradually increases to 65 and affects 100% of the population. The cause is simple: the lens ages, loses elasticity and the ability to continuously change shape to focus on nearby objects. Normally, tired eyes are compensated with monofocal glasses, or bifocals or progressive glasses. But in order to solve this natural effect of eye aging, surgery is the most satisfactory and most effective solution. The latest advances in refractive surgery allow by means of the laser or the use of intraocular lenses to counteract the aging of the lens.
Laser surgery
El laser presbyopia treatment It is similar to that used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. This procedure consists of modifying the curvature of the cornea with the laser, which allows reading without glasses for a long time thanks to the increase in refractive power conferred.
However, it is recognized that this intervention has a limited effect on time, so sooner rather than later the patient will need glasses again for all their situations. That is why in Nivaria Clinic We reserve it for very selected cases and prefer to highlight the importance and value of the treatment for correction with intraocular lens.
Correction of presbyopia using an intraocular lens
This intervention involves removing the lens and replacing it with a multifocal lens Last generation to perform its function. This lens can offer several ranges of focus although we highlight three: far, intermediate and close, being the brain that decides the most appropriate approach for each situation (pseudo-accommodation). This with some lenses guarantees the indicated patient a full range of vision, providing excellent vision at any distance without glasses or contact lenses. Today, there are many models of intraocular lenses that correct not only presbyopia but also the other defects and provide different vision quality.
This treatment is considered the definitive technique for the correction of vision problems. It is done with conscious sedation and with a few drops of topical anesthesia.
Also correction of presbyopia with intraocular lens avoid the appearance of Cataracts. In other words, it is not an added intervention, it is the cataract intervention which will be needed later a few years before the lens finishes deteriorating.
It is important to note that in order to definitively correct the tired eyesight, it is necessary to wait until the lens is already with its aging process started. This means reaching a certain age, which is usually around 45-50 years. Then the lens of each eye can be replaced by a single-focus lens (monofocal) or a lens of several (multifocal). If you use the monofocalPresbyopia can be improved through the call monovision, leaving one eye (usually the dominant) focused for far and the other for near. Instead, the multifocal lenses allow you to see both far and near in both eyes. Betting on one or the other option will depend on the characteristics of each patient.
In both cases, the procedure is performed by a microincision in the cornea through which the liquefied lens is aspirated by ultrasound. After this, the intraocular lens will be inserted through that same incision. Currently, multifocal lenses that do not require lens extraction are also being developed.
So laser or intraocular lens?
The choice between techniques such as laser surgery or intraocular lens implantation will depend on the edad, corneal health and the previous refractive defect. A good candidate for laser procedure can be made up of that young présbita with mild hyperopia and good corneal state.
Once the patient meets the necessary requirements they will proceed to correct their presbyopia with an operation that is painless. In addition its recovery is very fast. The day after surgery, the patient can begin to live a normal life with basic eye care.
Both operations are simple interventions, and in Nivaria Clinic Patient follow-up is completely personalized. Our ophthalmologic team will indicate to the patients the deadlines and days that they should receive reviews.
Advantages of intraocular lenses compared to laser surgery
- To implant intraocular lenses it is not necessary to modify the cornea. Laser surgery is based on carving the cornea to give it the proper shape and change its refractive power. This can make it more fragile in the event of trauma. For this reason, it is not recommended in patients with thin corneas and at risk populations (boxers, athletes and professionals at risk ...). These groups have the alternative of intraocular lenses.
- Versatility. With intraocular lenses it is possible to correct not only the refractive defects (myopia, astigmatism or farsightedness), but also the presbyopia o tired eyesight. For tired eyesight, just as there are progressive glasses, there are also monofocal, bifocal or trifocal lenses that offer excellent results to improve vision in the near, middle and far planes. The resulting vision is better. Intraocular lenses not only correct high previous graduations, something that can not be done with laser, also seek a visual acuity around a 20% higher than that which the patient achieves with glasses, contact lenses or conventional refractive surgery. Shorter recovery The normal vision after surgery with intraocular lenses he recovers in just 24 / 48 hours and the patient can resume his daily activity practically the day after the intervention. For a few days you should avoid rubbing your eyes, making sudden movements with your head or practicing intense exercise. In addition, both eyes can be intervened at the same time, if the patient does not want to go through the same process twice, achieving a rapid return to their usual life.
- Less side effects Intraocular lenses are completely biocompatible, very flexible y do not cause rejection nor leave a sensation of a foreign body in the eye. They are introduced into the eye through minimal incisions that heal quickly. Dry eyes and night halos or flashes are less frequent in patients with intraocular lenses. In general, the setbacks in these cases are less severe and are almost always solved with easy treatments based on drops or eye drops. However, although very rare, there may be contingencies or complications that require reintervention, but in the right hands and complying with the pre and post surgical treatment and guidelines we talk about exceptional cases.
