New innovations in laser eye surgery, laser astigmatism correction with cataract surgery, and implant technology have helped patients achieve better vision outcomes. These improvements are significant compared with technologies available even a year ago.
However, still the eye surgeon and patients still sometimes have unexpected “refractive” results, meaning, despite our best efforts, the patient still needs glasses for distance, intermediate, and near even with the best technology in the world. This is especially true in patients who have had previous LASIK or keratorefractive surgery and also in patients with dry eyes or an unstable tear film.
In general, with the exception of previous LASIK patients, here is what most eye surgeons aim for in the innovative IOL implant options:
For Crystalens AO:
-Dominant eye: Aim/ target between plano and −0.25 D
-Nondominant eye: Aim between plano and −0.50 D.
For ReSTOR +3.0:
-Plano/emmetropia to -0.25: targeted in both eyes
For Tecnis +4D MF; +3.75D MF; +2.50MF
-In general, both eyes are targeted for plano to −0.25 D.
With LASIK patients we prefer to leave them more nearsighted given the risk of “surprise hyperopia/farsightedness” which often makes these patients miserable.