Intraocular lens replacement represented a great advance in the world of cataract surgery. The hard crystalline lens covering the pupil (cataract) was removed and replaced by an artificial lens that can also correct vision. Sometimes, a person who had worn glasses for years was able to do without them following surgery.
  Still, intraocular lens replacement was not always ideal, according to Dr. Nalin Tolia of Tolia Eye Clinic.
  “Standard intraocular lenses had one focus, usually correcting distance vision,” he says. “People still found it hard to see at near and intermediate distances. Some would have to wear glasses, even if they had not worn glasses before the surgery.”
  Multifocal lenses were an improvement on the standard intraocular lens. But some people had a hard time adjusting to the lens, and middle distances — looking at a computer screen or trying to do anything at arm’s length — was still a problem.
  The newest generation of intraocular lenses, accommodating lenses, represents a breakthrough in lens replacement during cataract surgery.
  “The new premium lens bends with your eye muscles to accommodate the range of your vision,” Dr. Tolia says. “They correct for presbyopia well and give good vision for all distances.”

  In studies, Crystalens® accommodating lens patients achieved these results following surgery:
• 98.4% of Crystalens patients are able to read the newspaper or a phone book without glasses
• 100% of Crystalens patients are able to see their computers, dashboards and anything else at arm’s length without glasses
• 98.4% of Crystalens patients are able to see 20/40 or better after surgery, so the clock across the room or that street sign are clearly within sight without glasses

  At one time Medicare limited cataract patients to simple lens replacement, without allowing them to pay anything extra for any other expenses. That has changed, Dr. Tolia says, letting more people in their 60s and beyond benefit from premium lenses. This gives some family members the opportunity to give “the gift of sight” to their elders.
  Dr. Tolia, who was the first to perform premium intraocular lens implantation in Odessa, recently attended a conference of ESCRS, the European Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery, in Berlin, Germany.
  “The surgery has been successfully performed on more than a million patients in Europe and on more than 100,000 patients in the U.S.,” he says. “The benefits, especially the ability to see clearly at all distances without the use of corrective lenses, are tremendous.”
  The new procedure requires more explanation, more understanding, more tests and a little patience on the part of both the ophthalmologist and the patient. Not everybody is a good candidate for premium intraocular lens surgery. For example, if you have glaucoma or diabetes, you may not be a good candidate. If you have a cataract in only one eye, the surgery may not work well. It is best if surgery on both eyes takes place within a short period of time.
  “The selection of a candidate is an important decision to be made jointly between the ophthalmologist and the patient,” Dr. Tolia concludes.
  Dr. Tolia received his Master of Surgery of Ophthalmology at the University of Bombay. In 1974, he moved to Odessa where he trained with Dr. John H. Sheets, a pioneer in cataract surgery with lens implants. In 1986, Dr. Tolia opened Tolia Eye Clinic. He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons and the International College of Surgeons.
  Tolia Eye Clinic is located at One Professional Plaza, 6005 Eastridge Rd., Ste. 100, Odessa. Call (432) 362-2020 to make an appointment.