A revolutionary advance in cataract surgery was introduced to this region by Glenn N. Pomerance, M.D. at Pomerance Eye Center, P.C., his office said.
The Alcon AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL is the first and only apodized diffractive intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia (the progressive loss of near vision with advancing age), it was stated.
Dr. Pomerance said the ReSTOR® IOL provides patients "with a full range of quality vision (near, intermediate and distance), and greatly reduces reliance on glasses. In clinical trials, 80 percent of patients reported 'never' wearing reading glasses or bifocals following bilateral cataract surgery.
"The vast majority of patients who undergo cataract surgery today receive conventional, monofocal, intraocular lenses, which typically require them to use reading glasses or bifocals for near vision following surgery.
“With the new ReSTOR® IOL, patients potentially can reduce their reliance on glasses. This new lens is a breakthrough in cataract surgery that we are proud to offer to our patients.”
The ReSTOR® is a foldable IOL and represents breakthrough technology because of its unique, patented, optic design, which allows patients to experience the highest level of freedom from glasses ever achieved in IOL clinical trials, it was stated.
The ReSTOR® IOL uses a combination of three complementary technologies: apodization, diffraction and refraction, "to allow patients to experience a full range of high-quality vision without the need for reading glasses or bifocals."
Alcon patented the application of apodization technology to an IOL, making AcrySof® ReSTOR® the first and only apodized diffractive IOL. Dr. Pomerance said, "This range of vision is achieved without glasses due to the optical properties of the IOL. The end benefit for patients is an increased range of quality vision that results in a high level of spectacle freedom."
Since its introduction outside the U.S. in 2003, more than 1000 ophthalmic surgeons in Europe and other countries have implanted more than 11,000 ReSTOR® IOLs. Clinical trials were conducted in the United States to establish the safety and effectiveness of the ReSTOR® IOL. A total of 566 patients received the ReSTOR® lens in U.S. clinical trials and had a mean age of 68 years. In the U.S. clinical trials, 80% of the patients who received the ReSTOR® IOL reported they didn’t need optical correction any longer. The ReSTOR® IOL received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2005.
A cataract is a “clouding” of the eye’s natural lens, which results in blurred or defocused vision. According to a recent article published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, more than 20 million adults in the U.S. have developed cataracts making it the number one cause of poor vision in the United States. While not all cataracts require surgery, nearly 3 million cataract procedures are annually performed in the U.S. Cataracts cannot be prevented and are the leading cause of treatable blindness worldwide. According to the National Eye Institute, the number of Americans with cataracts is expected to rise to over 30 million people by the year 2020.
Dr. Pomerance is among the first ophthalmologists in the United States to use the new lens since approval and is the first surgeon in Southeast Tennessee to implant one.
About Pomerance Eye Center, P.C.
Pomerance Eye Center, P.C. is a comprehensive Ophthalmology practice. Our professional staff includes Glenn N. Pomerance, MD, Michelle Y. Robison, MD, and Robert W. Enzenauer, MD, MPH. Dr. Pomerance specializes in Cataract Surgery, LASIK for refractive errors and Ocular Plastic Surgery. Dr. Robison specializes in Glaucoma. Dr. Enzenauer specializes in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.