Are you a Candidate?
At this time, PCIOLs may not eliminate the need for glasses because they may not fully correct for astigmatism, but other surgical means may be employed to reduce astigmatism such as corneal relaxing incisions or bioptic techniques.

The good news is a new class of special IOLs that correct for astigmatism (aspheric IOLs) is now available. For some patients, glasses may need to be worn for night driving, activities performed in low light and reading.

Who is a good candidate for presbyopia surgical treatments?
  • Both of your eyes are healthy.
  • You are in your 40's or older.
  • You have not had prior cataract surgery.
  • You have a strong desire to be less dependent upon eyeglasses or contact lenses.
  • You are over 18 years of age and have had a stable glasses or contact lens prescription for at least two years.
  • You do not suffer from any disease, vision-related or otherwise, that may reduce the effectiveness of the surgery or the patient‚s ability to heal properly and quickly.
  • You are adequately informed about the benefits and risks of the procedure.
Get the Facts
Candidates should thoroughly discuss the procedure with their physicians and understand that for most people, the goal of surgery should be the reduction of dependency on glasses and contact lenses, not their complete elimination.

Who may not be a good candidate for presbyopia surgical treatments?
Sometimes, factors exist that prevent a candidate from being ideal for PCIOLs. In many cases, a surgeon may still be able to perform the procedure safely, given that the candidate and physician have adequately discussed the benefits and risks and set realistic expectations for results.

Candidates in this category include those who:
  • Like to wear glasses, and have little desire to wear them less often.
  • Have poor vision due to eye health problems, such as abnormalities of the cornea, retina, or optic nerve – in one or both eyes.
  • Are under the age of 40.
  • Have very high amounts of astigmatism.
  • Are being treated with medications such as steroids or immunosuppressants, which can prevent healing, or are suffering from diseases that slow healing, such as autoimmune disorders.
  • Have scarring of the cornea.
  • Are under age 18.
  • Have unstable vision, which usually occurs in young people. Doctors recommend that, prior to undergoing surgery, candidates’ vision has stabilized with a consistent glasses or contact lens prescription for at least two years.
  • Have a history of ocular herpes within one year prior to having the surgery. Once a year has passed from initial diagnosis of the disease, surgery can be considered.
  • Have refractive errors that are too severe or of a type (hyperopia and astigmatism) that are not appropriate for treatment with current technology. However, IOL technology is evolving rapidly, and doctors may be able to treat such patients in the future.

The Non-PCIOL Candidate
Certain conditions and circumstances completely prevent individuals from being candidates for lens-based vision correction surgery. Non-candidates include individuals who:

  • Have diseases such as advanced glaucoma, corneal diseases, certain corneal thinning disorders, or certain other pre-existing eye diseases that affect or threaten vision.
  • Do not give informed consent. It is absolutely necessary that candidates adequately discuss the procedure and its benefits and risks with their surgeon, and provide the appropriate consent prior to undergoing the surgery.
  • Have unrealistic expectations. It is critical for candidates to understand that IOL implantation surgery, as all surgical procedures, involves some risk. In addition, both the final outcome of surgery and the rate of healing vary from person to person and even from eye to eye in an individual.
Harris Poll Survey on Vision
The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery recently completed a Harris Interactive Survey of the general population, aged 45 + and patients who have had vision correction surgery to manage presbyopia. See how their experiences match yours. >>