Patients can enjoy exceptional vision quality following surgery, thanks to advanced technology now in use at Tyrone Hospital.
The technology is a new generation intraocular lens used in cataract surgery. The lens is being used by Jeffrey Heimer, M.D., an ophthalmologist on the hospital’s medical staff.
According to Dr. Heimer, cataracts are commonplace, affecting an estimated eighty percent of people over age 60. Most cataracts form as a natural part of the aging process. In some instances they can also be caused by injury, medications, or other causes.
A cataract is a clouding on the normally clear lens within the eye. The result is vision that is blurred, fuzzy, or hazy. The clouding can progress and may severely impair vision. Dr. Heimer said the most popular treatment for cataracts is surgical removal.
Surgery is generally indicated when vision changes start to interfere with activities in daily life or create safety issues.
Cataract surgery is performed using the most advanced microsurgical techniques. The cataract is removed using a high powered microscope and then a man-made intraocular lens is implanted in the eye to permanently replace the human lens. The combination of cataract removal and lens implantation is what restores and improves vision.
The intraocular lens that is used by Dr. Heimer at Tyrone Hospital is the SoftPort Advanced Optics Spheric Lens, a new generation or advanced lens that gives patients better quality vision following surgery as compared to using a standard lens. Dr. Heimer said the difference in vision quality between a standard lens and the advanced lens is like the difference between focus and sharp focus.
It is the design of the SoftPort lens that allows for greater vision quality. The lens is more pliable and more compatible with the delicate tissue of the eye. It is also shaped like the eye’s natural lens, it is bioconvex, that is, curved on both sides.
Another advantage of the SoftPort Advanced Lens is that it does not interfere with the normal shape of the eye and how it reacts to light.
“Vision quality in low light such as candle light or twilight is much better,” said Dr. Heimer. “It is easier for people to see in low light situations like night driving or reading a menu in a restaurant with subdued lighting.
“Advances in science and technology have created a lens that is the closest we have had to the real thing, the eye’s natural lens. I am pleased to be able to offer this to my patients.”
To reach Dr. Heimer, call 684-5210, or to request printed information about the SoftPort Advanced Optics Spheric Lens, call Tyrone Hospital at 684-6348.
