Spokane Eye Clinic, CATARACTS

Who Is A Candidate?

Cataract Patients

Cataracts are the clouding of the natural lens inside the eye. In the past when a cataract was removed, the only option was to insert an artificial lens or implant that corrected the patient’s vision at one focal point, usually distance. The patient needed glasses for near and intermediate vision after cataract surgery. A presbyopia correcting IOL has demonstrated the ability to provide patients with a full range of vision -- up close, intermediate, and at a distance -- thereby making them less dependent on reading glasses.

What Is Presbyopia?

As we age the natural lens in the eye becomes thicker and we lose our ability to focus up close. This process is called presbyopia (prez-bee-OH-pee-uh). Normally this starts in our 40’s and gradually increases as we age. Patients require progressively stronger corrective lenses (reading glasses). A presbyopia correcting IOL is designed to achieve quality vision at variable distances.

What Does The Surgery Involve?

Cataract surgery with implantation of a presbyopia correcting IOL is a surgical procedure performed on an outpatient basis. Although the actual surgical time is approximately 30 minutes, the procedure requires a 2-3 hour stay at our state of the art ambulatory surgery center. The patient is given a local anesthetic with mild sedation. The surgeon removes the natural lens of the eye and replaces it with a presbyopia correcting artificial lens instead of a traditional monofocal IOL. The surgical technique is the same as the procedure commonly performed by your eye physician to remove a cataract. The surgeon will see the patient the next day for a one day post operative appointment with further visits to be determined by your doctor. Patients heal at different rates, but most patients are back to their normal routine within a few days. The lens is designed to work best when implanted in both eyes. Surgery in the fellow eye will typically be scheduled within a few weeks of the first eye.

Are These Lenses Safe?

The multifocal design is new, but the presbyopia correcting IOL is made from the same material as traditional IOLs. These lenses were approved by the FDA for use in the United States in 2003. The FDA required strict investigational studies prior to approval.

What Are The Risks?

The risks for this procedure are the same as traditional cataract surgery with IOL. Your surgeon will provide you with a detailed list of risks during the informed consent process prior to the decision to proceed with surgery. A small percentage of patients implanted with presbyopia correcting IOLs may have glare and halos following the procedure, but this typically improves with time and after surgery in the fellow eye. A small percentage of patients may also require removal or exchange of the presbyopia correcting IOL. The procedure may not make you completely independent of glasses.

What Is The Investment For this Procedure?

The total cost and out-of-pocket cost for the presbyopia correcting IOL procedure will depend upon your insurance plan and covered benefits. The total cost for patients is $4,195 per eye. We will gladly provide you with a written summary of the expected costs and likely insurance payments, if applicable, in advance of the procedure.

Will Medicare Cover The Cost?
Medicare does not cover the difference in cost between a conventional IOL and presbyopia correcting IOL. Medicare determined that a Medicare insured patient may request a presbyopia correcting IOL, but the patient is responsible for the additional cost of the lens and physician services. Out-of-pocket costs are $1995 per eye, plus any deductibles or co-payments.

Will There Be Any Additional Costs?
Anesthesia is not included in the fee structure and will be billed separately, but is covered by insurance companies. The patient is financially responsible for all charges whether or not paid by insurance. A small percentage of patients may require additional refractive procedures (LASIK or PRK) to fine tune their vision and optimize their outcomes. This service will be at a discounted rate for those patients undergoing presbyopic correcting surgery. This also does not include a laser procedure (YAG capsulotomy) to remove a cloudy film surrounding the artificial lens which may occur following cataract surgery. This can occur whether you have a traditional IOL implant or a presbyopic IOL implant. Your insurance should pay just as they would with any other medical procedure, less any deductibles or co-payments you may have.

For more information you may contact:
Cheryl Cicchetti, COA
Refractive Surgery Coordinator
509-456-0107 Office
509-251-0335 Cell

ccicchetti@spokaneeye.com E-Mail