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AcrySof Toric

AcrySof® Toric lens:

Surgery to treat cataracts is an outpatient procedure where an eye surgeon removes the clouded natural lens and replaces it with an artificial lens. Traditionally, the surgeon implants a monofocal artificial lens, commonly called an "intraocular lens" (IOL). If you have astigmatism, however, you may still experience blurred and distorted vision because a standard IOL cannot correct corneal astigmatism. To achieve quality distance vision with a standard IOL, you may still require eyeglasses, contact lenses, or further surgery.

The technology behind the AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL offers cataract patients with preexisting astigmatism precise vision correction that reduces or eliminates corneal astigmatism and delivers significantly improved distance vision without the need for glasses or contacts. You'll also be able to enjoy improved image quality thanks to the lens' new aspheric design. If freedom from eyeglasses for distance vision is important to you, you now have a better option. The unique design of the AcrySof® Toric lens provides significantly improved distance vision and may reduce the need for corrective lenses.

What is the AcrySof® Toric IOL?

The AcrySof® Toric lens is a foldable, single piece lens that an eye surgeon implants during cataract surgery to replace the clouded lens. The unique design of the AcrySof® Toric IOL makes it possible to reduce or eliminate corneal astigmatism and significantly improve uncorrected distance vision. AcrySof® Toric lens provides QUALITY distance vision, independent of eyeglasses and contact lenses. The AcrySof® Toric lens is made of the same biocompatible lens material already successfully implanted in more than 25 million eyes since 1991.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common vision problem, but most people aren't really sure what it actually does to their vision. Often accompanying nearsightedness or farsightedness, astigmatism is usually caused by an irregularly shaped cornea. Sometimes, the surface of the cornea is curved more like a football, with both flatter and steeper curves. When the surface of the cornea has an uneven curvature, vision becomes distorted. This common irregularity, called a "corneal astigmatism," causes blurred or distorted vision because light rays are not focused at one spot to provide clear vision. A person who has both a cataract and a corneal astigmatism will not regain high-quality distance vision after surgery to remove the cataract unless the astigmatism is also corrected.

If you have only a small amount of astigmatism, you may not notice it, or have just slightly blurred vision. But sometimes, uncorrected astigmatism can give you headaches or eyestrain, and distort or blur your vision at all distances. Dr. Militello will determine if an astigmatism correcting IOL would be beneficial for you.