Types of IOL
Once the Cataract is removed, a permanent, artificial lens, called an Intraocular lens or IOL is implanted. There are two types of IOL available; non-foldable and foldable.
Non-foldable Lenses (IOL):- Are made of a hard plastic material, are bigger in size & bigger incisions need to be made to insert them.
Foldable Lenses (IOL):- Are made of a soft acrylic material.
Advantages of Foldable IOL
- Foldable IOLs are made up of soft Acrylic material.
- Need very small incision for insertion of Lens in the eye usually it is 2.6mm
- Does not require stitches
- Very short healing time upto 4-5 days only
- Chance of infection minimal.
Foldable Lenses (IOL):- Are either MONOFOCAL or MULTIFOCAL.
Monofocal Lenses (IOL):- Are designed to provide patients with enhanced distance vision but typically patients still require the use of glasses for near vision.
A Monofocal lens implant can fix your vision for one distance only. The implant can not change shape like your original lens. Thus, the patient has no ability to focus in or out and the patient will often be dependent on progressive bifocals for near vision.
Multifocal Lenses (IOL):- Have revolutionized existing state-of-the-art cataract surgery. Multifocal IOL helps to achieve the ultimate goal of INDEPENDENCE from glasses. A multifocal intraocular lens has both distance and near focal points. 80% of patients who get these lenses will never need glasses for any activity. Of those 20% of patients who need glasses for certain activities, 95% say that they would still get the bifocal lens because it gives them good vision for most activities at distance or near.