Light Adjustable Lens: A Way to Customized Vision

How Does a Light Adjustable Lens Work?

The light-adjustable lens comprises light-sensitive compounds whose position can be adjusted with an external ultraviolet (UV) light beam. This adjustment helps alter the shape of the intraocular lens without the need for additional surgery. The shape of the intraocular lens also changes the power, adjusting for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and other conditions. The sunglasses for blocking the UV light will be provided temporarily for intraocular protection until the adjustment mechanism of the light-adjustable lens is completed.

However, the first customized treatment is done several weeks following the cataract surgery. Cataract surgery helps with the stabilization of vision. The adjustment in the postoperative period is minimal and painless. It takes only about two minutes. Here, the intraocular lens is reshaped with the help of a light delivery device in a hospital setting.

The doctors also make additional adjustments at weekly intervals. The adjustment is based on the individual condition, as some require three adjustments, and a few require only one. The doctors generally perform two final lock-in treatments after finalizing the result. So, the intraocular lens can no longer be adjusted after this final lock-in. Moreover, no extra UV protection, follow-up, or special precautions are required after these final lock-ins.

What Are the Applications of Light Adjustable Lenses?

Light-adjustable lenses possess varied applications in the ophthalmology field.

The significant applications of light-adjustable lenses are discussed below.

• Cataract Surgery: The light-adjustable lens is generally used during cataract surgery. This lens plays a pivotal role in cataract surgery by replacing the cloudy natural lens with an effective artificial one. These lenses allow post-operative adjustments in the power of the lens, augmenting the vision.

• Refractive Surgery Enhancement: The light-adjustable lens helps augment and enhance the outcomes of former refractive surgeries, including Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK). The light-adjustable lens helps improve overall visual acuity by tuning the lens power.

• Nearsightedness: Light-adjustable lenses can be effectively used to treat nearsightedness or myopia. People with nearsightedness have blurred vision while viewing distant objects because of the long eyeball and curved cornea. Here, the doctors implant the specialized light-adjustable lens into the eye through a surgical intervention. The postoperative adjustments of the light-adjustable lens help precision and fine-tune the lens power to correct myopia.

• Farsightedness: The light-adjustable lens can correct hyperopia or farsightedness. Farsightedness is an eye condition where the person has a blurry appearance of nearby objects and clear vision of distant objects. Similar to the treatment of nearsightedness, the doctors implant the light adjustable lens, followed by post-operative adjustments of the power of the lens. The light-adjustable lens contributes a customizable solution that helps reduce or alleviate the requirement for contact lenses or spectacles.

• Astigmatism: Astigmatism is an eye condition where the cornea possesses an irregular shape, leading to blurred vision. The light-adjustable lens helps in the correction of astigmatism by adjusting the power of the lens to distinct meridians. It also helps improve visual delicacy and clarity.

• Presbyopia: Presbyopia is typically an age-allied eye health condition in which there is a decrease in the ability of the eye to focus on a nearby object. The light-adjustable lens contributes to a possible solution by adjusting the lens power. Therefore, light-adjustable lenses enable better distance and near vision in older adults.

What Are the Benefits of Light Adjustable Lenses?

The light adjustable lenses provide more benefits in the approach to vision correction.

The following are the key benefits of a light-adjustable lens.

• Customization: The light-adjustable lens contributes to the ability to customize the power of the lens even following the initial implantation. Hence, this adjustability helps with the precise fine-tuning of the lens for augmenting vision. The customization property of light adjustable lenses yields the best potential outcome for every individual.

• Improvement of Visual Acuity: Post-operative modifications can be made to the lens power by the adjustability property of this lens. This results in improved visual acuity. Therefore, light-adjustable lenses enhance the sharpness, clarity, and delicacy of vision to a greater extent. This is applicable for near, intermediate, and distant vision.

• Reduced Use of Glasses: Lightly adjustable lenses can decrease or eliminate the use of glasses and contact lenses. Moreover, the patients might experience independence and convenience in their daily functions even with optimizing lens power.

• Enhances Surgical Outcomes: The light adjustable lenses can be used for enhancement procedures in patients with previous refractive surgeries like LASIK. The clinical reports say that light-adjustable lenses help refine visual outcomes by addressing residual refractive issues.

• Can Be Adjustable: Compared to other multifocal lenses, the light adjustable lens possesses the unique asset of being adjustable to any degree. The main advantage is that the adjustment can be done even after the surgery. This provides future adjustment in the case of a change in vision or prescription. Hence, a light adjustable lens offers adaptability and flexibility.

• Halo-Free: The photosensitive silicone material of the light adjustable lens is glare-free and halo-free.

What Are the Contraindications of Light Adjustable Lenses?

The light adjustable lens is not recommended in the following conditions.

• Pre-existing macular conditions.

• Nystagmus.

• People take retinal-toxic medications.

• History of herpes eye infections.

• Medicines increase the sensitivity of UV light.

Limitations and Risks:

• The light adjustable lenses are cost-effective since they are premium intraocular lenses.

• The procedure for light-adjustable lenses can be challenging in the case of poor pupillary dilatation.

• The corneal function in astigmatism can change over time. This might influence the permanence of the clarity of the vision acquired by the light-adjustable lens.

• Adverse effects can occur with light adjustable lenses. This includes alterations in color vision and red-tinted vision. Corneal abrasion can occur over time.

Conclusion:

The light-adjustable lens is a premium version of the intraocular lens possessing the unique feature of being adjustable in lens power. The significant purpose of the light-adjustable lens is to offer patients augmented vision correction prospects. These lenses offer a wide range of potential benefits, from enhanced vision to eliminating contact lenses and glasses.