Goldman Eye Center is first to bring revolutionary cataract surgery to Palm Beach County
(Palm Beach Gardens, FL, September 12, 2019) David A. Goldman, M.D., of Goldman Eye, is the first eye surgeon in Palm Beach County to perform eye surgery using a groundbreaking type of intraocular lens.
The AcrySof IQ PanOptix Intraocular Lens (IOL) is the first and only trifocal lens for vision correcting surgery in the United States. It is a new high-tech option for people with cataract to gain clear vision at all distances – near, mid and far – reducing the need for glasses after surgery.
The Toric version of the IOL is designed to correct astigmatism as well, a common condition that occurs when the cornea is irregularly shaped, like a football instead of a baseball, causing vision to appear blurry.
This week, Dr. Goldman is the first ophthalmologist in Palm Beach County to perform cataract surgery in Palm Beach County using both the new trifocal PanOptix lens and the Toric PanOptix lens.
Trifocal lenses have been available for years in other countries. This August, the FDA finally cleared it for patients in the U.S.
“The ophthalmological community has been eagerly awaiting the FDA approval of the trifocal lens because its cutting edge technology meets the needs of today’s active lifestyles, from viewing mobile devices and computer screens to high-quality distance vision in a range of lighting conditions,” said Dr. Goldman.
An intraocular lens is a tiny, artificial lens for the eye. It replaces the eye’s natural lens when it is removed during cataract surgery.
“The adoption of trifocal lens implants will eclipse traditional multifocal lenses because of their superior results in improving vision for patients with cataract and astigmatism,” continued Dr. Goldman, a former Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Palm Beach Gardens. “I’m confident they will refashion the eye surgery field much like LASIK did in the early 2000s.”
The FDA approval of PanOptix was based on a pivotal study at 12 investigational sites in the United States that revealed uninterrupted vision and high patient satisfaction with nearly 100% of PanOptix clinical trial patients saying they would choose the same lens again.
About Cataracts
A cataract is clouding in the natural lens of the eye. As a cataract develops, the eye’s lens gradually becomes hard and cloudy, allowing in less light, making it difficult to see. Cataracts generally result from aging, but radiation exposure, taking steroids, diabetes, and eye trauma can accelerate development. Cataracts are the most common age-related eye condition and leading cause of preventable blindness. Twenty million in the U.S., age 40 and older have cataracts. Cataracts are treated by removing the eye’s cloudy natural lens and surgically replacing it with an intraocular lens. More than 98 percent of cataract surgeries are considered successful, and patients typically can return to regular routines within 24 hours.
About PanOptix
The AcrySof® IQ PanOptix® Trifocal IOL is a type of multifocal IOL used to focus images clearly onto the back of your eye (retina) to allow clear vision after the cataract removal. In addition, the center of the AcrySof® IQ PanOptix® Trifocal IOL allows for better near (reading) vision and intermediate (computer work) vision versus what a monofocal lens would provide.
Potential Side Effects: Due to the design of multifocal IOLs, there are some side effects that can be associated with the AcrySof® IQ PanOptix® Trifocal IOL models. These may be worse than with a monofocal IOL, including visual disturbances such as glare, rings around lights, starbursts (rays around light sources), and reduced contrast sensitivity (decrease in ability to distinguish objects from their background, especially in dim lighting). These side effects may make it more difficult to see while driving at night or completing tasks in low lighting conditions such as at night or in fog, or in a dimly lit room after surgery as compared to before surgery.
Further, a toric IOL corrects astigmatism only when it is placed in the correct position in the eye. There is a possibility that the toric IOL could be placed incorrectly or could move within the eye. If the toric lens is not positioned correctly following surgery, the change in your astigmatism correction by the IOL, along with any necessary correction with glasses, may cause visual distortions. If the lens rotates in your eye, you may need additional surgery to reposition or replace the IOL.