A cataract is a clouding — usually associated with aging — of the eye's natural lens.
Over time, this "clouding" can seriously compromise your vision.
Cataract surgery is designed to restore your vision by replacing the eye's natural lens with an intraocular lens or IOL. These IOLs are made of newer-generation silicone or acrylic and function much like the eye's natural lens. Today, an intraocular lens (IOL) is used to replace the human lens in more than 95% of cataract patients.
The SofPort AO Lens is designed differently from standard spherical IOLs in order to improve your vision in low light, such as candlelight and twilight, even nighttime.
Its more "forgiving" design contributes to consistent ocular performance.
Also, the SofPort AO Lens is very well tolerated in the eye, because it's made from a newer-generation silicone material that is proven to be biocompatible.
A: The SofPort AO Lens is smaller than a dime.
The IOL is usually implanted during the same procedure as the cataract removal.
The lens is typically implanted behind the iris, or colored portion of the eye, and cannot be seen.
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Q: What are IOLs made of?
A: Modern IOLs are the result of a sophisticated evolutionary process.
They truly represent a perfect marriage of contemporary science and space-age technology.
The first IOLs were made from a plastic called polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) that is still in use today.
The latest foldable IOLs (lenses are typically folded so they can be more easily implanted) are made from acrylic, silicon or hydrogel, which are compatible with the delicate tissue of the human eye.
The most advanced IOLs (like the SofPort AO Lens) are exquisitely polished so when implanted, they are unlikely to irritate the eye.
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Q: Why does the shape of the lens matter?
A: The SofPort AO Lens is biconvex and aspheric on the front and back surfaces, which means it bends light to the same point throughout the curvature of the implant.
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Q: What does "aberration free" mean?
A: For most people, the eye naturally produces errors that can lead to vision problems, we call these errors or irregularities "aberrations".
They are most typically reflected in vision conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism that are often treated with glasses or laser surgery.
By design, all other intraocular lenses induce either positive or negative spherical aberrations.
The SofPort AO Lens does not induce any positive or negative spherical aberrations, it is designed to be "aberration free" — so you can realize exceptional vision quality after cataract surgery.
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Q: What do you mean by "decentration?" Why is it important?
A: IOLs are designed with what are called "haptics" — two super-thin leads that work like anchors to keep the IOL stable in the eye.
But even these haptics cannot completely prevent the IOL from moving within the eye.
When the IOL moves or becomes "decentered" (often as the result of the pupil dilating) it can cause vision errors.
The SofPort AO Lens, through its innovative design, delivers optimal vision performance even when the lens is decentered.
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