In the not too distant past, one’s cloudy natural lens was removed through a relatively large incision in order to correct the vision loss from a cataract. At that time, it was not acceptable to implant a new lens in the eye, because patients could still see with very thick spectacles.
Harold Ridley, a British ophthalmologist, was the first surgeon in the era of modern medicine to develop and implant intraocular lenses. He was knighted before his death for his innovations. Sir Harold Ridley once took care of a Spitfire fighter pilot, who was injured during World War II. That pilot had received injuries from the explosion of the cockpit canopy. Some of the canopy material actually ended up perforating and remaining inside the pilots eyeball. Dr. Ridley had noticed that the shattered PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) material was not causing an adverse inflammatory reaction, nor was it rejected by the eye.
Dr. Ridley's First IOL Implant
Legend has it that while teaching medical students about cataract surgery, one of the students asked Dr. Ridley when he intended on replacing the cloudy lens he had removed. Apparently, this question inspired Sir Harold to wonder himself the same thing. He took his knowledge of the PMMA material and designed a lens made of it. The initial lens implanted by Dr. Ridley, was implanted in great secrecy. Such an idea was frowned upon by the surgical community. Multiple efforts were attempted, but the original lens designs did not maintain great success.
Over subsequent years since Dr. Ridley’s intraocular lens implantation, it remained the standard of care to leave a patient without a lens (aphakic) after cataract extraction. New lens designs gradually evolved during the 1970’s. There was a renewed movement against implanting intraocular lenses, spearheaded by consumer advocate Ralph Nader. He led a lobby against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent experimental implantation of intraocular lenses. Fortunately, America’s favorite doctor, Marcus Welby, M.D. opposed this movement.
Robert Young, the actor who played Welby on TV, himself had undergone implantation of an artificial lens (IOL or intraocular lens).
Robert Young
Without the implant, Young would have been forced to wear coke bottle style glasses as a replacement for his eye’s natural lens. And there’s no way Hollywood would tolerate that kind of “new look.” In 1980, Young stepped up to the microphone at an FDA hearing in Washington‚ D.C. to testify. He later emphatically told the news media on public TV, “Let me tell you this. It saved my career.” Eventually the procedure would have been approved with or without Young’s testimony. But if opponents had prevailed, many thousands of cataract patients would have been denied access to the artificial implanted lenses.
The intraocular lenses have continued to improve, as did the procedure to remove the cataractous natural lens. Years ago, patients had to be hospitalized for several days after cataract surgery. They had to lie still in a bed with sandbags along the side of their heads for prevent them from moving. Today’s cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure. It is done by modern ophthalmologists with only topical anesthesia, and most use no painful injections behind the eye. Some ophthalmologists are able through microscopes to make the incisions so small, that they are self sealing and don’t need sutures for closure.
The new lenses are very small and foldable, and can be injected through these small incisions.
Size Comparison of a Modern IOL Implant
The IOL then unfolds inside the eye and is rotated into proper position. It is analogous to building a ship inside a bottle, only under a microscope.
New lens technology continues to improve. There are many options for surgeons to use in standard cataract surgery. Today, the latest innovations include presbyopia-correcting IOLs. These lenses are designed to not only improve distance vision, but also near vision in the same eye. These lenses greatly improve the chances of not needing glasses, even for reading. The technology is a great advance, but some patients still need glasses for some activities.
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The surgeons at Spivack Vision Center have helped thousands of people enjoy better vision. Leading the way with new medications and surgical procedures, Spivack Vision Center can diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases and conditions. We're committed to providing our patients with the most advanced care available.
To find out more about any of these conditions and their treatments, just click on the blue, underlined words.
If your vision has gradually changed with age, and things don't seem quite as sharp or in focus as they used to, you may be suffering from cataracts, a clouding of the normally-transparent lens of the eye. Cataracts can be treated with a quick, outpatient procedure.
Open-angle glaucoma often has no symptoms until after vision loss has occurred. It is a leading cause of blindness, but if caught early it can be controlled. If you are African-American, have a relative with glaucoma, are diabetic or very nearsighted, you should have your eye pressure checked every year.
Narrow-angle glaucoma is much more rare and is very different from open-angle glaucoma in that eye pressure usually goes up very fast. There may be a feeling of fullness in the eye along with reddening, swelling and blurred vision. If not treated promptly, this glaucoma produces blindness in the affected eye in 3 to 5 days.
A red eye that does not clear up could be an indication of a condition called uveitis. Symptoms include light sensitivity, blurring of vision and pain or redness of the eye. There is a range of treatment options.
Retinal disease is any condition of the retina that results in loss of vision. Of the roughly 12 million Americans who suffer from diabetes, an estimated 90 percent will develop diabetic retinopathy.
Macular degeneration is a retinal disease that occurs when the macula, an area at the retina at the back of the eye, begins to gradually deteriorate, usually because of age. A partial or total loss of central vision can occur. There are treatments available for some types of macular degeneration.
Have you ever turned your head quickly, thought you saw a small bug or a floating spot, then reached out only to discover that there wasn't really anything there? Sometimes these appear as a flash of light, rather than a spot. Flashes and floaters can be alarming. Usually, however, an eye examination will confirm that they are harmless and do not require any treatment.
Itching or burning of the eyes can be caused by dry eye. Excessive watering of the eye can also be a symptom. There are many causes and a variety of treatment options for this condition.
Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. Redness of the eyelids, frequent styes or a sticky discharge may all be symptoms of this easily-treatable condition.
Treatment of many eye conditions is covered by insurance, including Medicare. If you have questions about what is covered by your private healthcare insurance, contact your plan provider, or provide us with a copy of your insurance card and we'll check for you. We accept most major medical insurance plans. You can e-mail our billing department at billing@spivack.com or call us at 303-733-2020 with questions.
If you have questions about your Medicare coverage, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to speak to a Medicare Customer Representative. You can also go to www.medicare.gov to find out more about Medicare coverage. Our staff is also available to help you determine whether the eye care you need is covered by Medicare. You can e-mail us at billing@spivack.com or call us 303-733-2020.
Your out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare or private insurance will depend of the type of insurance you have, whether you have supplemental insurance and whether you have a deductible on your policy. We'll be glad to process all insurance claims for you. We also accept cash, personal checks, Visa and MasterCard.