by Laura Lane
Since it is so new, only a few doctors have been certified to perform this type of cataract surgery. Fortunately for Merrick residents, surgeon Dr. Richard C. Nauheim is among them, offering the new technology in his office that's been located in Merrick for 40 years when his father, J. S. Nauheim began the practice.
"This new lens is a breakthrough in cataract surgery that we are proud to offer to our patients," said Nauheim who was born and raised in Merrick. "And people shouldn't be afraid. It's the same cataract surgery, we're just injecting a different type of implant design."
The new implant design, AcrySof ReStor IOL, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March of 2005. Clinical trials conducted in the U.S. and Europe have gleaned positive results establishing the lenses safety and effectiveness.
And not only does the new lens correct cataracts, it also improves vision. "The new lens is also a refractive procedure to correct any other visual problems a patient had before the cataract problem," said Nauheim. "The lens is called restore lenses because it restores your eyes to what they were when you were younger. "
But the new lens isn't for everyone. Because it's new, Nauheim said it's being recommended for people who need to have surgery in both eyes due to cataracts. And the ophthalmologist doesn't recommend that people who have already had the traditional cataract surgery undergo a lens exchange.
"There would be risks and they would outweigh the benefits of the new lens," said Nauheim adding that this could include bleeding in the eyes, infection and retinal detachments. "The old cataract surgery which are monofocal implants will continue to be offered at my office."
Another issue to consider when deciding upon the new lens is the cost. Traditional cataract surgery is often covered by health insurance. But the new implant isn't fully covered.
"Medicare sets the standard which right now covers the medical component of surgery," said Nauheim. "The patient will have to pay for the deluxe implant because Medicare doesn't consider it a medical problem which means they won't cover it completely. Medicare thinks of it (the new lens) like laser surgery which usually isn't covered."
One factor that remains constant when choosing the new or traditional lens is the amount of pain that will be experienced when undergoing the surgery. Nauheim said that the new lens won't present any additional post-op pain.
"There isn't any significant pain associated with cataract eye surgery, sometimes a mild ache," said Nauheim who added that the recovery time will vary from patient to patient. "Usually it will occur within a few days although for some it can be weeks to months."
Like many medical procedures, the new lens sometimes has some drawbacks. Although patients will gain clear vision relatively painlessly, some may experience halos or glare in this improved vision.
But Nauheim believes the benefits outweigh the possible detractions. He's currently sharing the benefits of the new lens with his patients. Nauheim is certain that the new lens is here to stay.
"More people will need it as the population ages," said Nauheim. "People will expect more from their surgery, people are more sophisticated, more likely to look things up on the web and be in future a more medically demanding group. I think this type of surgery will eventually replace the traditional one but I'm not sure if it will be this lens. They may offer other lenses in the future."
