Types of IOLs
Conventional Monofocal Lens
Monofocal lenses are effective in restoring distance vision. These lenses offer one point of focus, so glasses or contacts may still be needed after surgery. Medicare and most insurances will pay for most, if not all, of your procedure, including the cost of the lens.
Monovision Lens
Monovision lenses correct one eye for distance vision and one eye for near vision, thus lessening the likelihood for glasses or contacts. For those patients who have successfully experienced monovision with contact lens wear, this type of IOL to correct distance and near vision could be an option. There could be an additional out-of-pocket cost associated with a monovision lens.
Toric LENS
The toric lens is designed to eliminate or reduce corneal astigmatism and significantly improve uncorrected distance vision, independent of glasses or contact lenses. A patient who has both a cataract and an astigmatism will not regain high quality distance vision after cataract surgery unless the astigmatism is also corrected. There is an additional cost for a toric IOL.
Multi-focal/Accommodating LENS
The accommodating lens is an advanced type of multifocal IOL that allows the patient to see near, intermediate and distance, most often without the need for glasses.
An accommodating lens works with the eyes natural anatomy to move the lens and allow the patient to focus near, intermediate and distance. This movement is enabled by a flexible hinge within the lens, allowing it to move with the muscles in the eye to retain the eye’s ability to “accommodate” – shift its focus between nearby and distant objects – after cataract surgery, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for vision correction. There is an out-of-pocket cost associated with a Multi-focal lens.