AMO VERISYSE Phakic Lens Implant:

Harvard Eye Associates — 30 Years of Lens Implant Experience!

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Are You a Good Candidate?

Any patient interested in a refractive vision correction procedure for nearsightedness has the potential of being a good candidate for the Verisyse phakic IOL. This procedure is ideal for patients with severe myopia, with dry eye syndrome, or with other contraindications that do not make them good LASIK candidates. The Verisyse lens implant has been approved for patients 21 years of age and older, with healthy eyes, stable prescriptions of up to -20 diopters of myopia, and astigmatism less than -2.50 diopters. Nearly 90% of patients receiving the Verisyse lens implant are capable of seeing 20/40 or better without glasses or contact lenses.

To best determine if you are a good candidate for implantable contact lenses, give Harvard Eye a call, and we'll set an appointment for your qualifying eye exam and to discuss your vision correction needs.

Verisyse lens implant 5mm optic -5 to -20 D

Verisyse lens implant 6mm optic -5 to -15 D

At Harvard Eye, your ophthalmologist selects the appropriate lens power (diopter) to best correct your vision. Once the Verisyse lens has been implanted, and your eye has healed, the light coming into your eye can correctly focus on the retina, resulting in improved vision.

Read about: HOW THE EYE FUNCTIONS

Ideal Candidate ~

You must meet the following criteria:

• At least 21 years of age.

• Healthy eyes with no eye disease, iris or corneal abnormality (for example, infection). Patients who have cataracts, glaucoma or a retinal disease such as macular degeneration are not suitable for the Verisyse lens.

• Have best-corrected vision of at least 20/40 with glasses, which in this case means corrected with lenses between -5 to -20 diopters with up to 2.5 diopters of astigmatism.

• Stable refraction, as determined by your ophthalmologist (this is a test to determine that your nearsightedness has not changed more than 0.50 diopters for 6 months prior to surgery)

• Informed of the risks and benefits potentially available with the Verisyse lens implant, compared with other available treatment options

• Understand and sign the informed-consent form for refractive surgery with the Verisyse lens implant

Not a Candidate ~

You should NOT have the Verisyse lens implant implanted if:

• Less than 21 years of age.

• A woman who is pregnant or nursing.

• Have an abnormal iris, pupil or cornea.

• Have an anterior chamber depth of less than 3.2 mm.

• Have endothelial cell density does not meet the minimum recommended density, as shown in the table below.

  The above table indicates the minimum endothelial cell density per age at time of implantation. It sets minimum endothelial cell density criteria as a function of age that will result in at least 1000 cells/mm2 at 75 years of age.

If you have any of the following conditions, be sure to discuss them with your ophthalmologist, as you may not be a suitable candidate for this procedure:

• Abnormality of the iris

• Congenital bilateral cataracts (cataracts in both eyes due to a genetic disorder)

• Recurrent ocular inflammation

• History of ocular diseases

• Previous history of retinal detachment

• Only one eye with potentially good vision

• Glaucoma

• Corneal endothelial dystrophy (a condition in which one or more parts of the cornea lose their normal clarity due to a buildup of cloudy material)

• Diabetic retinopathy (a common complication of diabetes affecting the blood vessels in the retina; if untreated, it may lead to blindness)

Questions to Ask:

At Harvard Eye, we take pride in addressing all of your concerns and questions; we want you to be fully informed. Many of your questions may be covered in our Verisyse: Frequently Asked Questions section. However, everyone has a different physiology; no two people are exactly the same. So, here is a list of questions you might ask during your initial consultation at Harvard Eye to help you decide whether the Verisyse lens implant is right for you:

• What other options are available for correcting my nearsightedness?

• Will I need to limit my activities after treatment? If yes, for how long?

• What are the benefits of the Verisyse lens implant for my amount of nearsightedness?

• What quality of vision can I expect in the first few months after surgery?

• As I grow older, how might the Verisyse lens implant affect my need to wear glasses or contact lenses?

• Should I have the Verisyse lens implant implanted in my other eye?

• How long would I have to wait before having surgery on my other eye?

• What vision problems might I experience if I have the Verisyse lens implant only in one eye?

• How much will the surgery and follow-up cost? Will my health insurance cover this surgery?

• Will there be additional costs if I need an additional procedure to fine tune my vision?

What to Expect with the Verisyse Lens Implant,   next page —>