Asian Eye Institute Refractive Surgery Director Dr. Robert Ang received the Best Paper of Session Award at the recently concluded Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
Held recently in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, the annual meeting served as a venue for ophthalmologists from different parts of the world to come together and share their knowledge on the latest surgical techniques and devices.
Ophthalmologists submitted abstracts of their research projects for a chance to be selected and to present their work during the annual meeting.
Entitled Implantation of Small Aperture Intraocular Lens (IOL) in Post-Refractive Surgery Eyes, Dr. Ang’s winning research paper showed that patients who previously had LASIK or PRK surgery enjoy clear vision after being implanted with an IC-8 intraocular lens (IOL) during their cataract surgery. The IC-8 is a small aperture IOL produced by the American company Acufocus.
“Over the past 25 years, millions of people had refractive surgery, such as LASIK and PRK. These patients enjoyed good vision, but many of them are now beyond 60 years old and have developed cataracts,” he shared.
Cataracts are an age-related eye condition, where the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy. Sometimes, it feels like looking at a fogged-up glass. If not treated, it can lead to blindness. Fortunately, surgery can be done to remove it. The ophthalmologist will remove the lens with cataract and replace it with an IOL. There are different kinds of IOLs available, all designed to improve vision.
Through his research, Dr. Ang discovered that this IC-8 IOL can provide clear vision by blocking unfocused peripheral rays, reducing the aberrations caused by complex corneas. It can also provide additional correction for presbyopia.
Presbyopia is another age-related eye condition. It causes the eyes’ natural lenses to lose their flexibility and ability to focus on nearby objects. That is why people over 40 years old experience difficulty reading text from books, restaurant menus, magazines, computers and mobile phones. Without their reading glasses, they need to extend their arms and squint their eyes to read clearly.
“Patients have expressed their satisfaction after their cataract surgery. They now enjoy good vision for far, intermediate and near distances, with minimal need for eyeglasses. This lens is a possible game-changer, especially for patients who have had LASIK surgery and will soon get their cataracts removed,” he added.