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RxSight® Light Adjustable Lens™
Cataracts are a common part of the eye’s aging process. According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), nearly 50% of Americans will develop at least one cataract by the age of 75. The only way to treat cataracts is through cataract removal surgery, during which the cloudy natural lens of the eye is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). At San Francisco Eye Institute, serving patients from the Bay Area to across the world, we offer a full range of premium IOL options that can help improve a patient’s vision as well as replace lenses clouded by cataracts. IOLs can also be implanted during refractive lens exchange, an elective procedure that is identical to cataract surgery. We are especially proud to offer the revolutionary Light Adjustable Lens™ by RxSight® to all of our patients.
Book an AppointmentWhat is the Light Adjustable Lens?
The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) by RxSight is a particularly exciting development in premium IOLs. This is the only FDA-approved adjustable intraocular lens that can be modified after implantation, providing superior vision correction.
Most premium IOLs have a set IOL power, and your ophthalmologist selects the best prescription for you before your cataract surgery or refractive surgery. Standard or monofocal IOLs can correct near or distance vision, but not both. Other IOLs can correct astigmatism, presbyopia, and/or vision at all ranges. The best option for ideal visual outcomes is the Light Adjustable Lens, which allows your eye doctor to fine-tune your IOL power after cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange.
With the Light Adjustable Lens, two times as many of our patients achieve 20/20 visual acuity, allowing them to dramatically reduce or even eliminate their dependence on eyeglasses or contact lenses.1
How Does the Light Adjustable Lens Work?
The Light Adjustable Lens is made from a unique photosensitive material. Following recovery from cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange, your eye doctor conducts a number of brief customization treatments. During these treatments, the LAL is exposed to UV light, which alters the curvature of the lens. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, this gives your ophthalmologist the ability to customize your lens power, leading to more accurate and personalized vision correction and better refractive outcomes.2
Benefits of the Light Adjustable Lens
The LAL offers many benefits to our patients, including:
- The only IOL that can be adjusted after implantation so patients can test drive their vision first before locking in the prescription
- Adjustment treatments using light that are safe, fast, and painless
- More precise and accurate refractive outcomes
- Reduce or even eliminate the need for corrective lenses
Who is a Candidate for the Light Adjustable Lens?
- Anyone who is a good candidate for cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange may be a good candidate for LAL
Preparing for Surgery with the Light Adjustable Lens
The most important step to preparing for cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange with the Light Adjustable Lens is a consultation with one of our ophthalmologists. During this preoperative appointment, you will receive a thorough eye exam and discuss your IOL options with your eye doctor.
You may be asked not to eat on the day of your procedure. Also, you will need to make arrangements for transportation, as patients are not permitted to drive themselves home after surgery.
The Light Adjustable Lens Procedure
The LAL is implanted during cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange. Prior to this procedure, your eye doctor will apply anesthetic eye drops to numb your eye, and you will also be given intravenous (IV) anesthesia to help you remain comfortable. A device will be used to hold your eye open so you don’t need to worry about blinking.
To begin the procedure, your ophthalmologist will make a small incision in the eye. The natural lens of the eye is broken up in a process called phacoemulsification, then removed and replaced with an intraocular lens. The cataract surgery incision is so small that it naturally heals itself.
Most of our patients report that cataract surgery and IOL implantation is painless, though you may feel some minor pressure, burning, or a sensation of cool wetness. You may also see some bright colors when the doctor replaces the natural lens of your eye with the Light Adjustable Lens.
Cataract surgery only takes about 10 minutes to perform. After a brief recovery at our on-site ambulatory surgery center, you will receive a final check by a member of our team before being released to go home.
Recovery After Receiving the Light Adjustable Lens
Recovery after cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange with the LAL is not painful, though you may experience mild soreness or a sensation of pressure. Your eye doctor will prescribe eye drops to control inflammation and prevent infection after lens implantation.
It is normal to experience blurry or distorted vision after surgery, and this should resolve quickly. You will be able to get back to your daily activities within 24 to 48 hours. Your first UV light treatment will be scheduled for a few weeks after your surgery.
As you recover from surgery with the LAL, you will need to wear UV protective glasses during all waking hours.
Light Adjustable Lens Customization: Test Drive Your Vision
The beauty of the Light Adjustable Lens is that it can be fine-tuned and customized after implantation, giving you the opportunity to “test drive your vision” until we find the right correction for your unique lifestyle and visual needs.
In the weeks following your LAL implantation, you will be scheduled for a series of post-operative customization treatment sessions. To begin each light treatment appointment, your eye doctor will evaluate your vision so that the proper adjustments can be made to your Light Adjustable Lens. You will then sit in front of a Light Delivery Device (LDD), which will expose your LAL to UV light to fine-tune your intraocular lens prescription. During your final light treatment, when you have achieved your optimal vision correction, your eye doctor will lock-in your refraction so it is permanent.
UV light treatments are non-invasive, painless, and only take about 5 minutes. The number of treatments required depends on how many adjustments are needed to achieve optimal vision. Usually patients require no more than 4 light treatment appointments, scheduled a few days apart.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Light Adjustable Lens
How do I know which IOL is right for me?
At San Francisco Eye Institute, we offer a full range of advanced intraocular lens options to help our patients achieve their best vision. When you meet with your ophthalmologist, you will have the opportunity to discuss your vision goals and your lifestyle. You will also be evaluated to determine whether you are a candidate for the Light Adjustable Lens, then you and your eye doctor will decide together which IOL option is right for you.
Why do I need to wear UV protective glasses during LAL recovery?
Because the Light Adjustable Lens is an adjustable IOL customized using UV light treatments, exposure to UV light outside of the Light Delivery Device (LDD) in our treatment room could compromise your results. Once your doctor is able to lock-in your optimal prescription, you will no longer need to wear UV protective glasses.
Are the UV treatments after Light Adjustable Lens implantation painful?
No. Your eyes will be numbed before each UV light treatment with the Light Delivery Device, which lasts about five minutes. Pain should not be a part of your experience with the LAL.
Contact San Francisco Eye Institute
Contact UsFor more information on the Light Adjustable Lens by RxSight and to determine whether you are a good candidate for the LAL, please contact us to schedule a consultation. We proudly serve patients from San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area.
Sources1 US Food and Drug Administration. Summary of Safety and Effectiveness (SSED) of Light Adjustable Lens and Light Delivery Device system. Available: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf16/P160055B.pdf. Accessed July 7, 2022.
2 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Adjustable IOL Could Help Some Ditch Their Glasses After Cataract Surgery. Available: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/news/new-iol-adjustable-after-cataract-surgery?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8NHr27nw6AIVSx-tBh0pRg6kEAMYASAAEgIzE_D_BwE. Accessed July 7, 2022.
The doctors at San Francisco Eye Institute have either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
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Whether you just need a general eye exam, or if you are interested in reducing or eliminating your need for glasses or contacts, our team is here to help! Contact us to book an appointment today!
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711 Van Ness Ave. #310, San Francisco, CA 94102
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