Free lens implant restores woman's sight
FLINT TOWNSHIP
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Thursday, April 10, 2008
By Elizabeth Shaw
eshaw@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6311
FLINT TWP. - Lena Roeher can now do something she hasn't been able to do in nearly half a century: See without glasses.
Roeher, 63, was among 100 cataract patients chosen for "100 Lives in 100 Minutes," in which 100 ophthalmologists nationwide Wednesday simultaneously implanted a pair of CrystaLens donated by eye health company Bausch & Lomb. Dr. Gary M. Keoleian of the Michigan Eye Institute in Flint Township performed the surgery, which takes about 15 minutes.
Bausch & Lomb's CrystaLens is the first FDA-approved implant that responds to the eye muscles like a natural lens, allowing the eye to change focus the way it does in normal, healthy vision. "This could be the first time I've never used glasses since before I was in my 20s. People will have to get used to recognizing me without them," said Roeher, an Oregon Township retiree, chuckling.
"What I'm most looking forward to is doing my eye makeup without having to manage it through my glasses. I've had that trouble for 10 years or better." Roeher always has been severely near-sighted and has amblyopia, commonly called "lazy eye." About a year ago, she also was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. Simple tasks like reading and watching TV became exhausting, she said, and she knew it was only going to get worse. "The doctor told me even if he did cataract surgery, he couldn't guarantee me that I wouldn't still wear glasses, and probably one lens would be thicker than the other and they'd keep getting thicker," said Roeher. Cataracts are the leading cause of treatable blindness in the world. Until recently, the best option was to replace the clouded, hardened natural lens with an artificial implant that restored vision but was rigidly focused for distance. So patients still needed glasses to see anything outside that fixed focal range.
According to the FDA, clinical trials show the CrystaLens restored 20/40 vision or better at all distances in 88.4 percent of patients, compared to 35.9 percent of patients implanted with a standard artificial lens. To date, more than 95,000 CrystaLens have been implanted worldwide, with most patients continuing to report excellent vision seven years after surgery. "It's not the original equipment, but it's close," said Dr. Bernard Tekiele of the Michigan Eye Institute. "Thanks to advances like this, today the diagnosis of cataracts is a diagnosis of hope." Not everyone is a candidate. The implant might not be advised for those with an eye infection or inflammation, certain eye defects and difficulties in cataract removal.
The biggest downside is cost. The device and surgery cost more than $5,000 per eye, with most insurance companies covering about 70 percent. "That's still an out-of-pocket expense of about $2,000 per eye above and beyond what even major medical insurance will cover," said Tekiele. "What it boils down to is a lifestyle decision. People choose these to enhance the quality of their life, rather than being completely reliant on glasses."
Roeher said she wouldn't have been able have the procedure if she'd had to purchase the lenses. And for those who don't mind wearing glasses, it can be an unnecessary additional expense over standard implants. "It is an investment, no doubt about it. But unlike other investments, this is really an investment in quality of life, and it's not a diminishing value," said Tekiele. "This will be used every minute of every day for the rest of their lives. The net effect of that isn't ascertainable, but we see it in people's smiles."
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