Am I suitable for Symphony lenses?
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Sorry if this question ends up being a bit lengthy but I would like to know if I would be suitable for Symfony lenses. I have an astigmatism (which I am told is average) but am also extremely hypermetropic (right eye +10, left eye +11). Over 2 years ago I had a consultation with an eye surgeon to see if I was suitable for Intra ocular lenses. He said I was and recommended monofocal lenses but I decided not to precede with the surgery. At that time I asked about Symfony lenses which had only recently become available. He said that he had never used them and that they wouldn’t be suitable for me as a toric version wasn’t available and my prescription was too high. I now know that toric versions are available which causes me to question his other assertion about my high prescription. I suspect that he might have wanted to try Symfony lenses on patients with more normal prescriptions first and so was unwilling to recommend them to me. I have tried to find out whether or not my hypermetropia would be a barrier to me getting Symfony lenses but find myself baffled by much of the terminology. I have also contacted the clinic where I had my original consultation (which belongs to the only company in the UK to offer Symfony lenses at present) but after 3 phone calls they still haven’t reviewed my case and given me a definitive answer. Or would there be another lens which may be suitable for me?
1 like, 5 replies
rgCalifornia Guest
Posted
softwaredev Guest
Posted
re: "only company in the UK to offer Symfony lenses at present"
I'm curious where you got that impression. When I had my surgery a couple of years ago I had to travel to get the Symfony (it wasn't approved here in the US yet), and at the time there were multiple clinics offering it in the UK already. I wound up deciding that since I was traveling anyway I'd go to a top doctor in a cheaper country (the Czech Republic), but I'd first checked UK options since I figured it'd be easer to go to an English speaking country.
I was a high myope so I don't know what typical lens powers would be for someone so farsighted, but the Symfony is available in a typical range of powers for an IOL. Unfortunately lens power formulas aren't exact, and there is more of a chance the power might be off for someone with a high prescription (though more so for high myopes than hyperopes I think). They base the formulas on statistics regarding past patients eye measurements vs. lens powers, so I suspect its partly because there is less data available for those with high prescriptions. If the lens power is off, they can usually do laser correction afterwards, which is more accurate than laser correction generally is since the correction required is usually small. Most people that get laser correction have high prescriptions, but those who are hoping to do without glasses after cataract surgery often are willing to go for a small laser tweak since they are close to being glasses free finally.
rgCalifornia softwaredev
Posted
I had cataract surgery in my left eye 10 days ago and suspect I was over-minused by the formulas (since I'm a high myope). I can't quite read the newspaper, although I can read my computer (easier if I close my right eye since it has an ICL and ended slightly hyperopic). My ophthalmologist will do a free LASIK tweak if I want it once the lens has had time to "settle" but I'm concerned that any LASIK, no matter how little corneal tissue is removed, still has non-trivial risks of dry eyes, glare/halos, and night driving problems (likely because of the flap).
softwaredev rgCalifornia
Posted
I don't recall if you've posted about your right eye, if that has a cataract that needs treatment soon also since perhaps aiming for a bit of micro-monovision would be enough to make up for it (or at least increase the odds its at least <= 0D and not hyperopic).
I do keep wondering about a laser tweak to one eye that wound up +0.5, but since my other eye is plano I still haven't taken time to research it since the other eye provides useful enough near to read my smartphone. (with perhaps -0.5D myopic astigmatism possibly helping with near, unless the blur counteracts the slight spherical myopia). Also my hyperopic eye provides the best distance vision (even though the other is 20/20), and even though the differnce might be minor, I hesitate to risk that. I suspect going from +0.5D to -0.5D, according to the charts, could lead to retaining as good distance vision in that eye since acuity drops more in the hyperopic direction.
Usually I don't notice that it has less near than the other eye so its not to big a concern, it just seems a waste. Though occasionally something will obstruct the view of my better eye and I'll be accutely aware of the lack of near in that eye. (though still better near in that eye than if I'd gotten a monofocal that hit the 0D target).
Unfortunately most of the studies are done on large diopter corrections since thats what people usually get with a laser treatment so its hard to know what the risks are. My concern is partly the risk of any slight reduction in best corrected vision, which in this case might also reduce the great uncorrected distance vision.
I do know some doctors prefer PRK to LASIK for post-cataract tweaks, though I hadn't checked to see if being hyperopic impacts the choice since it isn't as easy to treat. I don't know how the risks of a lens exchange would compare to gettting a laser tweak, or perhaps getting an ICL (if they make them in low enough power) since you apparently have used those already. I sometimes wonder if I should just leave it as something to look forward to if in a decade or so there is a new generation IOL worth a lens exchange to e.g. get the level of near vision of an 18 year old and shoot for a plano result at the same time.
softwaredev
Posted
Oops, I meant I wonder if the blur from the astigmatism counteracts the benefit of slight "spherical equivalent myopia" (not "spherical myopia"
of having -0.5D astigmatism in that eye which is the spherical equivalent of being about -0.25D. I don't know if I get any more near than if I would have if I got rid of the astigmatism with an incision, I hadn't researched the issue.