New Lens Technology Enhances Near and Distance Sight for People with Cataracts & �Over 40� Vision, called Presbyopia

Millions of Baby Boomers have more in common than just nostalgia for the 1960s when the Beach Boys and the Beatles were popular, Tie-Dye T-shirts were in style and VW buses were new.

They�re also the largest generation of Americans to reach the magic age of 40 and find their near vision is failing while also experiencing a clouding of their vision due to cataracts.

For the first time, they may need reading glasses, bifocals or progressive lenses to see clearly. Presbyopia is the name of that dreaded condition, which is simply a matter of the aging of the eye - a situation where both the lens and the muscles of the eye become less flexible. Unfortunately, it usually happens to everyone at some point. An estimated 90 million Americans either have presbyopia or will have it by 2014.

A cataract is a �clouding� of the lens in your eye. The lens, located just behind the iris, or the colored part of your eye, works like the lens of a camera. A cataract can be the reason sharp images become blurred, or seeing things at night is more difficult. It may also be why the eyeglasses or contact lenses that used to help you read, or do other simple tasks, no longer seem to help.

But if you don�t relish the prospect of wearing corrective eyewear, or if you already have reading glasses and find it annoying when you can�t find them to read the paper, or frustrated when you realize you forgot them at home, there is a solution.

The recently FDA-approved AcrySof ReSTOR intraocular lens is a landmark vision care technology for people with cataracts and presbyopia that may restore the eyesight of youth.

During U.S. clinical trials, the results with ReSTOR were remarkable:

• 99% of patients could see well enough to drive a car without glasses or contacts
• 97% of patients could read the newspaper without reading glasses or bifocals
• 90% of patients could shave or put on makeup without glasses or contacts
• 80% of patients NEVER wear glasses for any activities
• 74% of patients could read stock quotes in the Wall Street Journal without reading glasses or bifocals

What is unique about ReSTOR? The lens has the ability to consistently offer patients improved vision at a range of distances, from close-up to middle and far. Because ReSTOR doesn�t work with the muscles of the eye, it is not dependent on a mechanical process or the movement of the lens to give clear vision.

Instead, ReSTOR lenses use a technique called apodized diffractive technology. A unique proprietary lens configuration allows a specific distribution of light in response to how wide or small the pupil of the eye is at that moment. The optical design of the lens distributes light between near vision and distant vision to accommodate vision at a range of distances.

Dr. Burrell describes ReSTOR as similar to two lenses in one. One, a refractive lens is for distance, the other, an apodized diffractive lens is for near vision. This gives ReSTOR more consistent results and more satisfied patients who can enjoy activities like reading, sewing, playing cards or looking at the fine print, all without the hassle of reading glasses, bifocals, progressive lenses or contact lenses.

It is important to understand that while ReSTOR is a new technology, intraocular lenses are not new. Lens implant surgery for cataracts is the most commonly performed surgery in the U.S. and has been performed for more than two decades. Dr. Burrell has been performing artificial lens implant surgery for 15 years.

Alcon, Inc., the manufacturer and distributor of the AcrySof family of lenses, of which ReSTOR lens is a part, has an outstanding track record for successful innovation. In fact, AcrySof lenses are the most frequently implanted lenses in the world. More than 21 million AcrySof lenses have been implanted in patients� eyes since 1990.

However, for years medical researchers have been eager to find a lens that would not treat cataracts but give patients the range of vision they wanted. Until recently, the only lens implant available was a �monofocal� lens that accommodated sight at a fixed distance, typically medium range. Now ReSTOR is a �multifocal� lens that offers the exciting promise of freedom from corrective eyewear.

Contact us today to learn more about ReSTOR lenses and if you are a candidate. Call 303-699-3107 to schedule a consultation and learn how the Acrysof ReSTOR IOL can benefit you.