Revolutionary Light Adjustable Lens Now Available to Cataract Patients at Kugler Vision

Published by Lance Kugler, MD on December 13, 2021

Every year, an estimated 18 million cataract procedures are performed all around the world, restoring clear vision and a better quality of life. Now, an innovation in intraocular lenses (IOLs) is available at Kugler Vision to help cataract patients achieve a higher degree of customization with their vision correction and better visual outcomes: the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL).

If you have developed cataracts and have other vision problems that could prevent you from seeing clearly, this implantable lens may be right for you. Let’s learn more about how the LAL works.

What is a Light Adjustable Lens?

Developed by RxSight, the Light Adjustable Lens is the first and only implantable lens that can be adjusted post-operatively through exposure to targeted ultraviolet light. The lens is approved for cataract patients who also have corneal astigmatism (at least 0.75 diopters) and no preexisting macular disease.

According to a study of more than 600 participants, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that patients who received the LAL were twice as likely to achieve 20/20 vision without glasses than patients who received a standard monofocal IOL.

“This offers cataract patients a whole new level of treatment customization,” says Dr. Lance Kugler, founder of Kugler Vision. “It helps us increase the precision of lens selection, because we can adjust the lens power after the procedure until the patient’s vision is as clear as it can possibly be.”

How does the LAL work?

During cataract removal, the surgeon removes the cloudy cataract and replaces it with a biocompatible artificial lens (IOL) to improve vision. In standard cataract surgery, presurgical exams and eye measurements will help the surgical team determine what lens strength is right for your eyes. Then they order a certain IOL to meet those particular needs. The LAL is different.

While the Light Adjustable Lens is still implanted during the same surgery in which the cataract is removed, the adjustments to the power of the lens are made after the eye has healed, about two weeks after surgery. A visual examination at this follow-up exam will determine what adjustments are required to sharpen visual acuity further.

Using a Light Delivery Device (LDD) designed specifically for the LAL, our doctors will deliver UV light to the photosensitive lens. The UV light adjusts the shape of the lens painlessly in just 90 seconds to correct refractive error. This noninvasive adjustment procedure can be repeated as necessary until optimal visual results are achieved. Once the patient is satisfied with the outcome, the lens is set with a final UV light treatment.

“I’m excited to be able to offer the Light Adjustable Lens to my cataract patients,” Dr. Kugler says. “It’s a leading-edge technology that has the potential to provide better vision than my patients ever thought possible.”

For more information about the Light Adjustable Lens, contact Kugler Vision at (402) 558-2211 or tap here to make an appointment.

Lance Kugler, MD, is a specialist in LASIK and vision correction surgery and CEO of Kugler Vision. A proud Omaha native, he is passionate about improving lives through clear vision. Dr. Kugler serves on several national boards, and his practice is recognized internationally as a center of excellence. Dr. Kugler is one of the original founders of the Refractive Surgery Alliance, an international organization comprised of over 350 of the world’s leading vision correction surgeons; he also served as its first president. In 2019, Dr. Kugler was selected as a TEDx speaker, and delivered a talk in Omaha about the worldwide epidemic of nearsightedness and refractive solutions. Dr. Kugler is an Associate Professor of Refractive Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Truhlsen Eye Institute, has been published in many medical journals, and participates in numerous clinical studies to advance the field of vision correction surgery. Additionally, Dr. Kugler is proud to be a Board Certified Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery & Visual Sciences. Dr. Kugler and his wife are proud parents to five active kids. When he has a spare moment, he enjoys skiing, tennis, travel, and fine coffee.

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