Lose the Cataract and Lose the Glasses

Multifocal Lenses Rapid City

Multifocal lenses refer to artificial lenses that, when implanted inside the eye, restore both distance and near vision without the need for glasses. Historically, when someone developed a cataract (clouding of the lens inside the eye), it was removed and replaced with a clear, monofocal lens that allowed for focus at one distance. This meant that glasses were often necessary for distance and/or near vision. Newer technologies and cataract surgery techniques have allowed for more precision and greater options in correcting vision to reduce the dependence on glasses. Premium multifocal lenses are a type of intraocular lens.  Black Hills Regional Eye Institute is pleased to offer mulitfocal lenses to the Rapid City community and 5 state region.

Multifocal lenses, like traditional IOLs, are implanted in the eye, producing lasting vision correction. While typical intraocular lenses are monofocal, having a single viewing distance, premium multifocal lenses have different distance zones built into the lens, allowing for both near and distance viewing. While multifocal lenses do tend to take more time to adapt to, the results are obvious once the patient's eyes adjust.

View All of Our Videos

Candidates for Multifocal Lenses

Anyone undergoing cataract surgery could potentially benefit from multifocal options. This is the optimal time to implant the new, man-made lens because the cataract has to be removed regardless. This generally occurs sometime after the age of fifty. Given the success of multifocal technologies, it has also become possible to elect implantation prior to the need for cataract surgery.

Implantation of Multifocal Lenses

Your physician at the Eye Institute will make a small, stitch-less, incision in the front of the eye. Through that small incision, the cloudy cataract will be removed. Then the multifocal implant will carefully be positioned inside the eye to replace the old lens. As there are multiple options for allowing clear vision, your surgeon will select the best technology as it relates to your prescription and visual demands. Depending on the type of technology selected, your surgeon can target good distance and near vision (traditional book reading distance) or good distance and intermediate vision (computer distance). It is important that you work together with your doctor to allow the best result to meet your personal visual demands. A small percentage of patients will notice a glare or halo around lights at night. The Black Hills Regional Eye Institute uses three types of multifocal lenses:

• ReSTOR® Multifocal
• Crystalens® HD Accommodating Lens
• Tecnis® Multifocal

During your personal consultation, one of our physicians will detail the different types of lenses and discuss their unique qualities.

Learn More about Multifocal Lenses

If you are in need of cataract surgery, there is no better time to consider premium multifocal lenses. Why not remove the cataract while improving your vision and riding yourself of glasses, all at the same time? Please contact Black Hills Regional Eye Institute to schedule a personal consultation with one of our physicians.