NanoFlex:

no additional cost. Astigmatism is not corrected and laser corneal reshaping procedures are not included. Refractive surgery is available post-operatively at a cost of $2500.

Spectacles will be required by most patients for optimal acuity at distance, intermediate and near even if you enjoyed spectacle independence prior to cataract formation. Results will vary.

State-of-the-art cataract surgery with excellent final visual acuity at distance, intermediate and near requiring bifocal or trifocal glasses and/or contact lenses.

NanoFLEX Plus:

$1500 total additional cost. NanoFLEX PLUS includes:
additional testing, measurements, counseling, implant selection, the IOL cost (no charge), and corneal reshaping procedures if necessary.

Dependence on spectacles will be reduced for your preferred focal distance. Astigmatism is addressed as well as any nearsightedness and/or farsightedness. If necessary, laser corneal reshaping procedures are provided at no-added cost.

Most patients should expect to remove the glasses requirement from their driver’s license. The Collamer Accommodative Study Team found improved intermediate and near vision* when compared to the leading alternative monofocal intra-ocular implants.

*Results on file: STAAR Surgical Company – 1911 Walker Avenue – Monrovia, CA 91016 / USA

Crystalens:

$3000 total additional cost. Crystalens includes:
additional testing, measurements, counseling, implant selection, the IOL cost, and corneal reshaping procedures if necessary.

Dependence on
spectacles will be minimized for your preferred focal distance. Astigmatism is addressed as well as any nearsightedness and/or farsightedness. If necessary, laser corneal reshaping procedures are provided at no cost.

The FDA approved Crystalens as an accommodating (focusing) intra-ocular lens. Peer-reviewed studies show superior near and intermediate vision when Crystalens patients are compared to patients who have received standard monofocal implants.

REFRACTIVE CATARACT SURGERY

Our mission is to provide all of our patients with the most advanced pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative technology, services, and results. We recognize that not all patients have the same visual needs, goals or expectations. Participate in planning your visual rehabilitation. Choose your strategy and get the most from this life-enriching procedure.

The nanoFLEX intraocular lens by Staar Surgical is an aspheric intraocular lens that provides superior image quality, excellent biocompatibility, and outstanding light transmission. This implant provides better intermediate and near vision than all other standard (insurance-covered) implants. Unless it is medically contraindicated we use this implant in all of our cataract patients and aim for the target refraction. If laser corneal reshaping is needed post-operatively it can be provided at an additional cost.

Choose nanoFLEX if you are comfortable wearing glasses for driving and reading. You can be assured you have received a state-of-the-art implant by a surgeon with over 25 years of cataract surgical experience. The safety profile of nanoFLEX patients and their pre and post-operative care is equivalent to our other Refractive Cataract Surgery options.

Frequently, patients know they want to reduce their dependence on glasses and contacts following cataract surgery. While this may occur as a result of our rigorous, thorough, computer and laser assisted intraocular lens power calculations, sometimes patients demand more. Selecting nanoFLEX PLUS ensures your vision will be optimized for your refractive goals. This includes minimizing astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia. This may require laser corneal reshaping post-operatively provided at no cost.

Choose nanoFLEX PLUS if you are in a position to benefit from and have the desire for less dependence on glasses for distance vision. Many patients also achieve moderate enhancement of intermediate and near vision.

Bausch and Lomb, one of the world’s largest eye care companies markets the very popular Crystalens®. This silicone based lens is approved by the FDA as an accommodating (focusing) implant. Excellent distance and improved intermediate and near vision are achieved in most patients. Selecting Crystalens® ensures your vision will be optimized for your refractive goals. This includes minimizing astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia. This may require laser corneal reshaping postoperatively provided at no cost.

Choose CRYSTALENS if you are in a position to benefit from and have the desire for less dependence on glasses for distance vision. Most patients also achieve moderate enhancement of intermediate and near vision. Know that this implant has satisfied the FDA criteria for enhanced near vision.

The latest generation of multifocal (non-accommodating) lenses include Alcon’s ReSTOR and AMO’s Tecnis Multifocal. These lenses provide a higher degree of spectacle independence than the accommodating lenses described above. Not all patients qualify for this style implant.

Choose a multifocal implant if you are in a position to benefit from and have a desire for less dependence on glasses for both distance and near vision. Know that both Restor and Tecnis have satisfied the FDA criteria for enhanced near vision. Mild dysphotopia can occur with these implants and is usually well-tolerated.

*Costs include both eyes. Payment must be made one-week before your first cataract surgery. Credit cards are not accepted.

The distinction between cataract extraction and refractive surgery has faded. Many patients desire the benefits of both procedures.

Cataract surgery remains one of the most rewarding experiences for both doctor and patient. The procedure is medically necessary and is covered by virtually all insurance companies including Medicare. They define cataract surgery as the replacement of your cloudy natural lens with a generic intra-ocular implant. Recent advances in technology and technique allow us to achieve more.

Some patients want the benefits of cataract removal as well as the visual results we’ve come to expect from successful refractive surgery (LASIK). That is, patients demand a reduced dependence on glasses and contacts following their cataract surgery.

This can be accomplished with Refractive Cataract Surgery. Naturally, this requires additional measurement and testing, expanded intra-ocular implant selection, individualized refractive surgical planning and, in some cases, laser corneal reshaping.

Recently, Medicare and Other Insurers have agreed to cover the cataract portion of the procedure and permit patients to supplement the cost of these non-covered and value-added refractive services. This allows patients to achieve their goal of reduced spectacle dependence, minimized astigmatism, and enhanced distance, intermediate and near vision.

Medicare expressly forbids surgeons from offering Refractive Cataract Surgery without cost. They believe it would be an illegal inducement on the part of the cataract surgeon in order to procure government dollars.

Our practice will continue to provide the very best cataract surgical results to all patients regardless of their financial status.

Refractive Cataract Surgery is available at a reasonable cost and in compliance with Medicare
regulations and Federal Guidelines. You can find more information on our website: www.cataractphiladelphia.com

**Pre-operative assessment will determine eligibility.

A 360 degree view
of the buildings in the complex where our office is located.

•••

Cataract surgery is one of medicine’s great achievements.

We have gone from what you could describe as barbaric surgery to what is now an elegant, controlled and exacting five minute miracle. Most patients see well enough to drive without glasses the next morning. The safety profile easily exceeds virtually all other major surgical procedures.

When the natural lens of your eye ages sufficiently to create glare, haloes, and decreased vision, cataract surgery is indicated. Until 2005, surgeons were free to replace your cataractous lens with the implant they deemed most appropriate for you.

All of these lens implants could correct for nearly perfect distance vision without glasses but all required spectacles for reading and some intermediate vision. In the early 1990‘s 3M corporation designed a lens implant that could provide both excellent distance and near vision without glasses. This implant never achieved FDA approval. In 2001. AMO (now Abbott) developed the first FDA approved multifocal intraocular lens implant, the Array. Surgeons were free to use this lens for any appropriate patient without additional cost.

Medicare, as well as almost all insurance companies cover the cost of the intraocular lens up to $150. Not surprisingly, manufacturers almost always charged $150 for their implant. The manufacturing cost for almost all lenses is under ten dollars!

A very effective salesman/business man convinced Medicare that patients should be able to pay extra for a better implant. His company manufactured Crystalens™, an implant selling for $1000 rather than the standard $150. In fact, the recommendation was that surgeons charge $2000 – $2500 giving surgeons a profit motive for using this implant.

AMO soon withdrew their $150 Array implant from the market and replaced it with a modestly modified $1000 replacement called ReZoom™. Alcon (soon to be Novartis) launched the ReSTOR implant also priced at $1000 with the same recommendations. These Premium Implants started a new income stream for surgeons and implant manufacturers.

In my opinion Medicare violated its fundamental principle, that their clients were all deserving of the best possible medical care. They had essentially created two classes of patient, Standard and Premium. This was a sad day for cataract surgeons and an even sadder day for patients.

While some will say these funds stimulate innovation, I just don’t buy it.