New silicon lens implants allow patients to see in high-definition

December 7, 2009

Foxnews.com reports that an artificial lens can now be surgically implanted into the eye giving adult patients better than 20/20 vision.

The procedure involves two steps. At first, the surgeons implant a lens into the eye, much like they would to correct cataracts. Then, they make some adjustments a few days later to ensure that the patient's vision is near-perfect.

The news source reports that the lens, which is made from silicone, is ideal for correcting age-related eye health problems like glaucoma and cataracts.

"We have the potential here to change patients' vision to how it was when they were young," FOX quotes Dr. Bobby Qureshi as saying. "The change is so accurate that we can even make the lens bifocal or varifocal, so as well as giving them good vision at distance we can give them good vision for reading."

If the procedure becomes routine, many Americans would benefit from the effects. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), glaucoma is among the leading causes of vision-loss for individuals over the age of 60.

To guard against eye health problems, the AOA recommends that seniors visit their eye care professional at least once a year.