Top Cataract surgeons provide free surgery to patients in TV special

January 25, 2010

The Eye Institute of Utah recently offered nine patients the chance to receive state of the art cataract lens surgery.

Some of the top cataract surgeons from around the world gathered for a live TV event, which gave nine lucky patients who either did not have insurance or had been affected by the recession the chance to receive the latest cataract lens implants for free.

Three types of corrective lenses, including the Acrysof IQ IOL, the Acrysof ReSTOR IOL and the Acrysof Toric IOL, were used as replacements for the patients' hardened cataract lenses.

"These surgeries - performed by some of the top surgeons in the world - will make a dramatic impact for our patients, who otherwise couldn’t afford to have their vision restored," said Dr. Robert Cionni, Medical Director for The Eye Institute of Utah.

A cataract is a cloudy area that blurs the vision of the lens of the eye, and normally develops in people over age 55. Although certain prescriptive eyeglasses may offer temporary relief from the condition, the American Optometric Association suggests that surgery is the best possible treatment for cataracts.