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New Options for Cataract Surgery Patients
Remember 35mm cameras? Most of them are collecting dust with the popularity of easy-to-use digital cameras. Anyway, about the 35mm camera...if you removed the lens from the camera body you were unable to take clear photos. And so it is with cataract surgery. By removing the cloudy lens through cataract surgery the eye immediately loses about 18 diopters of focusing power, roughly one-third of the eye's total focusing power.
For the past 20 years eye surgeons have relied on an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) implant to correct for the loss of focusing power. IOLs are available in a range of optical powers to match the needs of individual patients, however, until recently, IOLs offered one optical correction: distance or near. Most IOL recipients still wore glasses after their surgery to help with reading.
Now things are changing.
Multifocal IOLs are now available. The FDA has determined that they are safe and effective. The leading multifocal IOLs have pleasing names like Crystalens, ReSTOR, and ARRAY.
Unfortunately, Medicare has not kept up with change.
Although there are a few exceptions, most patients receiving a multifocal IOL will incur a huge out-of-pocket expense, typically exceeding $2000 per eye. Medicare and most private insurers only reimburse for the standard, less-expensive monofocal IOL.
If you are considering cataract surgery make sure you clearly understand exactly which charges you will be expected to pay out of your own pocket. Many seniors don't have $2000 to spend for medical devices that are totally elective. Speak with your surgeon to determine if your situation qualifies for multifocal IOL reimbursement.
Related Topics: Should I Have Cataract Surgery?, Vision Problems in Aging Adults
Technorati Tags: cataracts, cataractsurgery, crystalens, medicare,
For the past 20 years eye surgeons have relied on an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) implant to correct for the loss of focusing power. IOLs are available in a range of optical powers to match the needs of individual patients, however, until recently, IOLs offered one optical correction: distance or near. Most IOL recipients still wore glasses after their surgery to help with reading.
Now things are changing.
Multifocal IOLs are now available. The FDA has determined that they are safe and effective. The leading multifocal IOLs have pleasing names like Crystalens, ReSTOR, and ARRAY.
Unfortunately, Medicare has not kept up with change.
Although there are a few exceptions, most patients receiving a multifocal IOL will incur a huge out-of-pocket expense, typically exceeding $2000 per eye. Medicare and most private insurers only reimburse for the standard, less-expensive monofocal IOL.
If you are considering cataract surgery make sure you clearly understand exactly which charges you will be expected to pay out of your own pocket. Many seniors don't have $2000 to spend for medical devices that are totally elective. Speak with your surgeon to determine if your situation qualifies for multifocal IOL reimbursement.
Related Topics: Should I Have Cataract Surgery?, Vision Problems in Aging Adults
Technorati Tags: cataracts, cataractsurgery, crystalens, medicare,
