What is "Restore?"
Recently you may have heard or seen advertising for the "Restore Method" of vision correction that claims to be able to free you of the need for glasses for both near and far vision with a procedure that takes just 20 minutes.
So is it for real? Well As is frequently true with advertising claims, the ads are very misleading but not an outright lie. So here's the truth about "Restore."
What is being advertised here is an intraocular lens that is most often used to replace the lens inside the eye during cataract surgery. The surgeon in this case is now suggesting that you can have your eye's lens removed and replaced even if you don't have a cataract so as to improve your vision. This surgery is quick and almost always safe however it carries with it risks that go beyond plain laser refractive surgery. There is a very minimal risk of infection as with all surgery and this could be much more serious than with laser surgery since this procedure occurs INSIDE the eye, not on the eye's surface. There is also an increased risk of retinal problems after surgery inside the eye as well. Doctors and patients accept this risk when a cataract is present and vision is significantly reduced but you have to decide if the risk is worthwhile when the procedure is elective.
Now what about the vision? Will it be as clear both close and far without glasses or contacts? Our experience with this lens would suggest that the answer is "No not quite." The Restore intraocular lens many times causes a small loss of distance vision clarity in order to give you some vision up close. Glare at night can be an issue as well. In other words there's a bit of a compromise here. After cataract removal some people seem very happy with their overall vision and some are less impressed. Remember these people compare their vision to what it was when they looked through a cataract pre-surgically while the ad is recommending the procedure to those who now presumably see 20/20.
Cost is also an issue. Cataract surgery is covered by most insurance plans but the same procedure as an elective one will cost you typically thousands more than laser surgery.
So does that mean you shouldn't do it? Not necessarily, but it does mean the advertisement currently on the air is misleading and doesn't give anywhere near all the information you would need to make an informed decision about the procedure. As is usually the case, when something seems too good to be true it usually is. We are hopeful that some version of an implant will someday in the near future be able to REALLY deliver on this sort of implied claim but we wouldn't have it done to our eyes, as it is currently available. Give our office a call if you have any other questions about "Restore" or any other procedures you may hear about.
So is it for real? Well As is frequently true with advertising claims, the ads are very misleading but not an outright lie. So here's the truth about "Restore."
What is being advertised here is an intraocular lens that is most often used to replace the lens inside the eye during cataract surgery. The surgeon in this case is now suggesting that you can have your eye's lens removed and replaced even if you don't have a cataract so as to improve your vision. This surgery is quick and almost always safe however it carries with it risks that go beyond plain laser refractive surgery. There is a very minimal risk of infection as with all surgery and this could be much more serious than with laser surgery since this procedure occurs INSIDE the eye, not on the eye's surface. There is also an increased risk of retinal problems after surgery inside the eye as well. Doctors and patients accept this risk when a cataract is present and vision is significantly reduced but you have to decide if the risk is worthwhile when the procedure is elective.
Now what about the vision? Will it be as clear both close and far without glasses or contacts? Our experience with this lens would suggest that the answer is "No not quite." The Restore intraocular lens many times causes a small loss of distance vision clarity in order to give you some vision up close. Glare at night can be an issue as well. In other words there's a bit of a compromise here. After cataract removal some people seem very happy with their overall vision and some are less impressed. Remember these people compare their vision to what it was when they looked through a cataract pre-surgically while the ad is recommending the procedure to those who now presumably see 20/20.
Cost is also an issue. Cataract surgery is covered by most insurance plans but the same procedure as an elective one will cost you typically thousands more than laser surgery.
So does that mean you shouldn't do it? Not necessarily, but it does mean the advertisement currently on the air is misleading and doesn't give anywhere near all the information you would need to make an informed decision about the procedure. As is usually the case, when something seems too good to be true it usually is. We are hopeful that some version of an implant will someday in the near future be able to REALLY deliver on this sort of implied claim but we wouldn't have it done to our eyes, as it is currently available. Give our office a call if you have any other questions about "Restore" or any other procedures you may hear about.