Lens Implant Potentially Improves Driving Security

Oct 8, 2012 by OgrenStephan978

About 60 percent of people over age 65, and 70 percent of individuals over 75, have some degree of cataract development, a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently authorized new claims for Pfizer’s Tecnis, creating it the initial eye lens implant for cataract patients with the potential to increase the security of older drivers with cataracts and the men and women with whom they share the road.

About 60 percent of individuals more than age 65, and 70 percent of individuals more than 75, have some degree of cataract development, a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Approximately 2.five million older men and women undergo cataract surgery each year in the United States.

The Tecnis lens was specifically designed to increase the functional vision of cataract surgery patients. Functional vision is the ability to see objects clearly beneath varying levels of light and in conditions such as rain, snow, fog and at night.

According to the AAA Foundation for Targeted traffic Safety, drivers more than age 65 are a lot more most likely to be involved in automobile crashes than individuals in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Supplying elderly cataract patients with improved vision is critical to their safety and to the safety of other people.

“The capacity of the Tecnis lens to increase functional vision sets a new normal in the remedy of cataract patients,” said Dr. Mark Packer, clinical assistant professor, Casey Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Wellness & Science University, and principal investigator for the Tecnis clinical study. “Numerous Tecnis patients see really properly in low light circumstances and inform me they really feel comfortable driving at night for the 1st time in years.”

In a clinical study comparing Tecnis to the top, traditional acrylic lens implant, patients’ capacity to detect and identify objects was tested using an evening driving simulator. Even though Tecnis did not show a considerable improvement over the acrylic lens in contrast sensitivity, patients’ reaction occasions had been improved when making use of the Tecnis lens in the evening driving simulator.

One particular of the most important advantages of the Tecnis lens was enhanced detection and identification of pedestrians at night. Tecnis patients consistently identified pedestrians at a higher distance in all settings.

Adverse events associated with the Tecnis lens are consistent with the implantation of intraocular lenses in cataract surgery patients and incorporate, but are not limited to: corneal edema, iritis, hyphema, macular edema, retinal detachment and lens dislocation.

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