Lens consultation / special lenses
What is a cataract?
Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of the eye that occurs more frequently in older people, but can also occur in younger people. Improving vision with spectacle correction is only possible to a limited extent or no longer possible.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
Patients report increased sensitivity to glare, blurred vision at distance and near, reduced contrast perception and a grey haze.
Some patients report several prescriptions for glasses within a very short time or that they can suddenly read again without glasses.
How are cataracts treated?
There are no medical treatment options for cataracts.
Cataracts must be treated surgically with cataract surgery. Treatment can be carried out as an inpatient or outpatient procedure. After an examination of the entire eye, an appointment is made for the operation.
The operation takes about half an hour, after which you will be taken to the ward for inpatient treatment or can go home for outpatient operations. Your eye will be checked the next day. An eye drop schedule will remind you how to apply the eye drops after the operation. Follow-up treatment takes about six weeks. Weekly check-ups are recommended during this time.
In addition to the treatment of cataracts, certain artificial lenses can be used to correct other visual defects such as presbyopia or astigmatism and thus achieve good vision without glasses in the distance, near and intermediate range.
Modern intraocular lenses usually consist of a very well-tolerated acrylate with a central optical part (the so-called optics) and a holding apparatus (the so-called haptics). The power of the lens is calculated on the basis of the individual measurement data of the eye (biometry) and can be different for each eye.
Nowadays, different types of lenses are available to meet the different visual needs of patients. The lenses are categorised according to focal points and can be either monofocal or multifocal. Toric artificial lenses can also be used to correct astigmatism.
Main types of intraocular lenses:
Standard lenses:
- Monofocal, aspheric lenses: A single focal point enables good distance or near vision without glasses (depending on the target refraction).
Patients who have been treated with monofocal artificial lenses will always need reading glasses, distance glasses or varifocals. Our standard lenses are already modern aspheric intraocular lenses - at no extra cost. A blue light filter lens can also be used on request.
Special lenses:
- Multifocal lenses: multiple focal points allow good vision both at a distance and close up without glasses with the aim of achieving spectacle-free vision. The majority of patients treated with multifocal lenses have a good chance of no longer needing glasses.
- Toric lenses or multifocal toric lenses: In patients with higher astigmatism (astigmatism of the cornea), a standard monofocal aspheric lens would still require the wearing of glasses for distance and near vision. Toric lenses make it possible to wear glasses for distance vision, multifocal toric lenses even for distance and near vision.
After a thorough preliminary examination, we will advise you on the different types of lenses so that we can offer you a treatment that is customised to your needs.
Statutory health insurance companies do not usually cover the additional costs for these special lenses.
If you are privately insured, we recommend that you enquire with your health insurance company before the operation. You will receive an application for cost coverage after a thorough examination and assessment of the indications.
