Palmetto Eye & Laser Center

Light Adjustable Lens

The light adjustable lens is a cutting-edge intraocular lens (IOL) designed to replace your natural lens during cataract surgery. What makes it truly remarkable is its ability to be adjusted after surgery, giving you the opportunity to fine-tune your vision to your exact needs. At Palmetto Eye & Laser Center, our surgeons are proud to offer this revolutionary lens, allowing you to achieve fully personalized visual results for a clearer future.

What is the Light Adjustable Lens?

The light adjustable lens is a cutting-edge type of intraocular lens (IOL) designed to replace a clouded natural lens, commonly known as a cataract. Like other IOLs, it is made from a clear, synthetic material, but what sets it apart is its innovative technology.

How Does the Light Adjustable Lens Work?

These lenses contain a special photo-sensitive material that responds to ultraviolet (UV) light. After your cataract surgery, your eye doctor can use a light delivery device to fine-tune the lens, adjusting its power by applying UV light to specific areas.

This means you can experience your new vision, make adjustments based on your needs, and achieve truly customized clarity—giving you confidence in your new, personalized sight.

What Can You Expect During the Light Treatment Sessions?

After your cataract surgery has healed, you'll undergo a series of one to three light treatments to fine-tune your lenses. These sessions are fast, gentle, and completely painless, typically lasting just about a minute and a half each. Spaced out over several days, these treatments are designed with your comfort in mind.

During each session, you’ll sit comfortably while your eye doctor operates a specialized light delivery device. This device emits a carefully controlled amount of ultraviolet light onto your lens’s light-sensitive material.

This process adjusts the lens’s power to enhance your vision clarity, with most patients achieving their desired results in three to four sessions. Once the ideal clarity is reached, your eye doctor will perform a final treatment to “lock in” the lenses, ensuring they are no longer sensitive to ultraviolet light.

With this precise and effective approach, you’ll enjoy improved vision without any discomfort.

Light Adjustable Lens | Cataract Surgery Options

Is the Light Adjustable Lens Right for Me?

If you’re considering cataract surgery and want more control over your vision outcomes, the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) might be a great option for you. Here’s what makes someone a good candidate for this innovative lens:
  • You want customized vision: If you’d like to have significant control over how your vision turns out after cataract surgery, the Light Adjustable Lens could be ideal.
  • You have healthy eyes: This lens works best if you don’t have chronic eye conditions or diseases.
  • You’re in good overall health: Certain medical issues that affect healing might make this lens unsuitable.
  • You can follow post-surgical instructions: Commitment to the aftercare process is crucial to achieve the best results with this lens.
  • You’re available for follow-up visits: Expect to make regular appointments with your eye doctor, possibly over the course of several months after your surgery.
  • You’re okay with more involved aftercare: The Light Adjustable Lens requires a more detailed post-op care routine compared to traditional intraocular lenses (IOLs).
  • To find out if the Light Adjustable Lens is the best choice for your needs, speak with an experienced eye care professional. We can evaluate your situation and help you decide based on your vision goals.