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'Symfony' Lenses Could Change The Way Cataracts Patients See The World

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There are nearly 25-million Americans with cloudy lenses in their eyes called cataracts.

Cataract surgery is very successful and now, it's gotten even better.

As CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez explained, a natural lens is giving patients back their natural vision.

Bruce Goldblatt owns a towing company, and relies on his eyes for work. He said his vision changed about a year-and-a-half ago.

"I started to notice some shadowing, especially driving at night. My long distance was impaired and I was having more and more trouble reading up close," he said.

The 65-year-old was diagnosed with cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye. His doctor recommended the common surgery to remove his old lens and replace it with a man made one.

Those lenses usually only allow the eye to focus at a fixed distance, either up close for reading, or distance for driving, or in-between for computer work.

Bruce had a new FDA approved lens implanted called Symfony. It has concentric focusing rings that allows improved vision at near, intermediate, and far distances, as well as points in between.

"It's a brand new category of lens that gives patients continuous vision and reduces their dependence and many times eliminates their dependence upon glasses following cataract surgery," Dr. Eric Donnenfeld, Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island, explained.

Bruce was the first person in the country to get the new lens since it was approved by the FDA. Dr. Donnenfeld of Carle Place, Long Island conducted the clinical trials.

"Giving them a natural type of vision where they are less dependent on glasses, makes them more comfortable, improves their self-confidence," he said.

Bruce said he's excited for the future.

"I'm a very active 65-year-old. I ride motorcycles long distance, and I also do jet skiing," he said.

It usually takes about a week or two as the eye heals for final results.

It's estimated that nearly 4-million cataract surgeries are performed every year, one of the most common surgical procedures in the U.S.

Cataracts are most often related to aging and exposure to sunlight which is why ophthalmologists recommend UV blocking sunglasses to protect your eyes.

 

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