ReZoom™ Intraocular Lens

ReZoom™ is a multifocal lens that may allow a person greater visual freedom after cataract surgery. When the eye's natural crystalline lens is removed during cataract surgery, a replacement lens is placed behind the iris in the position of the natural lens. Traditionally, these intraocular lenses (IOLs) have been monofocal lenses. These lenses give good vision for either near or distant objects, but not both. This meant that a person would have to wear contacts or glasses, and maybe bifocals or trifocals every day.

Now, though, advances in optical technology offer many options that allow most patients to function without glasses or contacts. Multifocal lenses like ReZoom™, ReSTOR®, and Tecnis®, and accommodating lenses like Crystalens® and Synchrony® may help you to see better after cataract surgery.

How ReZoom™ Works

The basic problem of seeing objects at different distances is how to focus light rays coming from that object onto the retina. The eye's natural lens accomplishes this through the process of accommodation, or changing shape. The ReZoom™ lens, on the other hand, accomplishes this by having several concentric optical zones, each designed to focus light from different distances onto the retina.

Although the ReZoom™ design often results in the presence of multiple competing images of an object, the mind can sort them out, paying attention to the focused image and, in most cases, discarding the unfocused ones. Although this may seem complicated, it is not at all unusual for the mind to sort out distorted, incomplete, or conflicting information, and, after a short adjustment period, it poses no problem for most people.

The ReZoom™ Design

ReZoom™ uses what its manufacturer, AMO, calls Balanced View Optics Technology to create five zones of focus, each with a different prescription level.

AMO decided that these five zones would give most users clear vision for most of the tasks they perform on a daily basis:

Bright light and distance for daytime driving
Near dominant to give near vision in moderate to low light
Distance a second zone to support distance vision in moderate to low light
Near dominant to support near vision in a wide range of lighting conditions
Low light and distance to help sight during night driving

The focal zones are arranged from the center to the edge so as your pupil changes size in response to light levels, different focal areas become available. The goal is to optimize for both light and distance.

Risks of ReZoom™ Use

All surgery carries some risk, and cataract surgery that includes the placement of the ReZoom™ Intraocular lens carries common risks such as infection, hemorrhage, retinal detachment, and macular edema.

All multifocal lenses present a challenge to your brain, and though the majority of people adapt very quickly (either immediately or within 3 weeks), some people take a long time to adapt, and a small percentage will never adapt.

One risk associated specifically with the use of ReZoom™ intraocular lenses is the presence of nighttime halos and glare. According to preapproval studies for the FDA, about 15% of people reported "severe" difficulty with halos following implantation of the ReZoom™ lens. In addition, about 10% of people reported "severe" difficulty with glare as a result of using the ReZoom™ lens. If you frequently drive at night or the ability to drive at night is especially important to you, the ReZoom™ lens may not be for you.

Talk to an Ophthalmologist

If you are considering cataract surgery, it is important to talk to an ophthalmologist experienced with the placement of many different IOLs who can help you decide which one might be right for you. Please schedule a multifocal IOL consultation with a local eye surgeon today to discuss the benefits and risks so you can make an informed decision.