Woman, 75, Goes Glasses-Free for First Time in Over a Decade After Premium Cataract Surgery with Dr. Assil

The path to Assil Gaur Eye Institute (AGEI)

The year before undergoing cataract intraocular lens surgery, Sylivia’s vision began to deteriorate. Her cataracts grew to the point of making her sight blurry and nighttime vision difficult.

At that point, Sylvia was under the care of an optometrist, who determined that her cataracts required the expertise of an ophthalmologist. Sylvia’s doctor directed her to AGEI for treatment.

“My optometrist said, ‘I wouldn’t send you anyplace but there,’” remembers Sylvia. “I put my trust in Dr. Assil and his team.”

A complex cataract lens replacement surgery

Sylvia had cataracts as well as astigmatism in her left eye caused by amblyopia (lazy eye), so her cataract surgery had a few extra steps to it. In addition to her intraocular lens transplant, Dr. Assil also performed a limbal relaxing incision (LRI) to correct astigmatism in her left eye.

The eye’s lens is usually clear and transparent, allowing light to pass through and focus on the retina. From there, the visual signal travels to the brain and enables us to see. With a cataract, the lens becomes cloudy or opaque, gradually reducing clear vision.

What is amblyopia?

Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a type of poor vision that usually affects only one eye. It occurs when the brain and eye don’t work together correctly, and the brain can’t recognize sight from one eye.

It’s estimated that about 2-3% of the U.S. population has some degree of amblyopia.

What is a limbal relaxing incision? 

Corneal astigmatism is a common eye condition in which the cornea or lens has an irregular shape, resulting in blurred or distorted vision. Astigmatism accounts for 13% of refractive errors.

Also called corneal relaxing incisions, LRIs are designed to reshape the cornea and reduce astigmatism, thereby improving overall vision. They’re often performed at the time of cataract surgery.

During the LRI procedure, tiny incisions are made at the edge of the cornea near the limbus (the border between the cornea and the white part of the eye). Next, the patient looks into a light while a femtosecond laser makes precise incisions in the cornea using the template designed explicitly by Dr. Assil.

These incisions are strategically placed to alter the curvature of the corneal sphere, depending on the amount of astigmatism. The overall procedure makes your eye more spherical and reduces astigmatism.

The length, depth, and location of the incisions are carefully calculated to correct astigmatism. Surgeries for astigmatism have very few side effects.

The intraocular lens transplant 

Dr. Assil recommended a new, innovative, state-of-the-art lens to correct Sylvia’s vision. He worked directly with the manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, during lens development and sits on the company’s board of directors. Dr. Assil was granted early access to the lens to beta-test it for his patients in the United States, allowing him to improve upon the traditional toric IOL for residual astigmatism.

“This state-of-the-art multifocal IOL provides an excellent range of vision: near vision and distance vision. It also has less potential risks such as fewer visual haloes and light sensitivity post-surgery compared to other lenses,” states Dr. Assil.

This lens differs from a conventional monofocal IOL, which focuses light only for distant vision. People who receive monovision lens implants usually need glasses for close-up vision. 

During Sylvia’s brief cataract surgery, her cloudy lenses were removed, and Dr. Assil implanted the Odyssey IOL to restore clear vision in her right eye and performed the LRI in her left.

“For the first time in 15 years, I don’t have to wear any kind of eyeglasses,” marvels Sylvia. “The amazing Dr. Assil corrected 100% of my vision.”

Life after surgery 

After a year of struggling with poor vision, Sylvia is elated with her newfound ability to see the world around her. And what would she say to someone considering AGEI?

“I put all my trust in those people,” she says. “I’d 1,000% recommend them. Plus, the staff is really helpful and accommodating.”

Why trust AGEI with LRI and lens exchange surgery?

With 30 years of experience, Dr. Assil is among the most experienced cataract surgeons in the United States. He has performed over 70,000 eye surgeries and authored over 100 textbook chapters and articles on refractive and cataract surgery.

Assil Gaur Eye Institute has assembled a team of top ophthalmologists from across the country, offering its patients the highest-quality specialist eye care in the United States.

In keeping with the founding principles of AGEI, eye surgeons maintain their clinics in a comfortable, familiar manner, much like family-run medical practices used to be.

In addition to refractive lens exchange and cataract surgery, the ophthalmology experts at AGEI are nationally recognized for their eye care and treatment options for a full range of conditions, including eye conditions such as hyperopia glaucoma, retinal detachment (and other diseases of the retina), cornea conditions, contact lens, floaters and flashes, dry eye, presbyopia, astigmatism (using a toric lens), farsightedness, myopia, nearsightedness, and ‌other vision correction procedures (refractive surgery) such as LASIK surgery, PRK, and many more laser procedures.

Today, AGEI is nationally recognized for its compassionate, patient-centric health care, commitment to pioneering advances in ophthalmology, and dedication to supporting its patients’ and the community’s health and well-being.

We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles.