Light Adjustable Lens Gives Ellen Visual Clarity

A cataract diagnosis

A visit to her optometrist confirmed that her eyes needed help, but not the kind of first aid a new glasses prescription could provide. It turns out that she had developed a cataract in each eye. “I was surprised it was cataracts,” she remembers. “Though things started seeming fuzzier.”

Her eye doctor strongly recommended the Assil Guar Eye Institute of Los Angeles (AGEI). Ellen quickly made an appointment with Dr. Avneet K. Sodhi Gaur, who ran a series of tests to confirm the right approach to Ellen’s vision problems and recommended the adjustable light lens. To say that Ellen was impressed with Dr. Gaur would be an understatement. “She was a real pro. An amazing doctor, extremely skilled, a compassionate clinician, and a warm person.”

While there are several options for adjustable lenses, Dr. Gaur chose RxSight^TM adjustable light lenses for Ellen’s procedure.

The adjustable light surgery experience

The surgery was scheduled as a two-hour outpatient procedure at the AGEI surgery center. Once Ellen was administered a gentle sedative, Dr. Gaur inserted anesthetic eye drops and made a 2 mm wide incision through the cornea at the border of the iris and the white of the eye using a precise LensAR Femtosecond Laser.

Dr. Gaur inserted a tiny probe through the incision and broke down the cataract using gentle ultrasound energy (phacoemulsification). Once the cataract was in small pieces, the doctor gently swept them up like a vacuum. The posterior lens capsule was left intact to serve as a pocket to hold the new artificial lens.

Once the hazy natural lens was removed, the doctor used the ORA System™ to gain precise measurements. ORA is a cutting-edge technology that takes an intra-operative picture of the eye after the new IOL has been inserted to verify that the nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism has been corrected.

The new lens was then inserted into the eye through a pen-like instrument. Once the lens is released into the eye, it unfurls into a round disc and is tucked into the proper place within the lens capsule.

No stitches were required.

Fine-tuning the sight

Ellen was given two pairs of protective glasses — one with clear lenses, one with brown lenses — to keep out ultraviolet rays. She wore them every minute unless bathing or sleeping. During the recovery process, she also had eye drops that needed to be applied daily to assist in healing.

The doctor provided Ellen with several visual options to find the best prescription lens for her. After narrowing it down and finding the one that provided the most precise vision, she began her light treatments.

The doctor used a Light Delivery Device (LDD) to adjust the lens to fit her prescription. The LDD delivers UV light to a photosensitive material that helps modify the shape of the lens.

The LDD is placed on the anesthetized eye, one eye at a time, while the other eye is covered with a patch to avoid the light scattering into it. The treatments can last anywhere from a few seconds to about two minutes.

Ellen underwent two 90-second light treatments. Between the treatments, she continued to wear her protective glasses.

The RxSightLight Adjustable Lens is made of unique photosensitive silicone material that undergoes subtle changes in lens power and shape when exposed to carefully dosed ultraviolet light. This technology lets the doctor adjust your lens power and curvature better to address refractive errors.

The result?

During the next two months, Ellen was impressed by Dr. Gaur’s bedside manner. “She was always available to answer questions, checked in with text, and even met after hours to check my eyes,” says Ellen. “This is a good example of how a doctor should behave with patients.”

Just after Labor Day, Ellen celebrated having 20/20 vision. “I haven’t seen this well since college,” she says. “The only glasses I have are sunglasses. Plus, I realized my care at the practice had been with amazing female doctors.”

Why trust your eyesight to Assil Gaur Eye Institute?

Under Dr. Assil’s leadership, the Assil Gaur Eye Institute has assembled a team of top ophthalmology specialists from around the country who continue AGEI’s tradition of offering patients the highest quality of specialist eye care in the United States. In keeping with the founding principles of AGEI, our doctors have managed to keep their clinics comfortable and familiar, much like how family-run medical practices used to be.

Today, the Assil Gaur Eye Institute is nationally recognized for its compassionate patient-centric care, its commitment to pioneering advances in ophthalmology, and its dedication to supporting the health and well-being of its patients and community.

Please call (866) 945-2745 or make an appointment online.

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