Hereford Vision offers patients with macular problems the option of an intraocular magnification aid, the Scharioth macula lens (SML), potentially reducing the need for cumbersome magnification glasses and other low visual aids.
History
There are a number of different intraocular magnification aids commercially available, although they have wide-ranging safety profiles. Some systems require very large eye incisions with the risk of permanent corneal and eye problems, while others necessitate placement in both eyes to avoid troublesome double vision.
Safety first
The SML is an elegant solution to the safety fears of many, while allowing significant magnification for near vision at a reasonable cost. The SML is a lens, which can be fitted to patients at the time of cataract surgery (in addition to a standard cataract lens), but is equally easily applicable to patients who have already had cataract surgery.
Design
The lens itself has an optically clear periphery, allowing unaffected distance vision, but also carries a central magnifying lens, allowing x2 magnification at a reading distance of around 15cm. Its placement is straightforward and requires no additional surgical incisions above and beyond those required for normal micro-incision cataract surgery.
Are you suitable?
A comprehensive assessment will always be carried out by the Hereford Vision team before surgery is considered, as not everyone will be suitable. Broadly speaking, you may be suitable if your visual acuity falls between around 6/12 and 6/36 with surgery typically being performed on the better-seeing eye: Do please ask your optometrist whether you fulfill these criteria. In addition, patients should compare their reading with standard +2.5D add magnification with their ability to read/ see wearing +6D glasses at 15-20cm; your optometrist should be able to check this for you. If there is a subjective improvement, with which you are happy, then implantation should be beneficial.