Baltimore Ophthalmologist Provides Premium IOLs That Reduce or Eliminate Cataract Patients' Dependency on Glasses

BALTIMORE, MD--(Marketwired - Jul 9, 2013) -  Dr. Jay C. Grochmal, a Baltimore ophthalmologist, provides comprehensive eye care at his private practice, with procedures including LASIK, glaucoma treatment, and cataract surgery. With traditional cataract surgery, many patients have their natural lens replaced with a monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) to help them restore clear vision once the cataract has been removed. However, after correcting for near or far distance vision, the monofocal IOL may still require the patient to wear glasses after treatment. At Grochmal Eye Center, Dr. Grochmal offers a variety of advanced, multifocal IOLs as an alternative to monocular lenses, which can significantly reduce the patient's dependence on eyeglasses or even eliminate the need for glasses altogether. These premium IOLs include:

• Alcon's ReStor® multifocal IOL
• AMO's Tecnis® multifocal IOL
• Alcon's Toric IOL

While standard monocular IOL procedures are often covered by a patient's health insurance, Dr. Grochmal says there are certain advantages that premium IOLs provide. He highlights that Alcon's Toric IOL is very successful in correcting even high amounts of astigmatism (a common optical condition that causes blurry vision), and multifocal lenses in general are effective in significantly decreasing one's dependence on glasses. He says many patients who receive multifocal lenses do not need to wear glasses at all after the procedure.

Grochmal Eye Center now uses the Zeiss IOL Master 500 for premium IOL procedures. The innovative technology of the Zeiss IOL Master 500 allows advanced calculations that measure the IOL power necessary to obtain optimal results for each patient. With this new technology, Dr. Grochmal is able to combine the results of the Zeiss IOL Master with his attention to surgical detail to produce distance vision improved to the point that his patients rarely require glasses afterward.

Multifocal IOLs can also be helpful for patients who do not suffer from cataracts but are looking to reduce their dependence on corrective eyewear. Patients who are not eligible for LASIK or other laser eye surgery procedures often qualify for premium IOLs, which have similar benefits. However, some patients who have already had monofocal IOL surgery may not be ideal candidates for the procedure. According to Dr. Grochmal, once a monofocal IOL is placed within the capsular bag of the eye, it is not safe to replace that IOL unless the exchange is done within a month of the initial surgery.

Dr. Grochmal stresses that multifocal IOLs are best used in healthy eyes that have no other eye diseases present, aside from cataracts.

About Jay C. Grochmal, MD

Dr. Jay C. Grochmal earned his medical degree from the University of Maryland. He completed his residency at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center's Department of Ophthalmology where he achieved the rank of Chief Resident. In addition to serving on the staff of the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and St. Agnes Hospital, Dr. Grochmal travels on medical missionary trips to Third World countries with a variety of religious organizations. He is available for interview upon request.