Eyeworld

EW FEATURE 33 New technologies are helping surgeons overcome some of the obstacles related to placing toric IOLs and maintaining stability W hen it comes to astig- matism, two statistics are bandied about fairly often—astigma- tism greater than 0.5- 0.75 D is likely to affect functional vision, and for every 10 degrees a toric IOL is off its intended correc- tion a patient loses 33% of the lens' proposed corrective abilities. Until surgeons have an accurate method to align toric lenses, the full benefit of the technology will not be realized, said Robert H. Osher, M.D., professor of ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, and medical director emeritus, Cincinnati Eye Institute. "Once we can accurately align, we can be 100% sure that'll become the standard of care," he said. Others believe astigmatic correc- tion "is becoming a vital component of cataract surgery," said Robert J. Weinstock, M.D., Weinstock Laser Eye Center, Largo, Fla. But getting a good capture of the astigmatism can be problematic if dry eye is present, said William B. Trattler, M.D., director of cornea, Center for Excellence in Eye Care, Miami. In his general cataract popu- lation, more than 60% "have very rapid tear break-up times," he said, adding he relies solely on corneal curvature data when planning his astigmatic corrections. Lens- or cornea-based? Some surgeons correct astigmatism on the cornea through relaxing inci- sions. Stephen S. Lane, M.D., ad- junct clinical professor, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, prefers in- cisional correction when the patient is getting a presbyopia-correcting lens "and there is no other way of correcting for cylinder," he said. Combination toric and presbyopia- correcting lenses, available outside the U.S., are "the best way to correct for presbyopia and astigmatism," he said. February 2011 December 2011 What's ahead in 2012 by Michelle Dalton EyeWorld Contributing Editor Aligning toric IOLs An ASCRS Membership For every stage of your career Young Ophthalmologists & Residents When you're the newest member of the team, things can be a little overwhelming. ASCRS can help with the transition. Our monthly Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Annual Symposium, and online educational initiatives work to continuously augment your formal training. Through them you'll meet like-minded young ophthalmologists facing similar challenges and concerns, along with those who've successfully navigated the waters and can provide the guidance to answer your clinical, financial, and practice management questions. For young practitioners, ASCRS is where the anterior segment ophthalmology community comes together. ASCRS offers U.S. residents and fellows an unmatched opportunity to experience anterior segment ophthalmology beyond your training program—all at no cost! Resident and fellow membership, which includes the Annual Symposium, is free during your training. ASCRS makes it easy to gain real-world experience and education with no added cost. The Society for Surgeons AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CATARACT AND REFRACTIVE SURGERY 4000 Legato Road, Suite 700, Fairfax, VA 22033 • 703-591-2220 • www.ASCRS.org Join ASCRS today! Whether you're just beginning or experienced in cataract and refractive surgery, ASCRS is the professional society that's right for every stage of your career. New Ad series-FINAL_ASCRS seriews ads 12/1/11 2:50 PM Page 1 continued on page 34 AT A GLANCE • A majority of cataract patients also has astigmatism • The debate on how to measure and treat pre-existing astigmatism is ongoing • Digital marking and intraoperative real-time imaging are helping surgeons be more accurate in toric IOL placement

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