Member News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 31, 2006

New Lens Implant Provides More Freedom from Glasses

A revolutionary advance in cataract surgery is now offered at Lake Forest Hospital.

“With the new multifocal intraocular lens (IOL), cataract patients have the potential to reduce their reliance on glasses,” says Ophthalmologist Dr. Bradley Ruff, who has been performing multifocal IOL implants at Lake Forest Hospital since late February. “This new lens is a breakthrough in cataract surgery that we are proud to offer our patients.”

The AcrySof ReSTOR IOL, from Alcon Inc., provides patients with a full range of quality vision (near, intermediate and distance) and greatly reduces the reliance on glasses. In clinical trials, 80 percent of patients reported never wearing reading glasses or bifocals following bilateral cataract surgery.

The vast majority of patients who undergo cataract surgery today receive monofocal lenses, which typically requires them to use reading glasses or bifocals for near vision following surgery.

Refractive Lens Exchange for Those Without Cataracts
You don’t have to have cataracts in order to realize the benefits of this new procedure. Ruff says anyone who needs strong glasses such as bifocals to correct vision may be a candidate for a refractive lens exchange (RLE) – cataract surgery to replace the lenses of patients who don’t have cataracts.

The RLE patient gets the same refractive benefits of the multifocal IOL as the cataract patient. “While it’s still considered cataract surgery,” Ruff says, “the RLE procedure is much easier because there’s no cataractous tissue present. It provides multifocal vision correction, as opposed to LASIK, which corrects only distance vision leaving most patients in need of reading glasses.”

Ruff has been in private practice in Lake Forest since 1984. During this time he has performed more than 9,000 cataract surgeries with IOLs. Ruff also has taught and performed intraocular surgery in India, and was the medical and surgical eye consultant for the Chicago Bears for 16 years. He has been selected for all three editions of Chicago Top Doctors, published by Castle Connelly Medical LTD. His Envision Eye Center has offices in Lake Forest, Grayslake and Highwood. For more information, call (847) 295-0001.

LFH has been named the #1 Consumer Choice hospital in Lake and Kenosha counties for 2005-2006 by the independent firm National Research Corporation. LFH earned the honor for having the best doctors, best nurses, best image & reputation and best overall quality.

Lake Forest Hospital is a fully licensed and accredited 215-bed community hospital offering a complete range of services that are staffed by nearly 600 physicians, with offices conveniently located throughout Lake County. For information about the hospital, call 847.234.5600; for a physician referral call 847.535.6171.