The Technis Odyssey IOL Offers Clear Vision Across a Range of Distances
Technis Odyssey San Diego
Your eye’s natural lens is a clear structure located just behind your pupil. It acts to focus light. As we age, proteins in the lens break down, and the lens may change from clear to cloudy. This is known as a cataract, and it’s the most common cause of vision loss.
For people with cataracts, a surgical procedure can be used to restore clear vision. During this procedure, an eye surgeon removes the damaged natural lens from the eye and replaces it with an artificial one. The artificial lens is known as an intraocular lens, or IOL. Advancements in technology have led to many different options for IOLs, and patients can choose the one that best fits their lifestyle and preferences.
The Technis Odyssey IOL is a newer option. It’s designed to offer clear vision across a range of distances, which can help to reduce or eliminate the need for glasses after the procedure. What is the Odyssey like, and who might it be right for? What are the pros and cons of this new IOL option?
Odyssey is an extended depth of focus IOL
A traditional IOL has only a single focal distance, which is usually set for clear distance vision. This can incorporate any distance prescription that you wore before your surgery, so you won’t need glasses for distance vision afterwards. However, for close vision (such as reading) or intermediate vision (such as seeing a computer screen), you’ll need to wear glasses.
Some patients don’t mind needing reading glasses after their cataract surgery, but others would prefer to reduce or eliminate the need for reading glasses. Fortunately, advancements in technology have now led to a variety of different options that can help. One option is a multifocal IOL, which has multiple different focal points. The brain usually gets used to switching between these different focal points, but some people continue to find it uncomfortable. In addition, there are “distance gaps” leading to unclear vision in between the focal points of the IOL.
An extended depth of focus IOL, such as the Technis Odyssey, solves these issues. Instead of several discrete focal points, the Odyssey offers clear vision across a range of distances. From distance vision to near vision, there’s no interruption in the ability to see clearly.
Odyssey reduces visual disturbances like halos and glare
Another issue with traditional IOLs comes from the way that the artificial lens scatters light. This can lead to issues like halos and glare, which are often especially noticeable at night. Some people find that they can’t drive at night because of these issues.
Odyssey uses an advanced engineering design known as IntelliLight to reduce these issues. The surface of the IOL is designed to reduce light scatter, which in turn reduces issues like halos and glare. It also blocks certain harmful frequencies of light, which further helps to reduce light scatter and improve vision.
The lens also corrects for chromatic aberration, which is a feature of lenses that causes them to focus different colors (wavelengths) of light in different ways. This correction helps to improve contrast, which in turn allows for sharper vision, especially in low-light situations.
Will you need glasses after Odyssey?
The Technis Odyssey is designed to greatly reduce a person’s dependence on reading glasses. However, no IOL can completely eliminate the possibility that you’ll ever need glasses. Some people find that they still benefit from reading glasses to read very fine print, or in low-light situations (such as reading a menu in a restaurant in the evening, or reading in bed with only a dim light).
However, people who choose the Technis Odyssey IOL are much more likely to be able to function well without glasses in most of their daily lives.
Technis Odyssey San Diego
The Technis Odyssey IOL is only one of your deluxe IOL options. If you’re considering the Technis Odyssey in San Diego, please contact our office to schedule an appointment for a consultation. One of our expert eye surgeons will be happy to talk with you about your options, and to help you weigh the pros and cons of the Odyssey versus other IOLs.