|Articles|March 15, 2016

Why IOL power selection requires ‘different’ thinking

While the accuracy of IOL power selection has advanced since the early days of phacoemulsification, the selection of the proper IOL power is always in the background when a surgeon performs cataract surgery, Dr. Hill said.

Las Vegas-It is anticipated more than 3.7 million cataract surgeries were performed in the United States in 2015, 98% of them by means of phacoemulsification.

“Of the additional 20.3 million cataracts done in other countries, 64% of them (were) by phacoemulsification,” said Warren Hill, MD. “I can think of very few technologies in our field that have this kind of longevity, and the life of Dr. (Charles) Kelman is a wonderful example of what is possible when we think ‘different.’ ”

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Dr. Hill, in private practice at East Valley Ophthalmology, Mesa, AZ, presented the Charles D. Kelman Lecture entitled, “IOL Power Selection: Think Different” at the 2015 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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While the accuracy of IOL power selection has advanced since the early days of phacoemulsification, the selection of the proper IOL power is always in the background when a surgeon performs cataract surgery, Dr. Hill said.

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He added that the continued emphasis on improving outcomes is to increase patient safety and reduce the many burdens associated with a refractive surprise.

“If a patient ends up -4D, it’s an annoyance for us, but (it) can be a life-changing event for the patient,” Dr. Hill said.

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