Glossary of Terms
- Accommodation— is the ability of the natural crystalline lens to
adjust, and with the natural contractions of the muscle in the eye, to focus on
objects through a range of near, intermediate, and far distances.
- Accommodating lens— as with the natural lens, an accommodating
lens moves and flexes, in response to ciliary muscle contractions in the eye. These
contractions drive forward movements of the lens so the eye can maintain a clear
image as it focuses on near, intermediate and far objects. Crystalens® is the first
and only accommodating lens approved by the FDA.
- Cataracts— an irreversible progressive condition that diminishes
vision quality due to a "clouding or hardening” of the natural crystalline
lens in your eye that usually gets worse over time.
- Ciliary muscle— the muscle that controls the shape and position
of your lens, allowing it to focus on near, distant, and intermediate objects.
- Crystalline lens— the natural lens in the eye that helps to focus
light on the retina.
- Cornea— the clear portion of the eye that covers the front of the
eye including the pupil and iris.
- Intraocular lens (IOL)— intraocular lenses, or IOLs, are implantable
devices that replace the natural lens in the human eye, typically after the natural
lens has developed a cataract.
- Iris— the central, colored portion of the eye.
- Multifocal IOL— an artificial lens that replaces a natural lens,
typically after the lens has developed a cataract. This is a presbyopia correcting
IOL that does not accommodate, but instead utilizes multiple visual zones that send
split images of light to the brain. This type of IOL can often cause visual disturbances.
- Presbyopia— a loss of accommodation or ability to focus on near
and intermediate objects due to the hardening of your natural lens. This condition
usually affects patients in their forties and requires glasses for seeing near objects.
- Pupil— the circular black central portion of the eye that regulates
how much light enters the eye. The pupil adjusts based on lighting conditions.
- Retina— the receptor located in the back of the eye that sends
image messages to the brain.
- Standard Monofocal IOL— an intraocular lens that replaces a natural
lens, typically after the lens has developed a cataract. This IOL allows for only
one focal point, usually at distance, leaving the patient dependent on glasses for
near and intermediate activities.
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