Eyeworld Supplements

more patients who leave our offices happy. That leads to increased patient referrals. Counseling the patient We've found that the name of the IQ ReSTOR IOL product lends itself to patient education, particularly with baby boomers. The concept of being returned to their more vital and functional days truly resonates with this active, young-at-heart pop- ulation. When we offer this ad- vanced technology IOL, we begin by explaining the concept of presby- opia. Later in the discussion, we in- troduce the idea of advanced technology IOLs, their advantages, and their impact. We can't guaran- tee perfect vision, but this is the best approach to spectacle independence. Immediately following surgery, patients often complain about see- ing the rings on the lens itself or about seeing rings of light when looking at a light source directly. For this reason, patient expectations must be managed post-op as well. There is a period of time during which neural adaptation takes place. Over time patients generally adapt to the new optical system, and this effect usually fades. By creating proper patient expectations and offering continued encouragement during the first few weeks of adaptation, we can achieve an excellent success rate. Lens centration and emmetropic outcome One of the keys to patient success is an emmetropic outcome, along with a well-centered IOL. We spend a lot of time making sure that the lens is centered before doing final hydra- tion of the wound and exiting the wound. For this reason I perform these surgeries using the LenSx Laser. 2 The LenSx Laser creates a predictable rhexis, which has given us more predictable centration and effective lens position. 3 In my experience, the LenSx Laser and the IQ ReSTOR IOL products offer predictable options for my cataract surgery patients. Patient awareness strategies Baby boomers are particularly inter- ested in maintaining their active lifestyles, and we try to market to that idea—we also make an effort to educate our optometry network on the newest technologies and op- tions. While our patients are tech- nology savvy, they don't necessarily understand the nuances of cataract surgery or the different IOLs avail- able to them. In our patient popula- tion, that's best accomplished by face-to-face time in the office. We've recently redesigned our website to include a great deal of content explaining the technology, as well as multimedia such as videos and testimonials. This type of mate- rial is a beneficial educational tool for patients who are technologically savvy. We are also trying to become more involved in social media. In general, we've found that the personality trait that causes baby boomers to require more extensive pre-op counseling—their discrimi- nating nature—is the very same trait that makes them ideal candidates for the IQ ReSTOR IOL. Baby boomers want the best technology available, and no sales tactics or gimmicks will convince them unless it is a quality product. We stand behind the tech- nology the IQ ReSTOR IOL offers, along with our strong reputation for excellence. References 1. Love J. AARP Research and Strategic Analysis, December 2010. EW Chicago 2012 3 What role does advanced technology play in your practice? 2. Nagy Z, Takacs A, Filkorn T, Sarayba M. Initial Clinical Evaluation of an Intraocular Femtosecond Laser in Cataract Surgery, Journal of Refractive Surgery, 2009;25:1053- 1060. 3. Cionni, R. et al. "Comparison of Effective Lens Position and Refractive Outcome: Femtosecond Laser vs. Manual Capsulotomy." Presented at the 2011 International Society of Refractive Surgery meeting (American Academy of Ophthalmology). Oct. 21-22, Orlando, Fla. Dr. Grossman is founder of The Eye Center of Southern Indiana, Bloomington, Ind. Contact information Grossman: rdg9840@aol.com Alcon Sunday supplement_Chicago2012-12pages_Layout 1 4/20/12 4:50 PM Page 3

• Cover