Asian Eye refractive surgery director Dr. Robert AngAsian Eye Institute refractive surgery director Dr. Robert Ang received the Best Paper of Session Award at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Held in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 23 to 27, 2021, the annual meeting served as a venue for ophthalmologists from different parts of the world to come together and share their knowledge of the latest surgical techniques and devices. Ophthalmologists submitted abstracts of their research projects for a chance to be selected and to present their work during the annual meeting.

Ang’s winning research paper, entitled “Implantation of Small Aperture Intraocular Lens (IOL) in Post-Refractive Surgery Eyes,” showed that patients who previously had LASIK or PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) surgery enjoy clear vision after being implanted with an IC-8 IOL during their cataract surgery. The IC-8 is a small-aperture IOL produced by American company AcuFocus.

“Over the past 25 years, millions of people had refractive surgery, such as LASIK and PRK. These patients enjoyed good vision, but many of them are now beyond 60 years old and have developed cataracts,” Ang shares.

Cataracts are an age-related eye condition where the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy. If not treated, it can lead to blindness. Fortunately, surgery can be done to remove it. The ophthalmologist will remove the lens with cataract and replace it with an IOL. There are different kinds of IOLs available, all designed to improve vision.

Through his research, Ang discovered that the IC-8 IOL can provide clear vision by blocking unfocused peripheral rays, reducing the aberrations caused by complex corneas. It can also provide additional correction for presbyopia.

Presbyopia is another agerelated eye condition. It causes the eyes’ natural lenses to lose their flexibility and ability to focus on nearby objects. That is why people over 40 years old experience difficulty reading text from books, restaurant menus, magazines, computers and mobile phones. Without their reading glasses, they need to extend their arms and squint their eyes to read clearly.

“Patients have expressed their satisfaction after their cataract surgery. They now enjoy good vision for far, intermediate and near distances with minimal need for eyeglasses. This lens is a possible game changer, especially for patients who have had LASIK surgery and will soon get their cataracts removed,” Ang adds.

The good news is that this study is still ongoing at Asian Eye. Patients who had previous LASIK or PRK surgery and now have cataracts can join and be part of this landmark research study. For more information, call Asian Eye’s research department at tel. no. 8898-2020 loc. 109. (Story/Photos by: Charizze Henson)