cataract IOLs that transmit UV

I found graphs, tables, and primary literature for how much UV is
blocked by IOLs.


I hadn't looked before. I'd assumed that all current monofocal IOLs
would block virtually all UV light (<400 nanometers).


Not so.


Tecnis acrylic untinted lenses transmit quite a bit of light in the
380-400 range. (If you want the graphs, email me.)


Alcon's untinted acrylic lenses appear to do better. Their abrupt
rise in transmittence occurs in the visible range, not the UV.
However, their literature is kind of a mess, so the numbers may not be
right.


I keep reading of many brands of IOL out there besides Tecnis (AMO),
Acrysof (Alcon), and Bausch&Lomb. I wonder about them. My docs don't
mention them, except as specialty lenses (for patients with medical
issues other than just cataract).


This is discouraging.


Questions:

1) Do other brands of lens come to mind that combine the (presumed)
visual sharpness of a negative aspheric and high abbe number (etc etc)
with better UV blocking?


3) Are all those other types (eg Allergan, Chiron, IOVISION, Mentor,
Ophtec, Pharmacia, Staar, Storz) still in use? Should I look into
them?


If you have the Tecnis, you might able to see UV light.
The retina can pick it up, people without UV-blocking lenses can see
it, and I'd guess that the UV that they see is just south of 400
(probably the tail end of the sensitivity of our blue cone)... in the
same range that the Tecnis transmits.


3) So, those who have Tecnis, is any UV visible?


cheers,

Liz

CONT.

It seems that most doctors prefer to use only a small selection of
lenses, because they have to learn how to get the best results with
each kind; the fewer they use, the more reliable their results.
So I rescind my questions about those other kinds, until I find out
whether my doc even uses them.

But I sure would like to know if those of you wearing the recent
acylic Tecnis can see UV.

L.

(BTW, the suggestion by Dan, Neil, and others to make appointments
with surgeons and talk to them was a good one. This method has been
extremely productive, both in getting information and in finding a
good doc.)

On Oct 11, 11:15*pm, Liz <fraternobom...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> CONT.
>
> It seems that most doctors prefer to use only a small selection of
> lenses, because they have to learn how to get the best results with
> each kind; the fewer they use, the more reliable their results.
> So I rescind my questions about those other kinds, until I find out
> whether my doc even uses them.
>
> But I sure would like to know if those of you wearing the recent
> acylic Tecnis can see UV.
>
> L.
>
> (BTW, the suggestion by Dan, Neil, and others to make appointments
> with surgeons and talk to them was a good one. *This method has been
> extremely productive, both in getting information and in finding a
> good doc.)

Glad you're moving in the right direction, Liz -- if only on a FEW of
the many fronts.

Sounds like you're /really/ going at this the right way. Take your
time, try to put logic in front of any possible emotion, stay
methodical, get what you need (questions answered), and ... trust your
gut.

> "ultraviolet".... normal human photoreceptors don't respond to those wavelengths.
>
> When someone can "see" light from a UV source, it's either emitting non-UV or fluorescencing into the visible range.

No, Mike, it really is true that our retinas can detect UV. This is
in the literature; I probably can't find the source. I'm also not
sure which wavelengths of UV - I'd assume it would have to be the
longest ones, but have not checked. UV is normally blocked by the
biological lens, of course, so only those who've had the lens removed
can ever see it. And I don't think they see it all that brightly.
But it is visible.

I swear this is true, hunt around. It's been a topic of discussion
on the birdchat, scientific illustration, and some plant lists.

It's surprising, and it sure makes me curious to know what it looks
like.

cheers,
Liz

> See:http://starklab.slu.edu/humanUV.htm

Yes! And see also this fascinating photo:
http://starklab.slu.edu/lens.JPG

It's some human lenses (not gross, are OK to look at) from people of
different ages. Look how yellow they get!

> > No, Mike, it really is true that our retinas can detect UV. *This is
> > in the literature; I probably can't find the source. *I'm also not
> > sure which wavelengths of UV -

> See:http://photo.net/learn/optics/edscott/eyespect.jpg

I see it... thanks. I also spent part of this evening, out of
curiosity, online at the university library trying to find a decent
reference on human reception of UV. I found a few, but it sounds
uncommon.

> Spectral sensitivity is bell-shaped and there are no absolutes. Likewise the
> nomenclature is expected to be flexible. Choosing any arbitrary number like
> 400 nm means you will be "wrong" for some percentage of cases.

That must be it.
I suspect that the people who do see UV are looking for it, and that
this is not many people. A man formerly on the illustration list
supposedly could see the UV patterns on orchids after his cataract
operation, but he died, so we have only anecdote.

However, I still feel that an IOL should block most light below 400
nm, just for health reasons, and many don't. I guess I won't be
getting those.

cheers,
Liz
Indy

> > However, I still feel that an IOL should block most light below
> > 400 nm, just for health reasons, and many don't. *I guess I won't
> > be getting those.
>
> In glasses, "UV coatings" aren't yellow.

OK. But... I don't understand. How does that relate to what we were
just talking about?

thanks,
Liz

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Mike Tyner" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> "Liz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>
> > However, I still feel that an IOL should block most light below
> > 400 nm, just for health reasons, and many don't. I guess I won't
> > be getting those.
>
> In glasses, "UV coatings" aren't yellow.

ObThreadDrift: Why are "shooting glasses" yellow? Is it to make the
light more monochromatic, and thus sharper?

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA
(E-Mail Removed)

> I thought you were saying you'd avoid the UV-blocking IOLs because they were
> yellow.

Sorry, I wasn't coherent. You're right, I hate the yellow.

1) Most of the yellow ones do block UV (defined by Liz as "<10% at
400nm" :-).
2) Some of the clear ones also block UV.
3) Some of the clear ones block UV poorly.
4) Some of the clear ones block UV *very* poorly.

A few of the yellow ones also block UV poorly or very poorly.

As you point out, the UV-blocking chemical need not be yellow;
otherwise #2 couldn't exist.

I was wandering, and was so fascinated with those yellow human lenses
(don't they look like "toenail" seashells? They DO!) that I forgot my
point, which was to complain that if one wants #2 above, in an
aspheric, in a brand that any doctor actually uses, one's options are
apparently limited to silicone. FWIW.
I realize this isn't what the last post said!

cheers,
Liz
w. ADD in Indy

On Oct 15, 12:13*am, Liz <fraternobom...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > I thought you were saying you'd avoid the UV-blocking IOLs because theywere
> > yellow.
>
> Sorry, I wasn't coherent. *You're right, I hate the yellow.
>
> 1) Most of the yellow ones do block UV (defined by Liz as "<10% at
> 400nm" :-).

The yellow ones are blocking some blue light as well as UV, that is
why they look yellow. I think the confusion here is that the visible
spectrum is defined as wavelengths over 380mm and UV is defined as
wavelengths under 400, so there is an overlap of blue/violet light in
both groups.

Judy

> > Sorry, I wasn't coherent. *You're right, I hate the yellow.
>
> > 1) Most of the yellow ones do block UV (defined by Liz as "<10% at
> > 400nm" :-).
>
> The yellow ones are blocking some blue light as well as UV, that is
> why they look yellow. *I think the confusion here is that the visible
> spectrum is defined as wavelengths over 380mm and UV is defined as
> wavelengths under 400, so there is an overlap of blue/violet light in
> both groups.

My concern is that wavelengths from 380 - 400 are damaging to the
retina, and that many IOLs let most of this light through. If I were
to get any of those IOLs, I'd probably need UVA-blocking spectacles
outdoors, even during overcast conditions when the sun is not out and
when regular sunglasses would be too dark.
I have no idea what such glasses would look like, or cost, or where to
find them.
Anyone?

thanks,
Liz
Indiana