First in Minnesota! The Apthera Lens for cataract surgery at Chu Vision Institute

Dr. Chu and his surgical team are thrilled to offer this one-of-a-kind cataract lens technology: the Apthera IOL. This lens uses aperture technology to focus light in the eye so patients can see clearly close as well as far. It is different than some other lenses, like multifocal lenses which have rings for different focal points, similar to glasses that are bifocal or trifocal (each section focuses light at a different distance. The Apthera has a dark circle like a pinhole to help focus light smoothly through the different distances.

This lens is best for patients who tolerate monovision in which one eye is focused for distance and the other is focused for near. Watch the video below to hear about Wendy’s journey and learn more about the lens.

Wendy and Dr. Chu appeared on Twin Cities Live on February 13, 2023

Transcription:

um you know cataract surgery is one of the most common procedures done an estimated 3.7 million cases per year in this country well that is a lot so it’s a surgery that can give people more confidence in their daily activities especially driving and that’s safe for everybody else but oftentimes the procedure to remove that cloudy lens also means a person will need readers for the rest of their life that is until now though Ben Lieber TCL reporter Kelly Hansen is taking us inside a surgical room at Chu Vision Institute to see a breakthrough in Vision Correction So Wendy what bothers you the most about your vision um that I can’t see at night it’s a vision correction surgery that’s the first of its kind here in Minnesota and Wendy Alstrom is the very first patient in Minnesota to get it well Wendy I definitely think you’re a good candidate for cataract surgery it’s going to change my life I’m going to have freedom again I’m not going to see this cloud on my right eye anymore so this new lensing plant is called the apthera lens implant and it is the first of its kind that’s FDA approved for monovision so what that means for patients is it helps patients after cataract surgery see better without glasses for distance and for reading I am so excited and I got to tell you though one of the biggest reasons is because my son coaches basketball and his games are at night and I stopped going because I can’t see it so that’s huge that I’ll be able to go those Gatherings are definitely ready you’re going to notice a big Improvement here I’m excited yeah it’s going to be awesome Wendy was the first in Minnesota to receive this lens that’s incredible it’s incredible it’s incredibly gratifying because we were the first in the clinical trial starting in 2016 with this implant and to be able to introduce it to the marketplace first in Minnesota Wendy being the first patient so gratifying so exciting for the community because now patients have more options than ever to see better without glasses after cataract surgery when you first get to drive at night to that basketball game what will that be like for you what’s going to be Monday

surgery is painless gentle and it only takes about 10 minutes here’s the lens itself this little black aperture is actually helps Focus the light and that’s what gives patients improved depth of focus with this technology and the nice thing is patients are asleep during the surgery say they don’t see or feel anything coming towards their faces that is so cool super thin about the size of a dime I’m just gonna have more confidence I’m not going to be afraid I won’t have those Halos that’s the hardest part is when you drive and it’s pitch dark and you got those cars driving towards you and it’s all Halos and it unfolds like a butterfly inside the eye the one thing Wendy was very excited about was driving at night she wants to go see her son coach basketball and she’s been having to watch on YouTube because she can’t drive at night and so Monday she gets to go to one of the first games in a long time what’s it like hearing that that is why we do what we do you know um of course hey Wendy congratulations improving vision is not just about seeing better without glasses it is improving your connection with your loved ones with your community and having more freedom to do the things you want to do that’s our passion and that’s why we do these things so Kelly says uh that she was able to see Wendy right after the procedure Kelly came back just being like this is the most amazing thing. She showed Wendy’s cell phone video from inside the surgical room and then a few days later Wendy let Kelly know she read a book without her cheaters so that is really huge for cataract surgery patients I I love I love it all it creeps me out I gotta be honest I mean it does it creeps me out but I love the fact that our technology is to the point where we can do stuff like that it’s amazing all right if you’re interested in the Apthera lens implant procedure reach out to Chu Vision Institute in Bloomington today we posted their contact information over at twincitieslive.com