Light Adjustable Lens (LAL)

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Introducing the Light Adjustable Lens from RxSight, the first and only lens that is adjusted to fit your lifestyle after Cataract Surgery.

Virginia Eye Institute is at the forefront of this new lens technology, and we are excited to now offer it to our patients. By choosing the powerful Light Adjustable Lens, our cataract patients can start their journey toward drastically improved vision.

This lens not only replaces your cataract lens, but also provides you with the opportunity over the few weeks following your surgery to preview and “test drive” different types of vision based on your unique preferences and lifestyle.


What is the Light Adjustable Lens?

The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) is one of the newest lens options in the country, developed by the experts at RxSight®. This lens was developed as a way to help patients receive a more custom, personalized lens option after their cataract surgeries. The Light Adjustable Lens delivers superior visual outcomes that non-adjustable intraocular lenses (IOLs) cannot match.


How does the Light Adjustable Lens work?

The Light Adjustable Lens is made of a special photosensitive material that changes the shape and power of your implanted lens in response to ultraviolet (UV) light to optimize your vision. These light treatments are delivered by one of our experts in our office using a Light Delivery Device (LDD) after your eye has healed from surgery.

LAL Simple Illustration

LAL Mechanism Illustration


Why should I choose the Light Adjustable Lens over another option?

What makes this new lens option so unique is that it is the only lens available in the United States that gives patients the ability to adjust and preview their vision until it meets their personal desires and lifestyle requirements.


What can I expect if I want to choose the Light Adjustable Lens?

If you wish to select the Light Adjustable Lens, the first step is to have your cataract safely removed and the adjustable IOL implanted by one of our expert cataract surgeons. The cataract removal and implantation procedure is the same as if you selected a non-adjustable IOL with us.

After your Light Adjustable Lens has been implanted successfully during your surgery, it is adjusted over the next few weeks to deliver the customized vision you desire.

This means that there are 2 major differences following your surgery as compared to a non-adjustable IOL: required wear of ultraviolet (UV) protective glasses and completion of light treatments with our team.

UV Protective Glasses:

Exposure to indoor and outdoor sources of UV light can cause uncontrolled changes to the Light Adjustable Lens. To prevent this, you will be provided with UV protective glasses to wear following surgery and instructions will be provided by your surgeon.

Twenty-four hours after your final light treatment, no further changes can be made to the implanted Light Adjustable Lens and there is no further need to wear the protective glasses.

Light Treatments:

Once your eye has healed, you will return to VEI to have your vision tested. During this visit you will be able to preview and compare possible vision outcomes based on your unique preferences and lifestyle requirements before selecting a prescription for your adjustable lens.

To receive the light treatment, you will be placed in front of the Light Delivery Device (LDD) and one of our experts will help to reshape the lens. The LDD non-invasively delivers the UV light to precisely reshape your Light Adjustable Lens based on the visual correction that is needed to target your custom prescription.

A minimum of 2 light treatments—each lasting approximately 90 seconds and separated by approximately 3 days—are required. The total number of light treatments is based on achievement of the desired vision outcome that you and your doctor selected.

Once you have achieved your final optimal vision, the lens power is permanently locked in with a final light treatment to prevent any further changes.

Light Adjustable Lens - Light Treatments and Follow Up

Who can benefit from the Light Adjustable Lens?

Any patient who is a candidate for cataract surgery can benefit from the Light Adjustable Lens option.


Who should not receive the Light Adjustable Lens option?

The Light Adjustable Lens and LDD system should not be used if patients are taking medications that may increase your sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light, taking a medication that is considered harmful to your retina, have a history of herpes eye infection or uncontrollable eye movements (nystagmus), or if they are unable to comply with our schedule of LDD light treatments and instructions for wearing special UV-protective glasses for several weeks following their cataract surgery.


Interested in seeing if you or a loved one is a candidate for the Light Adjustable Lens?

Reach out to our team today to schedule an appointment with one of our cataract experts! You can call us today at (804) 287-2020, or, feel free to take our Cataract Self Test.