technology focus

Custom Lens Device

Aberrometry can lead to a robust prescription and clear night vision.

MICHAEL J. TALONE, O.D.

The more we know about a patient’s vision, the more we can do to help him or her see better. That is why our practice embraces new diagnostic and dispensing technology. One technology that has been beneficial to my patients, and to me as an O.D., is the i.Scription and i.ProfilerPlus system by ZEISS.

Overview

i.Scription software helps me understand how the patient’s higher-order wavefront aberrations (HOAs) affect vision in varying environments. Before the exam, the patient’s eyes are scanned using the i.ProfilerPlus instrument — a combination autorefractor, corneal topographer and wavefront aberrometer. Once I have refracted the patient, the i.Scription software makes small adjustments to the prescription based on the HOA data.

The resulting prescription provides clear vision across a full range of pupil sizes. This prescription, written to .01D, is then used to make customized ZEISS ophthalmic lenses.

Some doctors may worry that i.Scription technology takes some of their control away. After all, the software is altering the prescription they’ve arrived at subjectively, though usually in small amounts. I see the technology as an enhancement: It informs my exam with data, while maintaining the integrity of my manifest refraction. i.Scription has made our patients happier with their vision and increased satisfaction with our practice, and it has helped me be a better practitioner.

The iProfilerPlus by ZEISS.

iScription software maps a patient’s high-order aberrations.

Application

i.Scription has positively changed my patients’ perception of my practice and the products we provide. When my optometric tech explains what the iProfilerPlus is looking for in their eyes, patients recognize we’re examining their vision at great depth.

In addition, i.Scription has allowed me to give them a better understanding of their vision, which they appreciate. Specifically, with the i.Scription software, I can show patients the nature and extent of their HOAs, so they understand “why” they’ve struggled to see well at night.

Also, iScription’s clinical data reveals to patients the benefits of customized Zeiss lenses, making them more likely to purchase them. I can even show patients how much i.Scription lenses can improve their night vision.

Practice benefits

The i.ProfilerPlus has not only provided clinical benefits, but it has also been a sound financial decision. The technology helps to differentiate our practice, which drives new patients into the office.

As patients learn more about their vision and how we can better correct it, they are more inclined to opt for premium lenses. As a result, it took just a few months for us to recoup the cost of the investment in the instrument. OM

DR. TALONE PRACTICES AT NITTANY EYE ASSOCIATES IN STATE COLLEGE, PA.