Dysfunctional lens syndrome education for patients recommended

CHICAGO — When patients with dysfunctional lens syndrome understand each individual stage of the syndrome, they can better understand their treatment options, according to a presenter here.

“[Patients] are confused, whether they’re seeing an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, it’s all a confusion,” Daniel S. Durrie, MD, said at Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. “After they understand it, you can talk about treatment options much clearer.”

Daniel S. Durrie

The term dysfunctional lens syndrome was developed about 15 years ago, but is becoming more popular now.

The syndrome has been staged into three portions, with the first beginning in the patient’s 40s. The lens begins to stiffen and lose focus power, and the patient may lose near vision.

Stage two, which begins in a patient after age 50, may lead to a loss of accommodation and decreased night vision. Stage three, which begins in a patient after age 65, results in a full cataract and poor visual quality, he said.

“When you talk to patients about this, they really like it. They understand it. When you say, ‘you have presbyopia, you have lack of accommodation, your lens is getting stiffer,’ they don’t really get that. But when you say they have stage one of a condition, they know there’s a stage two then. You can define that in their educational process,” he said.

By defining t he stages of dysfunctional lens syndrome to patients, they become aware that their eyes are changing and that the process is a continuum, Durrie said. – by Robert Linnehan

Reference:

Durrie DS. Dysfunctional lens syndrome. Presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting; Oct. 14-18, 2016; Chicago.

Disclosure: Durrie reports he is a consultant for and receives grant support from Abbott Medical Optics; is a consultant and speaker for, receives grant support from and is an equity owner in AcuFocus; receives grant support from Alcon Laboratories and Allergan; is a consultant and speaker for, and an equity owner in Alphaeon; is a speaker for, receives grant support from and is an equity owner in Avedro; is a consultant for Hoopes Durrie Rivera Research Center; is a consultant and speaker for and an equity owner in Strathspey Crown LLC; is an equity owner in Wavetec.