Recently, Allen W. Zieker, M.D., President and Director of cataract surgery at Ophthalmic Consultants of the Capital Region, became the first surgeon in the entire Northeastern New York to implant the Tecnis Toric II 1-Piece Intraocular Lens (IOL) in cataract patients.

The Tecnis Toric II 1-Piece IOL, by Johnson & Johnson Vision, debuted in the United States in December 2019 as an advanced IOL option for those with astigmatism, or irregular curvature of the eye’s lens.

“With the launch of TECNIS Toric II IOL, our goal is to provide surgeons with a higher degree of confidence in treating astigmatism so that more cataract patients can enjoy clear, high-quality vision,” said Xiao-Yu Song, Global Head of Research & Development Johnson & Johnson Vision, in a company press release.

Astigmatism affects nearly half of the 24.4 million cataract patients in the U.S. Although it is highly prevalent, astigmatism has been generally hard to treat during cataract surgery, as properly implanting a toric IOL can be more challenging than a conventional spherical IOL because of the high degree of precision required to properly align the lens in order to correct astigmatism present in the eye. So although the new IOL is able to provide clearer vision once the cataract is removed, patients with astigmatism still often need to wear glasses for certain activities.

“I recently had a patient who had so much astigmatism that it exceeded the capability of the Tecnis Toric II IOL. Confident of the stability of Tecnis Toric II, I was able to combine its maximum astigmatic power IOL with additional limbal relaxing surgery. This, almost certainly, is the first time in the United States the Tecnis Toric II was enhanced in such a fashion,” explained Dr. Allen Zieker.

ABOUT OPHTHALMIC CONSULTANTS OF THE CAPITAL REGION

At Ophthalmic Consultants of the Capital Region, we offer a comprehensive model of eye care with experienced specialists, ophthalmologists & optometrists.  We have 5 convenient locations in Albany, Clifton Park, Schenectady, Schodack, and Troy.

ABOUT ALLEN ZIEKER, M.D.

Dr. Allen Zieker has been in practice as an ophthalmologist and cataract surgeon for more than 33 years. Working with cataract patients is his passion; in fact, Dr. Zieker performs more than 1,500 cataract surgeries annually. During his career, he has completed well over 7,000 laser procedures and several thousand astigmatic surgeries.

In 2018 Dr. Allen Zieker was the first cataract surgeon in the United States to implant the enVista® toric MX60T intraocular lens. In 2019, he was one of the first surgeons in upstate New York to implant the Hydrus® Microstent in glaucoma patients during cataract surgery. Dr. Allen Zieker is at the forefront of eye care, seeking out the latest advancements in technology and treatment options.

Dr. Allen Zieker was the founder of Troy Eye Associates and a founding member of Albany-Troy Cataract and Laser Associates. Expansion into communities surrounding Albany and Troy led to the renaming of the practice to Ophthalmic Consultants of the Capital Region. The goal of the expansion is to better serve patients from all the areas of the Capital District.