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Lens implant surgery maybe the best surgical option for you to eliminate your dependence on glasses and contact lenses.
These procedures include:
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If you are nearsighted or farsighted implantable lenses are a reversible alternative to laser surgery. A Lens implant is an additional lens added into the eye. It is not a replacement of the body's own lens so patients do not lose the ability to focus on objects at close distances (accommodation).
Phakic lens implantation is an intraocular procedure that has been used since 1996. Marsden Eye Laser Clinic suggests phakic implants only when other less invasive procedures such as laser are not suitable.
About the lens implant: The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL has over 18 years of use and 150,000 procedures performed worldwide. Results prove that the Verisyse™ design is safe and effective for very nearsighted people who are tired of thick glasses and are not candidates for laser vision correction surgery.
How Verisyse™ works:The procedure involves placing the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL behind your cornea and in front of your pupil. This gives your eye another focusing lens that provides high-quality, high-definition vision like a normal eye. Although the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is intended to be permanent, the procedure is reversible if desired. The word "phakic" means that your natural crystalline lens remains in the eye. This is important because your natural lens plays an important role in helping your eye adjust between seeing objects that are near and far (accommodation).
About the Verisyse™ procedure:Implanting the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is an outpatient procedure that takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Usually, one eye is treated at a time.
- A local anaesthetic is given to numb the eye so the procedure is virtually painless.
- Drops will be placed in your eyes in order to reduce the pupil size.
- A speculum will be placed between your eyelids to open your eye and prevent blinking.
- A small incision is made in the cornea for the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL to be placed in the space between the pupil and the cornea.
- The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is centered in front of the pupil (the black part in the center of your eye), and is gently attached to the iris (the coloured part of your eye) to hold the lens in place.
- The small incision is closed with microscopic stitches that dissolve over time.
- A temporary shield will be placed over your eye to protect it during the time after the procedure.
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Refractive lens exchange or clear lens extraction is a procedure involving the removal of the natural lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens of appropriate power that has been calculated to correct for any refractive errors. It is essentially the same as the modern cataract extraction however the natural lens is clear and not cloudy. With classic cataract procedure the natural lens is cloudy due to age-related changes causing progressive blurring of vision. Clear lens extraction has a low complication rate but has slightly more risks than other refractive procedures because it is an intraocular surgery.
Refractive Lens Exchange is particularly effective for people over the age of 50 years of age with myopia, hypemetropia, astigmatism and presbyopia. Monovision or multifocal lenses can be inserted to correct for presbyopia as well. (add pic from old brochure)
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM RLE PROCEDURE?
Surgery is usually done as an outpatient basis. You may be asked to skip breakfast, depending on the time of your surgery. Upon arrival for surgery, you will be given eye drops, and perhaps medications to help you relax. You will also be given an anaesthetic. The skin around your eye will be thoroughly cleansed, and sterile coverings will be placed around your head. When the operation is over, the surgeon will usually place a shield over your eye. After a short stay in the outpatient recovery area, you will be ready to go home. You should plan to have someone else drive you home. Plan to be at the surgery centre for 2.5-3 hours. The actual procedure takes 20-30mins.
HOW IS THE SURGERY PERFORMED?
The Refractive Lens Exchange procedure is performed with the same surgical technique as the cataract surgery which is the most common surgery performed inAustralia. Under an operating microscope a small incision is made into the eye. Microsurgical instruments are used to fragment and suction the clear lens from the eye leaving the back membrane of the lens (called the posterior capsule) in place. This process is called phacoemulsification. A plastic intraocular lens (with the power of your prescription) is then implanted to replace the natural lens that was removed. The incision is then closed without the need for stitches.
AFTER LENS SURGERY
Following the procedure you will need to:
- Use the eye drops as prescribed;
- Be careful not to rub or press on your eye;
- Use over-the-counter pain medicine if necessary;
- Avoid very strenuous activities until the eye has healed;
- Continue normal daily activities and moderate exercise;
- Ask your doctor when you can begin driving;
- Wear eyeglasses or shield as advised by your doctor.
- Generally return to work 2 days after surgery.
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Presbyopia is a condition where with increased age the natural lens inside the eye becomes less flexible and we lose the ability to focus up close on near objects. This usually happens after the age of 45 years and reading glasses are required.
Current surgical procedures to correct for Presbyopia include;
- Monovision treatment with either laser surgery or refractive lens exchange surgery. Monovision is where one eye is corrected for distance and the other eye is corrected for near.
- Multifocal refractive lens exchange surgery.
Not everyone with Presbyopia are suitable for these types of surgery. At your consultation the surgical options suitable for you as an individual will be discussed thoroughly.
The decision to have Vision Correction Surgery is an important decision and the team at the Marsden Eye Laser Clinic believe it should be a fully informed one before you consent to having the surgery performed.
For a full assessment and discussion about the procedures and all their benefits and risks and of your realistic expectations, please contact our clinic on Phone Mobile 0417 635 400 or email us on [javascript protected email address]
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