Lens Replacement
What is Lens Replacement surgery?
Lens replacement, also called lens implant, is an eye surgery that aims to correct visual disorders such as hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism. Lens replacement is utilized when the visual disorders are too severe to be treated through LASIK eye surgery or when the patient doesn’t have good eye surface health due to age. Lens replacement involves the replacement of the patient’s natural eye lens with an artificial lens. Lens replacement and cataract surgery are synonyms, therefore lens replacement surgery both treats and prevents cataract formation.
Why is Lens Replacement surgery performed?
Like with LASIK eye surgery, refractive errors such as hyperopia, myopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism that are encountered due to aging or genetic inclination can be treated through lens replacement. Lens replacement is the preferred treatment of refractive errors when the patient is ineligible for LASIK eye surgery often due to age. Cataracts are often treated through lens replacement and the formation of future cataracts are also prevented.
What are the conditions for Lens Replacement surgery?
Lens replacement surgery is accessible to many patients and is only applied to patients who suffer from refractive errors. Lens replacement is recommended only to patients who:
- Are older than 40.
- Are younger than 40 but are older than 21 and are ineligible for LASIK eye surgery.
- Are not pregnant.
- Do not have a tear on the capsule in which the lens of the eye lens is located.
What are Lens Replacement surgery types?
Patients older than the age of 40
For patients older than 40, there are three types of lenses available: trifocal, bifocal and monofocal. The Trifocal lens improves the vision to better see objects from far, near and medium distances. The Bifocal lens, on the other hand, only improves far and near sight. Unlike the first two, Monofocal can only better far, near or intermediate sight but can improve any one of them. The patient's natural lens is completely removed and the smart lens is inserted.
Patients under the age of 40
If refractive errors such as hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism are too high to be corrected with LASIK treatment or if the corneal thickness is not sufficient for LASIK treatment, lens replacement is applied to treat refractive errors through the insertion of the phakic intraocular lens in front or behind the iris.
What Are The Things To Be Considered Before Lens Replacement?
After the patient arrives in the hospital extensive preoperative tests are performed and the patient is given a consultation with their attending ophthalmologist. The patient-specific treatment method is determined, information about the process and the possible risks are provided to the patient. After the patient is given the necessary information about the surgery, their informed consent is taken.
How is Lens Replacement performed?
General anesthesia or local sedation is administered before the procedure to alleviate any potential pain. Three small incisions are made on the cornea with the largest having a width of 3.2 mm.
Patients older than the age of 40
The natural lens of the eye is removed through the incisions and the intraocular lens is inserted into the eye through a tunnel-shaped incision.
Patients under the age of 40
The phakic intraocular lens is placed in front of or behind the iris, and the natural lens of the eye is not interfered with during the procedure.
The operation takes, on average, 15 minutes per eye. The patient is not able to see through the operated eye for approximately 24 hours, so each lens is replaced on different days to allow the patient to be able to see at all times.
What are The Things To Be Considered After Lens Replacement Surgery ?
The patient undergoes a follow up on the day after surgery where the necessary checks are made to ensure that the eye is healing properly. The patient is recommended to apply the provided antibiotic eye drops as instructed by their ophthalmologist. Additionally, for the first week after the surgery the patient is recommended to:
- Not put any physical pressure on their eyes and not to rub them.
- Wash their hair with their head tilted, similar to how it's done at a hairdresser, so as to not get any water or soap into the eyes.
- Be careful while applying lotion or make up and not to apply them on the area near the eyes.
- Wear sunglasses while outdoors.
- Avoid strenuous exercises such as swimming, lifting or cycling.
The patient can return to their daily routine from the 2nd week onwards, but are advised not to rub their eyes vigorously for at least another week.
What Are The Risks of Lens Replacement ?
The risks of lens replacement include but are not limited to:
- Intraocular bleeding
- Bleeding on the eyelids
- Bleeding of the iris
- Edema formation on the cornea.
- Displacement of the lens placed in the eye
- High intraocular pressure, glaucoma
- Eye infection
- Retinal tear or retinal detachment
- Macular, yellow spot, edema
While most of these conditions will go away on their own, some might require immediate medical attention. The patient is advised to contact their Patient Coordinator if any of these side effects are encountered.