Living with blurry vision is not ideal. But neither is having to carry around glasses and wear uncomfortable contact lenses. If you are looking for a more permanent solution to your vision problem, and LASIK is not an option for you, clear lens exchange may be able to help.
What Is Clear Lens Exchange?
Clear lens exchange, also referred to as refractive lens exchange, is a procedure that permanently corrects vision problems like myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and even presbyopia. This procedure is especially beneficial for people with presbyopia who are looking to reduce their dependence on glasses.
Inside your eye, behind the iris and pupil, there is a natural lens that helps focus light onto your retina. In people with refractive error, this lens is not able to focus the light properly, causing blurry vision.
Clear lens exchange fixes the root of the problem – the lens. The aim of a clear lens exchange is to remove the natural lens completely and replace it with an artificial lens. The artificial lens contains refractive power to help you see clearly without glasses or contact lenses.
The Procedure
The clear lens exchange procedure is exactly like cataract surgery, except you don’t need cataracts to get it. During the procedure, the natural lens is removed and replaced with an IOL.
To start, your surgeon will numb your eyes. Then, an incision will be made in the cornea. Through this incision, your surgeon will use small surgical tools to extract the natural lens. The lens will need to be broken up using ultrasonic energy and removed via suction. Once completely removed, your surgeon will replace it with the IOL of your choosing.
This IOL fits perfectly into the space where your natural lens used to be and will be invisible to the naked eye. Once the IOL is properly positioned, the surgery is over. Stitches are typically not necessary after clear lens exchange, as the cornea is self-healing.
The Recovery
Your recovery process will be the same as the recovery process for cataract surgery. You will be able to go home shortly after your procedure, and you will use a few types of drops for up to a week. This will help avoid infection and inflammation, as well as promote quick healing. You will have to avoid certain activities like swimming, sports, and heavy lifting for a little while. Otherwise, you are free to return to your typical daily activities.
Does clear lens exchange sound like the solution you’ve been looking for?
Advantages of Clear Lens Extraction
- Very fast recovery
- Excellent predictability of outcome
- Excellent quality of vision
- May be better than LASIK for people over 40 years old
- A similar procedure to cataract surgery