Lens Implants | Lens Replacement

RLR Surgery utilising a FIXED-FOCUS Lens Implant

This procedure uses a fixed-focus lens implant rather than a multi-focal lens implant. Some patients are not suitable for a multi-focal lens, but would benefit from removal of their natural crystalline lens and the insertion of a fixed-focus lens implant.

Patients suitable for this procedure include those with specific refractive disorders, such as high myopia. Often these patients are outside the treatment range for LASIK and yet a multi-focal lens implant may not be appropriate.

Fixed focus RLR is predominantly considered for patients who are more than 40 years of age and who do not object to the use of reading glasses. RLR is also used when an age related cataract already exists, which sooner or later would lead to an exchange of the body's own lens with a synthetic lens.

RLR Surgery utilising MONOVISION Lens Implants

Monovision is a technique where one eye is corrected for distance vision, and the other eye is corrected for near vision. Monovision allows us to see close objects clearly with one eye and distance objects clearly with the other eye. Monovision often enables us to see both near and far without the use of corrective lenses.

Monovision can be achieved with contact lenses or with refractive lens replacement surgery (RLR) by correcting the one eye for near vision and the other eye for distance vision. If a patient is considering monovision surgery, it is recommended that this is tested before surgery with the aid of monovision contact lenses. This should enable the patient to try and to test the potential outcome of the surgery before monovision lenses are implanted.

The patient’s brain automatically gets used to monovision within a few weeks. Most patients over the age of 40 who had monovision RLR surgery and who have taken the time to fully become accustomed to it, like it and find it very useful.

This procedure is not suitable for every condition. A thorough diagnostic consultation is necessary to determine suitability.

RLR Surgery utilising a MULTI–FOCAL Lens Implant (PRELEX) Surgery utilising a FIXED-FOCUS Lens Implant

PRELEX stands for PREsbyopic Lens Exchange, these days referred to as the surgical intervention which restores vision without glasses for hyperopic and presbyopic patients.

As we age our natural lens becomes less flexible and looses its ability to accommodate. As a result of this we are not able to see near objects clearly and require reading glasses. This condition cannot be corrected with the aid of laser surgery such as LASIK. Patients who have had laser vision correction will in later years develop presbyopia. This can be corrected with the aid of PRELEX surgery.

PRELEX is an intra-ocular lens replacement procedure in terms of which the natural lens, is replaced with a multi-focal intra-ocular lens implant. The procedure is similar to a cataract operation and has got the added advantage that the implanted lens will never develop a cataract. Traditionally replacement lens implants were all fixed-focus which gave clear distance vision but required the use of reading glasses in most cases. This procedure has on a regular basis been performed since the mid 1990’s mainly on patients with presbyopia. As a result of this presbyopic patients are now able to regain better vision with reduced or no dependency on glasses.

PRELEX enables patients who are farsighted to obtain clear vision at far, near and intermediate distances.

Multi-focal lens implants are not recommended for patients who do a lot of night driving. In some cases where multi-focal lenses have been implanted the reflection of light does cause haloes. Patients with small pupils need to be diagnosed properly in order to determine if PRELEX is a suitable alternative for them. After surgery patients must allow sufficient time for their vision to adapt and to adjust to the implanted PRELEX lens.

The disadvantage of RLR is that surgery is intra-ocular (like a cataract operation). A remote chance that surgery may introduce an infection into the eye does exist. Other surgery related complications are possible. In some patients with dry eyes clarity of vision tends to decrease unless proper pre-surgical protocols are followed to counteract this.