What Is Lens Replacement Surgery?

Lens replacement surgery is a procedure of changing the lens of your eye with a synthetic one. The lens makes your vision clearer and can correct long/short-sightedness. It’s a simple procedure with a high success rate.

Is lens replacement surgery painful?

Just like cataract surgery, lens replacement surgery is done under topical anesthesia. Therefore, it’s not a painful operation. Eye drops are used to numb the eye before the operation starts. It’s a stingy feeling at first, but gets better eventually.

Generally, the procedure takes up about 15 minutes and most of the patients report it to be comfortable.

Is lens replacement a good idea?

There are many benefits of lens replacement surgery. For some patients, it helps to reduce their prescription and dependency on glasses or contact lenses. The lens makes the vision brighter, and clearer, giving the patient freedom and flexibility.

How long do lens implants last?

Lenses to be implanted are aimed to e permanent, you should be able to use them for the rest of your life. Unlike disposable, standard lenses you don’t need to remove them every single day.

If you happen to experience other eye problems later in your life, it is always possible to fix them with laser eye surgery.

The best part of these implant procedures is that it’s reversible, meaning that you can get them off later in life if you don’t want to use them

Can you see straight after lens replacement?

Once the procedure is completed, your vision should be in a normal state.

While the recovery depends on the patients, some of them notice a difference within a day. Averagely, recovery from lens replacement surgery takes up 10-15 days. Usually, the patient is prescribed anti-inflammatories and antibiotic eye drops to ease recovery.

It’s completely normal to feel uncomfortable, and have blurry vision until you fully recover from the procedure. However, you should be able to go back to your daily life, to your work a few days after the procedure. Driving a car, however, is not advised until your follow-up appointment.

Can you feel lens implants?

Most of the patients report that they cannot feel the implant. Yet still, if some complications appear during the surgery the patient can feel the presence of the implant and this would result in blurry vision, and focusing problems. It wouldn’t physically be painful.

Are lens implants worth it?

Depending on the patients’ needs and desires, lens implants can be very beneficial. These implanted lenses help the patients see clearer, and brighter and remain this way for the rest of their lives.

Some patients even stop using their reading glasses after the surgery.

Do lens implants need to be cleaned?

Lens implants are permanently placed inside the eye, so unlike contact lenses, they don’t require any cleaning and they don’t change the way you see.

How do lens implants stay in place?

Probably one of the most asked questions about lens implants is how these lenses are held in place. Fibers which are called zonules help your implant to stay in place.

If these fibers get broken or damaged, your lens may be dislocated. It’s one of the lens risks that can be experienced. If you happen to have any changes to your vision, make sure to set an appointment with your ophthalmologist.

Can lens implants fog up?

When the blood vessels in the retina leak you may experience “blurry” vision after the surgery. As fluid accumulates in the eye, it blurs your vision. Depending on the intensity, the recovery can take about a few weeks or months. Eventually, it gets better.

What is the success rate of lens replacement surgery?

Lens replacement surgery corrects presbyopia, astigmatism, myopia, and hypermetropia that a patient may have. 90% of the patients don’t feel the need to use glasses or contact lenses for daily activities after the surgery. A few of them still need their reading glasses or disposable lenses for some occasions.

Will I need reading glasses after the lens replacement?

Lens replacement surgery can correct your reading vision. Placing a multifocal lens can help you decrease your dependency on reading glasses. A multifocal lens can also improve distance vision.