Lens Replacement Surgery

Behind your pupil lies the lens of your eye. As light comes in through your pupil, your lens serves to focus it onto your retina to help produce the image that is ultimately sent via your optic nerve into your brain. When your lens becomes damaged by disease, the only option to restore sight is complete lens replacement.

Lens replacement surgery replaces your natural lens with an artificial lens known as an intraocular lens (IOL). There are many options for patients who are interested in IOL surgery, and your ophthalmologist will work closely with you to find what is most suited to your needs.

Ideal Candidates for Lens Replacement Surgery

Lens replacement can be an alternative to LASIK for people who are not ideal candidates for leaser eye correction surgery. In addition, lens replacement surgery is an optimal choice for people with:

Cataracts, tiny opacities in the eye that prevent the lens from focusing light onto the retina
Presbyopia, a condition in which the lens stiffens and is no longer able to adequately refract light onto the retina

Lens Replacement Procedure

Lens replacement is a quick, in office procedure. Typically, the process of lens replacement is as follows:

A very small incision is made outside of your cornea
Your lens is dissolved with an ultrasound inserted into the opening
Gentle suction is used to remove the newly dissolved lens
The IOL is inserted into the membrane pocket previously occupied by your natural lens

Depending on the type of lens replacement surgery your unique vision problems will require, recovery may take as little as 24 hours, or up to a few weeks. Frequent visits to your ophthalmologist for the first few weeks will be required in either case to ensure you are healing appropriately. In some cases, small sutures will be required, but this is rarely the case.

If you are suffering from vision problems, or would like to learn more about lens replacement surgery, please locate an experienced ophthalmologist in your area to discuss your particular vision needs, and schedule an initial consultation.