Implantable Lenses

Implantable lenses are used to correct very high amounts of short-sightedness and long-sightedness, which are generally not suitable for treatment using laser eye surgery.  The implanted lenses are made from a flexible plastic material, they are very tiny, and are placed permanently within the eye to correct the blurred vision caused by these very high prescriptions. The implanted lens is used in addition to the natural lens inside the eye, rather than replacing it.

One or two weeks before the surgery, the patient comes to the Vision Eye Institute for a simple procedure called a laser iridotomy.  The surgeon creates two or three small openings at the edge of the iris (the coloured part of the eye).  These openings help ensure that the placement of the lens will not cause blockage of fluid that flows through the chambers of the eye.

The actual lens implantation is a fairly quick procedure.  Topical anaesthetic eye drops are used to 'numb' the eye.  The surgeon then makes a small incision of about 3mm at the edge of the cornea or the white sclera, and inserts an implantable lens, carefully positioning it behind the cornea and in front of the eye's natural internal lens. The implanted lens, which has been selected with an appropriate strength for your eye, becomes the eye's extra lens. The small incision surgery is usually completed without stitches, since the incision is designed to be self-sealing. The whole procedure takes approximately 20 minutes. Patients are able to go home after the surgery.

The implanted lens cannot be felt inside the eye. Visual recovery, in most cases, is rapid. The day after surgery, patients are generally able to see well enough to resume normal activities, with dramatically increased visual freedom.  Full visual recovery may take a few days. Patients can expect increased light sensitivity for a few days, so sunglasses need to be worn more often. Occasional check-up visits are required.

Implanted lenses can achieve dramatic results.  However, like any surgical procedure, there are risks, particularly when the surgery involves the delicate tissues inside the eye. A comprehensive assessment consultation is required to determine the suitability of this type of surgery for a particular patient, as well as to discuss the risks and potential complications from implantable lens surgery.