REFRACTIVE LENS EXCHANGE

NATURAL CLEAR LENS

REPLACEMENT IOL

LASIK vision correction is not always the best treatment option for patients who are severely farsighted (meaning they have trouble seeing clearly up-close). In a similar circumstance, some people in their 40s and 50s come into our office complaining that their near vision is getting worse and they are worried that they are becoming farsighted. In reality, most of these latter patients are experiencing the symptoms of presbyopia.

Surprisingly, these are two different vision conditions that can both be corrected by the same procedure: refractive lens exchange (RLE). This process involves removing the natural eye lens and replacing it with an artificial Intraocular Lens (IOL) that is designed specifically to help you achieve the clear vision you want. After a comprehensive evaluation, Dr. Billy J. Haguewood can recommend the right type of IOL to meet your vision requirements (monofocal, multifocal, accommodating and Toric).

RLE is very similar to cataract surgery – but you do not have to have cataracts to experience the benefits. In fact, you may even be spared the experience of developing cataracts in the future!

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FARSIGHTEDNESS & POOR READING VISION

True farsightedness (hyperopia) is the result of the eye being shorter or having a flatter cornea so light entering the eye focuses behind the retina. This causes blurry vision for reading and performing other up-close tasks.
Presbyopia is the term for how the eye lenses begin to age after age 40. With each passing year, the eye lenses become a little less flexible and a little more rigid. This makes it more difficult for the lenses to flex enough to focus on things like text messages, restaurant menus, medicine bottles and more – especially in low light, which necessitates the need for reading glasses.

Traditional prescription glasses and contact lenses can help farsightedness; reading glasses and bifocals can improve presbyopia. However, the daily hassles of maintaining and keeping track of lenses cause many people to look for treatment options.

HOW REFRACTIVE LENS EXCHANGE WORKS

Dr. Haguewood begins the RLE procedure by applying numbing eye drops to the eye being treated (only one eye is treated during the visit). You remain awake during the procedure; the eye drops numb the sensation of pain for most patients. When the eye is ready, Dr. Haguewood makes a small incision on the cornea to gently break up and remove the natural lens and insert the new lens. The procedure typically takes about 15 minutes and the incisions heal naturally without any stitches.

REFRACTIVE LENS EXCHANGE RECOVERY

Plan to allow yourself a week to recover from RLE. Your final vision results may take a bit longer to achieve as your vision stabilizes. Your new lens will not be noticeable to other people and you won’t even know it is there – you’ll just be reminded of how great life can be without lenses.

To find out if refractive lens exchange is right for you, contact us today to schedule a free LASIK Consultation.

ALTERNATIVE TO LASIK: VISIAN ICL

Implantable Collamer Lenses (ICL) are a good alternative for people who are not suitable for refractive procedures such as LASIK because of:

Moderate to severe nearsightedness
Thin corneas
History of dry eye
Large pupils

At Palmetto Eye & Laser Center, we offer patients the Visian^{^®} ICL an excellent alternative to LASIK to treat a wide range of refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism).

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HOW THE VISIAN ICL WORKS

Made from biocompatible Collamer^®, this lens is implanted between your iris and natural lens through tiny corneal incisions. The lens allows light entering the eye to focus on the retina for clear vision. Even though the lens will be invisible to others, it can make your vision sharper and more vivid. Some patients will see more clearly immediately after the procedure is performed.

BENEFITS OF VISIAN ICL

Collamer lens material works in harmony with your eye’s natural chemistry
Less chance of dry eye
Provides a layer of UV protection for your eyes
Permanent, yet removable option for vision improvement
Procedure takes just 20-30 minutes
Results are often immediate
Lens is unnoticeable to others

The procedure itself typically causes very little discomfort and no pain for most patients because the eye is numbed with a topical or local anesthetic prior to the procedure. It is performed in our office as an outpatient procedure.

If you are between the ages of 21 and 45 and want to learn more about Visian ICLs call our offices to schedule a free LASIK Consultation.

ADVANCED SURFACE ABLATION (ASA)

EPITHELIUM REMOVED

Advanced Surface Ablation is a laser vision correction procedure in which the cornea is reshaped directly on the surface rather than under a flap as in LASIK. It offers some advantages for those who are not candidates for LASIK due to the presence of thin corneas, diagnosed dry eye conditions, or those patients with hobbies or professions that increase the chances of being hit in the eye which could potentially dislodge the flap.

WAVELIGHT EX500 RESHAPES CORNEA

With ASA, the surface epithelium, or thin layer of protective skin covering the cornea, is removed. The surface of the cornea is then reshaped with the WaveLight@ EX500 Excimer laser. A soft bandage contact lens is placed over the treated area to make the eye more comfortable for several days during the healing process.

EPITHELIUM REGENERATES

It usually takes three to five days for the epithelium to fully regenerate. Because the return to functional vision is longer than with LASIK, ASA patients should allow several days for recovery before planning on returning to full activity. Although final vision recovery takes longer than LASIK, visual outcomes of both procedures are usually excellent.

Palmetto Eye & Laser Center

LASIK ALTERNATIVES