Lens Replacement

What Is Lens Replacement?

Technological advances have made Lens Replacement, or refractive lens exchange (RLE), a desirable option for patients aged 45 or older who want to minimize their need for glasses and contacts. The intraocular lenses (IOLs) now available to replace the natural lens in our eye can counteract presbyopia. At our Oklahoma City vision center, our Lens Replacement procedure corrects for other refractive errors, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, and sharpens your vision’s focus.

The technology used in refractive lens exchange is the same as that used for laser cataract surgery. Using the high-precision image-guided femtosecond laser, our eye surgeons create a perfectly-sized opening to access the natural lens and replace it with a specialized lens. The results reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses.

What Is Presbyopia?

Presbyopia, commonly referred to as farsightedness, is the age-related worsening of vision that typically begins at about age 40 and often leads to a reliance on bifocals or reading glasses. Presbyopia is a natural condition that affects nearly everyone, regardless of previous vision conditions. Lens replacement effectively addresses presbyopia and reduces or eliminates the need to rely on reading glasses and bifocals.

Can I Benefit from Lens Replacement?

When we’re young, the lens of our eye is clear and elastic and can change its shape to seamlessly adjust its focus when we look at objects at various distances. As we age, however, the lens is less adjustable and ultimately most people need reading glasses to see objects up close. This is called presbyopia.

The aging of the eye’s lens gradually continues and eventually becomes cloudy and opaque, as cataracts develop. Men and women used to wait until this point to undergo eye surgery, replacing cataracts with IOLs. Advances in technology now offer people the chance to exchange the lens of their eyes with IOLs much earlier, greatly reducing the need for reading glasses or contact lenses.

This solution is designed for anyone aged 45 or older who hasn’t been diagnosed with cataracts and finds it frustrating to rely on glasses or contacts for vision correction. Determining if you’re a good candidate for this procedure begins with a pre-operative eye test. The results of that exam determine if Lens Replacement can correct your vision.