Are You a Good Candidate for Refractive Lens Exchange?

Poor vision can be disruptive and frustrating. Thankfully, there is an extensive range of treatments available for eye conditions like near- or far-sightedness and astigmatism. Refractive surgery is one of the most commonly recommended permanent solutions for refractive errors, and a refractive lens exchange is one such procedure.

What Is RLE?

A refractive lens exchange (RLE) procedure involves a surgeon using ultrasound to remove the lens of the eye and replace it with an intraocular lens (IOL).

The procedure typically follows a simple treatment plan:

• Patients are provided with a mild sedative and numbing eye drops.
• The skin around your eyes is sterilized, and coverings are placed around your eyes.
• Your eye is held open with an eyelid holder as your surgeon makes a small incision in the eye and follows this with fragmenting and removing your natural lens using ultrasound.
• An intraocular lens is then implanted to replace the removed natural lens.

The entire process only takes around ten minutes per eye, and your vision should begin to clear within a few days after the surgery.

What Are the Different Types of Lenses Used?

IOLs are typically inserted after cataract surgery. However, they can also be used to help treat near- or farsightedness and astigmatism.

There are various lenses available, and your surgeon will typically recommend the best option for you. Lens options include:

• Multifocal IOLs are an excellent option for people who require advanced vision at both near and long-distance.
• Astigmatism correction IOLs are single lenses typically implanted during cataract surgery to replace the lens causing clouded vision.
• Monovision IOLs correct your dominant eye for distance while leaving your non-dominant eye slightly uncorrected so you can still see objects close by.
• Softec HD IOLs provide higher quality vision than traditional IOLs and are optimized for enhancing intermediate vision without glasses.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Refractive Lens Exchange?

Refractive lens replacement surgery is a good option for a range of candidates, including patients who:

• Are over the age of 40 who are nearsighted or farsighted or have astigmatism, as RLE repairs both short and long-distance vision
• Are not good candidates for LASIK and other laser vision correction procedures
• Don’t want to wear daytime, nighttime, or reading glasses or contact lenses
• Have early cataracts
• Wish to treat their presbyopia with a multifocal implant