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What is the Lens Surgery?
Lens surgery is one of the safest medical procedures you can have. Lens replacement surgery is an important treatment for many visual issues today. Conditions that can be treated with lens surgery include reading defect vision (instead of using reading glasses), astigmatism, short sightedness (myopia), and far sightedness (hypermetropia), or a combination of these problems.
Lens Surgery is sometimes referred to as clear lens extraction or presbyopic lens replacement, in which the lens is removed through a small incision. For patients with cataracts, the lens and replacement are as part of the treatment. Lens surgery provides the patients with excellent vision and reduces the ongoing costs associated with buying eyeglasses and contact lenses. Every patient who undergoes lens surgery is different, and costs vary accordingly.
What are The Different Types of Lens Surgery?
Different types of lens treatments are follows;
Refractive lens surgery: Refractive lens replacement is lens surgery to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness. Refractive eye procedure is often performed on older adults who no longer willing to wear glasses or lenses. If you are extremely farsighted or nearsighted and are not a candidate for laser eye surgery such as PRK or LASIK, your doctor may recommend refractive lens surgery as an alternative.
Refractive lens surgery is an option for all people with refractive error. However, it is especially beneficial for people over age 50 who have a refractive error so high that they are not eligible for laser vision correction procedures such as LASIK or PRK, or who are in the preliminary stages of cataracts.
Phakic IOL: Phakic intraocular lenses are lenses made of the materials of plastic or silicone that are permanently implanted in the eye to prevent the patient to use glasses or contact lenses. ‘’Phakic’’ means that the artificial lens is implanted into the eye without removing natural lens of the eye. Phakic lens implantation involves making a small incision in the front of the eye.
The phakic lens is inserted through the incision and placed directly in front of or behind the iris.
YAG laser eye treatment: a YAG laser can be used to treat several types of vision problems. For example, leaky blood vessels can be closed, eye pressure can be lowered, the cornea can be replaced, or part of the iris can be removed. The most common treatment is capsulotomy after cataract procedure. This procedure is used when an opacity forms behind the lens that was placed after cataract removal. A laser is used to create a small hole behind the lens through which light can enter.
Multifocal IOL: Multifocal IOLs are a type of prosthetic lens used in cataract surgery. Some patients select to have this lens inserted before they have developed cataract problem, this procedure known as refractive lens exchange.
Presbyopia Surgery: Presbyopia is the loss of the lens’ ability to change the focus of the eye through adjustment, where the eye muscles change the shape of the lens. Presbyopia begins in the early forties, and everyone is affected. There are numerous treatment methods for this issue worldwide. These lens surgery methods have advantages and disadvantages compared to the others. Intraocular multifocal lens surgery and presbyopic laser treatments are considered to be the most reliable method of treating presbyopia, as well as the treatment methods with glasses and contact lenses.
Who is Lens Surgery Suitable for?
Those who are unsuitable for lens surgery usually have particularly high vision, a dangerous medical condition, are taking certain medications, or are under the age of 21. The age restriction exists because the patient’s visual acuity (less than 0.5 D) must be stable for at least two years prior to the lens surgery procedure, and the eye numbers continue to change until age 21.
Further change by the age of 21. In the case of disease, diabetes would normally rule out a patient because the disease affects the blood vessels in the back of the eye.
Certain immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, HIV and lupus are also contraindicated because they would interfere with the body’s ability to recover after the procedure.
Eye diseases such as keratoconus (thinning of the cornea), cataracts and glaucoma also preclude many people from undergoing laser eye surgery (as well as anyone suffering from a recurrent eye infection).
Those who suffer from dry eyes should also consider the procedure carefully, as the eyes feel particularly dry after the first few days of treatment, which can be painful.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to wait before undergoing the procedure, as hormones can interfere with prescriptions for vision aids.
Epilepsy patients are also advised against the lens surgery, as a seizure during lens surgery can cause major problems.
Another group of patients who are advised to think carefully about lens surgery are those whose profession depends on their vision, such as pilots, air traffic controllers, professional athletes, etc., as their future could be jeopardized if the lens surgery goes wrong in any way.
Risks and Complications
One of the risks of lens surgery is that in some cases, some residual nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism may remain after the procedure.
As a result, glasses may be required for certain tasks, such as reading small print or driving. In some cases, a laser “top-up” procedure may be performed for further improvement on vision correction. This is a serious complication that occurs primarily in younger patients who already have other eye problems or who have had their intraocular lenses displaced.
Another example of a complication in cataract surgery is an incorrectly positioned or dislocated intraocular lens. You may see the edge of the lens implant or even develop double vision. If the intraocular lens becomes too dislocated, your visual acuity can deteriorate significantly.
Not everyone has to deal with the side effects of lens surgery, but there is a chance that one or more of the following complications may occur. The most common complication of cataract surgery is swelling of the cornea or outer window of the eye. Cataract patients undergo lens surgery as part of their treatment.
What Should I Expect After Lens Surgery?
During the recovery time after lens surgery which have high surgical success rate, you may feel uncomfortable as your eyes begin to heal. Some uncomfortable symptoms may include: After lens surgery, it is also important to protect your eyes from light, as they can be very sensitive. Be careful when you leave the eye hospital and wear sunglasses after the procedure and for 2 weeks afterward. In case if needed you may be use eye drops for your eyes.
Your eye surgeon will discuss you to schedule your first follow-up appointment 1-2 days after your lens surgery. At this time, your doctor will perform a thorough examination to determine if your eyes have healed properly. Once it has determined that everything is in order, you can be on your way. It is important that you allow yourself time to relax in the first few days after the surgical procedures to promote recovery. In the first few weeks after your lens surgery, it is important that you follow these tips to ensure your eyes heal properly and reduce the risk of infection or damage.