What Are Intra Ocular Lenses, Or Lens Implants?

Mr Glenn Carp – “While Laser-Blended Vision corrects visual refractive areas on the surface of the cornea, an alternative is to place an artificial lens inside the eye.  This can be done in a number of ways, a little rigid lens can be clipped on to the iris, which is situated behind the cornea, we can place a lens much softer between the iris and the lens itself and of course the lens itself can be replaced.  So, there are numerous techniques nowadays whereby we can place various types of lenses inside the eye, some akin to a permanent contact lens, others actually just replacing the actual lens but all have the advantage of correcting the prescription at the same time.”

Intra Ocular Lenses Explained Further…

Unlike other techniques, intra-ocular lens (often referred to as IOLs, phakic IOLs, implantable lenses, clear lens extraction or exchange (CLE), intra corneal lens implants, STAAR® ICL, Artisan® lenses, Prelex® lenses, RLR, lens replacement surgery) use an artificial lens that is implanted into the cornea during surgery. The lens is permanent (but can be surgically removed), needs no maintenance and can remain in the eye for the patients entire life.

To preserve the focusing ability needed for reading, the surgeon does not remove the eye’s existing lens, but implants the intraocular lens, sometimes referred to as an implantable contact lens, in front of it and therefore assists vision much as a conventional contact lens would.

To implant the intra-ocular lens, the surgeon makes a small incision in the cornea and inserts a lens through this opening, positioned exactly in front of the pupil and fixed to the iris with two surgical clips. The incision is then closed.

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