Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsLens ReplacementLASIKWhich Is Best?Used Together?Coping With the Side Effects
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Lens Replacement
LASIK
Which Is Best?
Used Together?
Coping With the Side Effects
Both lens replacement surgery and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) aim to correctnearsightedness(you have difficulty seeing at a distance), farsightedness (you have trouble seeing at all ranges), and other vision issues so you can be as independent of glasses and contact lenses as possible. The difference is in how these make this happen.
With lens replacement surgery, also known as refractive lens exchange or clear lens extraction, as the name suggests, it’s all about thelens.
The lens is the part of the eye that refracts light onto the light-sensingretinaat the back of the eye. When the light does not land in quite the right place with your lens, one strategy is to replace this lens with an artificial lens that can fix the issue.
Meanwhile, with LASIK, the idea is to reshape the cornea (the clear dome of the eye) so that the light rays land on the retina.
As part of this article, we will highlight how each of these treatments works, consider which is best for you, when these might be used together and how to cope with side effects.
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What to Know About Lens Replacement Surgery
Like LASIK, lens replacement surgery is considered a refractive procedure done to improve vision.
How Does It Work?
Clear lens extraction may interest the same people who typically undergo elective refractive surgery such as LASIK.
People who undergo lens replacement surgery have been told their needed refractive correction is too great for LASIK, where reshaping the cornea would take too much tissue, such as someone who is very nearsighted.
Lens Replacement Surgery Delivery
The surgery is very similar to traditionalcataract surgery. There is one difference, however. That is that there is no cataract clouding the lens in this case. The only reason for the clear lens extraction is the desire to improve the sharpness of the vision with less dependence on glasses or contact lenses.
With astigmatism, vision is blurry because the clear dome of the eye, the cornea, is misshapen. The toric lens is designed to compensate for this.
Side Effects
While refractive lens exchange can offer many benefits, there can at times also be potential complications to be aware of, such as the possibility of:
Prices and Where to Get It
Refractive lens exchange is typically done at private clinics and university centers.
What to Know About LASIK
The idea behind LASIK is to use the laser to reshape the cornea so that vision is sharp without relying on glasses or contact lenses.
With the LASIK procedure, your ophthalmologist (eye doctor) makes a flap in the cornea and temporarily lays this back out of the way. The ophthalmologist then aims the excimer laser at the eye to reshape the cornea. The laser removes tiny amounts of tissue, unique to each eye.
Once the procedure is done, the flap is then put back in place. Then, if the other eye needs to be treated, this can be done as well.
While this can effectively treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, if the correction needed is too great, this will not be possible since too much tissue must be removed.
LASIK is usually suited for those who:
Remember that about 90% of those with LASIK attain vision between 20/20 and 20/40 without using glasses or contact lenses.
LASIK Delivery
Your ophthalmologist will help you decide if LASIK is right for you. If you do decide to undergo LASIK, here’s what you can expect:
You can expect to find LASIK available at individual surgery facilities and university centers.
While about 90% of people are satisfied with their LASIK outcomes, like any procedure, there can be side effects.Some side effects that are often temporary, but in some cases may be permanent include:
What Treatment Is Best for You?
When deciding whether to undergo LASIK or refractive lens exchange, you must consider how much correction you need. If the required correction is too great, you will not be able to undergo LASIK.
In addition, if you have even the beginnings of a cataract, you may want to opt for refractive lens exchange since this will have to be removed anyway in the not too distant future.
If cost is also a factor and you are a good LASIK candidate, then the fact that this is far less expensive needs to be considered.
In the end, you need to discuss with your ophthalmologist which approach is right for your unique situation.
Can Refractive Lens Exchange and LASIK be Used Together?
Opting for one of these procedures will not necessarily keep you from later undergoing the other.
So, if you have refractive lens exchange and the lens power is slightly off, your ophthalmologist may suggest enhancing the result with LASIK, a less invasive procedure. If, after LASIK, you begin to experience near vision issues with signs of an early cataract, you may wish to consider refractive lens exchange.
Side effects following either refractive lens exchange or LASIK will often subside on their own as the eye heals. But, if side effects persist or are not temporary, there are things you can do such as:
Summary
With LASIK, the cornea is reshaped with an excimer laser to ensure that the light rays land on the light-sensitive retina for clear vision. Deciding between the two depends on factors such as your prescription, age, and other visual issues.
A Word From Verywell
Determining whether to opt for refractive lens exchange or LASIK as a way of improving vision means weighing a lot of factors. In some cases, the answer may be clear from the start, but in others, this may be a nuanced choice for which there is no right answer. Then, it may be entirely up to you to decide which option feels right.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Alió JL, Grzybowski A, Romaniuk D.Refractive lens exchange in modern practice: when and when not to do it?Eye Vis (Lond). 2014;1:10. doi:10.1186/s40662-014-0010-2
Nvision.Refractive lens exchange: cost, preparation, more.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.LASIK – laser eye surgery.
Nvision.How much LASIK surgery actually costs in 2022.
Eydelman MB, Tarver ME, Ferris F 3rd.Listening to the patients-the laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis quality of life collaboration project.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2017;135(2):83-84. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.4585
American Academy of Ophthalmology.MD roundtable: diagnosing and treating photophobia.
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