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Lens replacement surgery

What is lens replacement surgery?

The natural lens in the eye is removed and replaced with a lens implant. The lens implants used can be of a number of specialised varieties to enable high levels of spectacle independence for distance AND reading tasks.

Suitability:

Like laser eye surgery, lens replacement surgery can be used to treat a wide range of focusing errors including myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.

In patients over 45 seeking glasses independence, this procedure is often chosen over laser vision correction because it offers the added advantages of:

  • being less susceptible to focus variations that occur from the ageing natural lens (which is removed and replaced in this procedure, unlike in laser eye surgery where the natural lens in not treated)
  • allowing for full simultaneous distance and near vision with each eye independently. In laser eye surgery for older patients, to maintain reading vision there needs to be some minor separation where one eye is more weighted for distance and the other eye for near (monovision format).

Lens replacement surgery technique:

Lens Surgery

Astigmatic incisions:

These are specially measured cuts made to the cornea. It converts the abnormal rugby ball shape of the front of the eye as seen in astigmatism, to a more normalised rounded football shape. This enables a patient to see clearer without glasses.

Limbal Relaxing Incisions

Specialised Premium lens implants used in lens replacement surgery:

Astigmatism corrective (TORIC) lenses:

These are specialized lenses that have different curves in different axes to counteract the axes shape abnormalities in patients’ eyes. It is used when astigmatic incisions alone will not be sufficient in higher errors. Patients achieve excellent glasses free vision from these. Note the fine lines on the lens which the surgeon uses to align the lens to marks made on the eye at a pre-calculated axis.

Toric Intracular Lenses

Multifocal (bifocal and trifocal) lenses:

These specialised lenses enable a patient to see distance and near with minimal to no dependence on glasses.

How these work: The lenses have micro-rings built in their very precise technological design. The rings enable light to bend differently when arriving from different distances thereby allowing focus for light coming from distance and near objects.

The diagram below shows how 3 focal distances corresponding to distance, intermediate and near are achieved with multifocal lenses.

Trifocal intraocular lense

Compare this to a standard lens below where there are no rings or segments and therefore cannot focus different distances.

Ringed lens

DUET technology.

This is a state of the art system which allows the multifocal lens to be split into components – the distance part (no ring elements) and the near part (with the ring elements). This allows for a future adjustment where the near part can be removed easily if there are any future wear and tear changes in the eye that could benefit from removal of the ringed component.

Duet

Mixed Astigmatism and multifocal lenses:

These specialised designs can simultaneously correct astigmatism and provide multidistance vision (distance & near). It combines the mechanisms of the lenses as described above to achieve these effects.

TMFIOL

Extended depth of focus (EDOF) lenses.

These are specially designed lenses that allow for a degree of multifocality but without the ring or segmented design. The advantage is that it significantly reduces the potential side effects of glare, haloes, contrast reduction, & ghosting which are inherent to multifocal lens technologies, whilst delivering some intermediate distance vision function that is greater than with a mono distance lens.

EDOF Lense

The ray focus picture on the left shows how instead of having a single focus point as would be seen with a monolens (top example), or multiple focal points as would be seen with a multi lens (middle example), there is an extended focus (bottom example). This is achieved by a clever technique of making the central part of the lens curvier as shown by the blue lens power maps in the picture on the right. The central green part on the left map shows the stronger central power. Compare this to a standard mono lens on the right map which has a more uniform power across its surface. The extra power from the central green zone is what gives the extra reading focus in this format of lens.

EDOF Lense

Custom combined excimer laser and lens surgery:

In this technique we use a specialised laser (called excimer) to fine tune the result following lens surgery when necessary. This enables very high levels of accuracy in focus for patients.

Custom Combined

The Process:

Following detailed assessments and checks to confirm safety parameters, the appropriate lens is selected and the treatment is undertaken one side at a time or both eyes together which we will agree at the initial consultations. The whole treatment usually takes between 20 to 40 minutes. Surgery is usually performed with local anaesthesia and is painless for patients. GA is available when sought. Soon after surgery, patients are free to go with drops to facilitate effective healing.

Regular follow up checks are undertaken to confirm appropriate healing.

  • Results

    Within a few days patients will notice being able to see very well without glasses. The different techniques all achieve the same end result of good vision without glasses.

  • Safety

    As with all forms of surgical treatments there are risks of unpredictable outcomes and complications. As a general rule of thumb patients can expect a 95% chance of achieving functional vision to a high standard (corresponding to their best vision potential) from their initial surgery. 1-5% of patients may have some difficulties but in the majority of cases these can be managed. The risk of severe and lasting problems is very low at 1:2000 or less per eye (so both eyes getting affected is very rare indeed).

  • Pricing

    Click here to see detailed price list for all consultations and procedures

Contact us by filling and submitting the online form as below:

    Faq

    We offer a comprehensive eye service delivered through specialist and generalist eye doctors.
    Please click here to read on all our speciality procedures

    You are very likely suitable if:

    • – You wear glasses or contact lenses for blurred distance vision (myopia/hyperopia/astigmatism) AND/OR near vision and you are seeking an alternative to these.
    • – You are over 21 years of age.
    • – You meet the safety criteria (tested thoroughly during your consultation).

    Please note: Whilst these are the general suitability criteria, individual criteria has to be taken into account for specific patient needs and the appropriate procedure applicable.

    We are not a cut-price service because quality does not come by making compromises. However we are competitive and transparent in our pricing structure. We make efforts to ensure that patients are made aware of all price points in advance of any consultations/investigations and procedures, to enable our patients to make an informed choice on how they would like to proceed. Read more on the details of our prices

    We work with all insurers. Please refer to the above FAQ on “Pricing” for full details. Please note – even if your insurer is not on the list of companies provided, let us know and we can help to make arrangements. Read more on the insurers we work with – listed at the end of our Pricing section

    As a general rule of thumb patients can expect a 95% chance of achieving functional vision to a high standard (corresponding to their best vision potential) from their initial surgery.

    As with all forms of surgical treatments there are risks of unpredictable outcomes and complications. 1 to 5% of patients may have some difficulties but in the majority of cases these can be managed. The risk of severe and lasting problems is very low at 1:2500 or less per eye (so both eyes getting affected is very rare indeed).

    You will of course be given a full explanation of the specific risks and benefits of the individual procedure applicable to you at the time of the consultation.

    Eye doctors are at least five times more likely as the general public to choose vision correction surgery for themselves. The study, featured in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, surveyed 250 surgeons who perform LASIK. Of those, 62.6 percent said they have already undergone LASIK to correct their vision, and 91 percent said they have done it or recommended it for their immediate family members.

    1. What eye conditions do you manage?

    We offer a comprehensive eye service delivered through specialist and generalist eye doctors.
    Please click here to read on all our speciality procedures

    2. Am I suitable for glasses corrective eye surgery?

    You are very likely suitable if:

    • – You wear glasses or contact lenses for blurred distance vision (myopia/hyperopia/astigmatism) AND/OR near vision and you are seeking an alternative to these.
    • – You are over 21 years of age.
    • – You meet the safety criteria (tested thoroughly during your consultation).

    Please note: Whilst these are the general suitability criteria, individual criteria has to be taken into account for specific patient needs and the appropriate procedure applicable.

    3. What are the prices for consultations and procedures?

    We are not a cut-price service because quality does not come by making compromises. However we are competitive and transparent in our pricing structure. We make efforts to ensure that patients are made aware of all price points in advance of any consultations/investigations and procedures, to enable our patients to make an informed choice on how they would like to proceed. Read more on the details of our prices

    4. Do you accept patients on insurance schemes?

    We work with all insurers. Please refer to the above FAQ on “Pricing” for full details. Please note – even if your insurer is not on the list of companies provided, let us know and we can help to make arrangements. Read more on the insurers we work with – listed at the end of our Pricing section

    5. What are the success rates and risks of vision correction surgery?

    As a general rule of thumb patients can expect a 95% chance of achieving functional vision to a high standard (corresponding to their best vision potential) from their initial surgery.

    As with all forms of surgical treatments there are risks of unpredictable outcomes and complications. 1 to 5% of patients may have some difficulties but in the majority of cases these can be managed. The risk of severe and lasting problems is very low at 1:2500 or less per eye (so both eyes getting affected is very rare indeed).

    You will of course be given a full explanation of the specific risks and benefits of the individual procedure applicable to you at the time of the consultation.

    6. Do eye doctors have vision correction eye surgery?

    Eye doctors are at least five times more likely as the general public to choose vision correction surgery for themselves. The study, featured in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, surveyed 250 surgeons who perform LASIK. Of those, 62.6 percent said they have already undergone LASIK to correct their vision, and 91 percent said they have done it or recommended it for their immediate family members.

    Why Choose Us

    • 35000+

      Our patient numbers
    • 30k+

      eyes surgeries completed
    • 550+

      National & International lectures
    • 75+

      years of surgery experience

    Clinic Locations

    Toleman Ophthalmic Practice

    Holmes Chapel

    HCA Wilmslow Hospital

    Wilmslow

    Spire Regency Hospital

    Macclesfield

    Spire Cheshire Hospital

    Warrington

    Spire Abergele Hospital

    Abergele (starting Feb-24)

    Get In Touch With Us
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