Indications for lens exchange
In principle it is the same operation method as used for the treatment for cataract, only the indications are different.
We offer replacement of intraocular lens to those patients wishing to get rid of eyeglasses, but their corneal thickness is not sufficient for laser surgery, or their refraction disorder is to big (more than -8 dioptres or more than +2 dioptres). We recommend considering replacement of natural lens with multifocal artificial lens as an alternative method to laser surgery lens in all patients above 40 years of age. However, patients with short-sightedness should wait with lens replacement surgery until the age of 45 years.
Description of a classic lens replacement operation
“Contents” of the natural lens are removed, but capsule surrounding the lens is preserved. Artificial lens is usually inserted into the “capsule bag” of natural lens. Artificial lens is made of special plastic and there is no risk of aging or wearing out of the artificial lens.
After cataract surgery when ordinary or monofocal artificial lens has been inserted into the eye, it loses its ability of “accommodation”; it means that the eye does not adjust itself for seeing sharply both at long and short distances as the artificial lens does not change its shape. Therefore, an eye with monofocal artificial lens that sees well at long distances, needs eyeglasses for seeing close objects (e.g. when reading or using computer). Or, if the artificial lens has been chosen so that the patient does not need eyeglasses for reading, then he/she needs eyeglasses for seeing distant objects. The structure of the eye of some people make it possible for them to see well both at short and far distances with monofocal artificial lens, but this cannot be guaranteed by the ophthalmologist.
It is possible to insert into the eye multifocal lens that make it possible to see without eyeglasses both at short and far distances. We use in our clinic multifocal artificial lenses of Zeiss, Precizon Presbyopic NVA and FineVision type that are the best ones among those produced in our opinion.
So-called toric lenses are used for the correction of astigmatism.
It is also possible to use so-called monovision, which means that one eye is corrected to see at long distance and the other at short distance.
In the absence of contraindications like for example diabetes, lens replacement operations are performed in both eyes on the same day. This ensures that recovery period is shorter and more convenient for the patient.
The operations are performed by surgeons Dr. Inger Viikna and Dr. Marika Tenusar