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If laser eye surgery isn’t right for you, you might be considering a procedure to insert a permanent contact lens, such as Phakic IOL surgery or refractive lens exchange.
If so, it’s important to understand potential implantable contact lens risks, as well as the likely benefits. Let’s take a detailed look at the procedure, assess the risks and compare them with the other vision correction treatments on offer.
Intraocular lenses (IOLs for short) offer a convenient and permanent way to correct vision in patients with myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. They’re often a great choice for patients who are not suited to laser eye surgery, perhaps because of dry eyes or thin corneas. They are also a promising option as implantable contact lens risks are relatively low, and most complications are easily correctable.
Phakik IOL surgery is less invasive than laser eye surgery because it involves no tissue removal, just a tiny incision through which the new implantable contact lens is inserted. It’s also completely reversible, as the lens can be removed if desired. This makes it a lower-risk option that is especially suited to patients with higher prescriptions, or those whose corneas are too thin for laser eye surgery.
For older patients with signs of cataracts in addition to refractive vision problems, the refractive lens exchange procedure is another option for inserting implantable contact lenses. The main treatment for cataracts, this procedure involves treating both conditions at once, removing the cataracts and implanting an IOL to correct the vision.
Implantable contact lens risks are low, and research into implantable contact lenses carried shows that for patients with extreme myopia, it is a safer option than laser eye surgery. However, as with any surgical procedure, there remains a small element of risk.
Although risks are always present when you undergo surgery, they have to be weighed up against the benefits of having the procedure. Read more about the Phakic IOL procedure.
If you’re considering permanent contact lens treatment, we’re here to advise you. Click here to get in touch with our expert team and we can answer your questions.
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