Intraocular lenses

In cases of severe defective vision or contraindications in terms of corneal laser treatment lens-surgical procedures may be employed:

• Phakic lens implantation
• RLA (refractive lens-replacement)
• Multifocal lens

Phakic lens implantation (Artisan, Artiflex, ICL, PRL)

Corneal surgery is limited by the existing thickness of the cornea (about 0.5 mm in the centre). In cases of severe defective vision the LASIK method alone can not compensate the defective refraction power completely. Near-sightedness of >-8.0 dpt resp. long-sightedness >+3.0 dpt are not to be treated by the means of LASIK as the cornea is too thin. There are several types of lenses that can be implanted maintaining the body's own lens.

Depending on whether they are placed in front of the iris - within the eye's anterior chamber - or behind it they are referred to as anterior- resp. posterior chamber lenses. All lenses consist of well-tolerated materials that are easy to process. The Artiflex and the Artisan lenses are special anterior chamber lenses while the ICL and PRL are posterior chamber lenses. Those are applicable in cases of long-sightedness from +10 dioptre and near-sightedness of up to -20 dioptre. Furthermore astigmatism of up to -6 dioptre can be treated.

These lenses come with outstanding optical characteristics. Beyond that those implants provide very predictable results. One of the big benefits of this method is its reversibility (i.e. if necessary the procedure can be reversed) and the cornea stays untreated. The phakic lens implantation thereby puts itself forward for young patients whose own lens still has the ability of close focusing and therefore no reading glasses are required yet (accommodation).

The surgery is conducted as outpatient treatment under local anaesthesia. The procedure takes only a few minutes. First a small incision of only 3 mm is made using a diamond knife by which the artificial lens is inserted. In contrast to LASIK treatment only one eye a day is treated. The second eye is taken care of few days after.

RLA (Refractive Lens Replacement)

This surgical technique means the direct replacement of the body's own lens with an optical implant. The procedure is basically identically equal to the cataract surgery. By the way the treatment of cataract is the most frequent surgical procedure in ophthalmology (in 2006 560.000 surgeries had been conducted solely in Germany). Beyond that this procedure is extremely standardised and safe. During refractive lens replacement (RLA) yet the still clear lens is removed and replaced by a posterior chamber lens in order to deliver the patient from his/her often very strong glasses. Refractive lens replacement is mostly employed treating patients from the age of 45 and existing severe defective vision.