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Refractive Lens Surgery
Lens Implants: Phakic Lenses
Phakic lenses offer a promising alternative to the correction of severe to extreme refractive errors while maintaining the accommodation capability of the body's own lens. In combination with LASIK, even very severe refractive errors and a potentially present astigmatism may be corrected (see Bioptics).
Indication
— Farsightedness from ca. +3 to approx. +8 dpt.
— Nearsightedness from ca. -10 to approx. -20 dpt.
— Astigmatism
-1,5 to -6 dpt in combination with near- or farsightedness
Properties
— good predictability of the result
— the correction is performed in the optic axis, between the lens and iris
— quick rehabilitation period
— reversible effect - the lens can be removed
— enhancement procedure possible by exchange of lens
— ambulatory or inpatient surgery
Lens implants
Lenses which are implanted without removing the natural lens first, are called "phakic lenses " (phakos [Greek] = the lens).
Man unterscheidet nach ihrer Lage im Auge zwischen Vorderkammerlinsen und Hinterkammerlinsen.
Daüber hinaus gibt es von beiden Linsentypen Varianten, die zusätzlich zur Kurz- oder Weitsichtigkeit eine Hornhautverkrümmung korrigieren. Diese Linsen werden als torische oder sphäro-torische Linsen bezeichnet.
The procedure
The lens implant surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. Prior to surgery, the strength (refractive power) of the additional synthetic lens will be calculated precisely based on ultrasonic measurements.
The surgery is performed under local anesthesia and sterile conditions and usually takes about 20 minutes.
| Implantation of a posterior chamber lens | |
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For the implantattion, the eye is opened approximately 3 - 5 mm on the periphery of the cornea. |
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The foldable synthic lens is injected into the anterior eye chamber. It unfolds slowly. Using an instrument, the surgeon positions the lens between iris and natural lens. |
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The opening is prepared in such a way that it will close itself at the end of the surgery and sutures are generally not needed. |
| Implantation of an anterior chamber lens | |
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The cours of surgery does not differ much from the implantation of a posterior chamber lens. The only difference is the position of the new synthetic lens. An anterior chamber lens is fixed to the front of the iris so that it covers the pupil. |
