Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)

Your Eyes Don’t Have to Act Their Age!

Depending on the lens implant option you and your Precision Vision surgeon choose, Refractive Lens Exchange can correct distance vision, intermediate vision, and near vision. In fact, many patients that have Refractive Lens Exchange do not have to wear glasses for most things, most of the time including driving, working on a computer, or reading a magazine or newspaper. At Precision Vision, we tell our patients undergoing Refractive Lens Exchange who elect a multifocal or trifocal intraocular lens implant (IOL), that they may require reading glasses at times. For example, this might be the case while looking at very small print such as a medicine bottle or reading in a dimly lit setting such as a restaurant.

Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome

Refractive Lens Exchange is also used by the surgeons at Precision Vision for patients that have a common condition called Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome. Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome is common in patients over the age of 40 that have a loss of near vision and have issues with glare and halo, especially while driving at night. At Precision Vision, we use a highly advanced technology called iTrace Technology [MC1] that allows our doctors to determine if visual issues are occurring in the eye’s natural lens or the cornea. When visual issues occur in the eye’s lens, your Precision Vision surgeon will most likely suggest Refractive Lens Exchange rather than LASIK, PRK, or any other cornea-related vision correction procedure.

Who is a Candidate for Refractive Lens Exchange?

At Precision Vision, we perform multiple diagnostic tests to help determine if Refractive Lens Exchange is right for you. The typical candidate for RLE includes:

• Patients over the age of 40 that have developed a loss of near or reading vision, due to a very common condition called presbyopia

• Patients with a high degree of farsightedness (hyperopia)

• Patients that have issues driving at night, especially due to glare or halos around lights

• Diagnosis of early cataracts

• Diagnosis of Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome

Patients that have a high degree of farsightedness (hyperopia) and are not good candidates for LASIK or PRK are often excellent candidates for Refractive Lens Exchange. Patients that have developed early cataracts but are not eligible for insurance to cover cataract surgery, are also often excellent candidates for Refractive Lens Exchange.