Phakic Intraocular Lenses: An FAQ

Will I be able to feel the lens in my eye?
No. The only way you will know it is there is you will be able to see!

Can the lens slip or fall out?
Because the lens is placed behind the iris, inside the eye, it cannot fall out of the eye.

How long will the lens last?
The lens is designed to provide permanent vision correction. It should provide high quality vision as long as the eye does not suffer from other vision health problems, such as cataracts or macular degeneration, later in life. If cataracts were to develop, the lens would be removed at the time of cataract surgery and routine cataract surgery would then be performed.

Does the lens require any cleaning or maintenance?
Unlike contact lenses or eyeglasses, the phakic lens itself does not require any ongoing maintenance. Of course, you will need your regular routine eye examinations just as you would if you did not have the lenses implanted.

Will I be able to see both near and at a distance without glasses?
For people under 40-45, you should see well near and at a distance because the natural lens is left in place which will focus on near and distant objects. However, as we get older the natural lens loses its ability to focus. If you are over 40-45 and presbyopic, you will need reading glasses to see objects that are near.

If I’m already presbyopic, could I have monovision phakic implants?
Yes, that would be possible. We would discuss the options at your evaluation.

Will I have to adjust my lifestyle because of the implant?
Not at all. You can swim, ski, play sports and do just about any activity, except possibly boxing! The lens is not affected by external elements such as water or steam. It won’t fog up like glasses or contact lenses because it is protected inside the eye.

Is a phakic implant reversible?
Yes. The lens can be surgically removed and would be if you had cataract surgery later on. However, as patient satisfaction has been so extremely high, there have been only very rare reports of lenses being removed.

Is the procedure itself painful?
Local anesthesia is used to numb your eye prior to surgery so most patients experience minimal to no discomfort during the procedure. The vast majority of patients experience very little pain after the procedure, although some discomfort is normal during the healing process.

What is the experience like?
One to two weeks before the procedure, two small openings will be made in the peripheral iris by a special laser, in our office, to minimize the chance of glaucoma or elevated eye pressure. Starting three days before the procedure you will place an antibiotic eye drop in the eye to receive the lens.

On the day of the procedure eye drops will be given to dilate your pupil. Your eye will be numbed with a local anesthetic so the procedure should be virtually painless. An instrument will comfortably hold your eyelids open. A micro incision is made in the cornea for the lens to be placed into the eye where it is positioned behind the iris and in front of the lens. The incision is so small that sutures are generally not necessary. You will go home and should experience very little, if any, discomfort. You will use eye drops to prevent infection and control inflammation afterwards.

Contact Diana, our Vision Correction Facilitator, for a free evaluation.