Refractive lens exchange
If you鈥檝e been diagnosed with short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hypermetropia) or age-related long-sightedness (presbyopia) and wish to consider options to reduce your need for glasses and contact lenses, then you may be a candidate for a refractive lens exchange.
Quick facts
Easy access
Call us today to book an appointment
Fast referral
Get your consultation and care plan within 48 hours
What is it for?
To treat eye conditions like short-sightedness and enhance your vision
Overview: what is refractive lens exchange?
Refractive lens exchange is a surgical procedure designed to treat a refractive defect. A refractive defect is when the eye doesn鈥檛 focus light on your retina (the film that captures images and sends the information via the optic nerve to the brain). Generally, this is due to either the cornea (the surface of the eye) or the optical shape of the eye.
During the surgery, your eye鈥檚 natural lens is removed and replaced with an Intraocular Lens (IOL). Your new IOL will function in a similar way to your eye鈥檚 natural lens, except it will contain a prescription to correct the refractive error in your eye, which will improve your visual function.
Following the surgery, you may not need to wear glasses or contact lenses again. If you do, it will likely only be for specific tasks, such as reading and you鈥檒l be less reliant on glasses or contact lenses.
You may be considering putting yourself forward for the treatment and want to learn more about it. If this is the case, refractive lens exchange is often considered if:
- you鈥檙e over the age of 40, as you face a lower risk of developing complications you鈥檙e displaying early signs of cataract formation
- you have extreme short-sightedness or long-sightedness that prevents
- you from being a good candidate for laser eye surgery
- you have age-related long-sightedness and want to reduce your use of glasses or contact lenses
* We offer fast appointments Monday - Friday only.
What's included in your package?
Choosing AOA体育平台 Eye Centre means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so that you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- your pre-admission assessment
- your treatment, with our care team at your fingertips
- personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That is why we also offer optional services, such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us.
Get in touch
Have you been diagnosed with one of the eye conditions listed and think you may be a candidate for refractive lens exchange surgery? Book an assessment with one of our eye specialists to start your refractive lens exchange surgery journey.
To book an appointment, call us today on: +44 (0)20 4527 0378
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Refractive lens exchange can treat any condition that is caused by a refractive defect, including:
- short-sightedness (myopia)
- long-sightedness (hypermetropia)
- age-related long-sightedness (presbyopia)
- astigmatism (blurred vision at all distances 鈥� though this surgery is only recommended in some cases of astigmatism)
Before your refractive lens exchange surgery, you will be given eye drops to numb the surface of your eye. You may also be given a sedative to help you feel relaxed. This means you鈥檒l be awake during the procedure, but your eye will be numb and you won鈥檛 feel any pain. We鈥檒l explain this process in more detail at your consultation.
Your surgeon will use the latest techniques to make a small, self-sealing incision in your eye at the place where your sclera (the white of your eye) and cornea (the clear surface of your eye) meet. Your natural lens will then be removed with an instrument that gently breaks it up into small fragments.
Your surgeon will then insert a new intraocular lens (IOL) within your lens capsule (the thin membrane that holds your lens). The whole surgery is quick and comfortable, usually taking 15鈥�30 minutes.
Refractive lens exchange is a day-case procedure. This means you should be able to go home on the same day.
However, you will need someone to drive you home from the clinic on the day of your procedure as well as to and from the clinic for your first follow-up appointment. This is because your vision will be blurry so you won鈥檛 be able to drive, though this will clear up within a few days.
The procedure may be performed on one eye at a time, so you will need to come back to have surgery on the other eye one to two weeks later. Speak to your surgeon about options for surgery in both eyes on the same day, as this may be possible.
As well as blurred vision, you may have double vision, red or bloodshot eyes, watery eyes or a gritty feeling in your eyes following the surgery. All these symptoms are temporary and will clear up within a few days.
As with any surgical procedure, there are some risks to refractive lens exchange. These include:
- retinal detachment 鈥� this is a serious potential complication and can damage your vision permanently if not treated promptly
- posterior capsular rupture 鈥� this complication can occur when your lens capsule breaks during surgery. Normally, your surgeon can make adjustments to address the issue, though you may need additional surgeries or your recovery could be delayed
- posterior capsular opacification (secondary cataract) 鈥� a secondary cataract can occur months or years after the surgery when your lens capsule (rather than the lens itself) gradually clouds over. This can normally be corrected through an outpatient laser treatment
- loss of vision 鈥� this can be due to several underlying causes but is rare. More details will be made available at your outpatient appointment
Your ophthalmologist will discuss your personal level of risk with you, which will be based on your age and multiple other health factors. However, your risk of complications is much lower when your surgery is performed by a highly experienced ophthalmologist, such as those at AOA体育平台 Eye Centre.
You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally.
Alternatively, you can pay for yourself (self-pay). If you are paying for yourself, we have finance options available with .
Find out more about paying for your treatment here.
To book an appointment, call us today on: 0203 553 3670