Who are implantable lenses most suitable for?

• For people with a high degree of short-sightedness and long-sightedness

What are the advantages of implanted lenses?

• The method is effective in a wide range of short-sightedness and long-sightedness
• Great precision in the results, even for very high deficiencies
• Sight is rapidly restored
• The central corneal area is not touched by the treatment
• The method has a minimal amount of undesirable transitional effects
• It can be combined with refractive laser surgery (BIOPTIKA)
• It is reversible (the eye can be returned to its normal state)

What is the essence of the implantable lenses method?

Implantable lenses are delicate, artificial lenses developed and adapted to be worn permanently inside the eye. The lenses are made out of biocompatible material, which means that they are accepted by the body and don’t require any care or maintenance. The lenses are placed between the cornea and the iris in the anterior eye chamber, in the iris or between the iris and the actual lens in the posterior eye chamber. The natural human lens is fully retained in the operated eye. Implantable lenses are sometimes called phacic anterior chamber intraocular lenses or intraocular contact lenses.

The course of the operation

The operation is performed on an outpatient basis with a local or total anaesthetic in an operating room. In the course of the operation, the patient lies on a comfortable couch, and the eye's surface is anaesthetised with anaesthetic drops. The eye and its surroundings are covered with a sterile compress and a small eye speculum is placed under the eyelid to prevent blinking during the operation. The lens is placed in the eye using an operation microscope. The entire operation takes roughly fifteen to thirty minutes.

What to expect after treatment

Sight returns very rapidly. Very good vision can be expected the first day; sometimes there is a slight fogging due to post-operational tissue swelling. This fogging disappears in the first two or three days following the operation. For one to three weeks after the operation, it is necessary to use antibiotic and steroidal eye drops with anti-inflammatory effects.

Possible complications

As with every eye operation, the complications must be considered. The risk, however, is small. The incidence of complications presented below reflects our results, which correspond to the experiences of many eye clinics worldwide.

The risk of retinal detachment (less than 0,3%)

For long-sighted patients, the risk of retinal detachment is negligible. Short-sighted people have longer eyes than normal, which makes the retina more susceptible to detachment. The added risk from the operation is extremely small. It is very important to carefully examine the retina before the operation to help determine the level of risk with each patient. In the case of retinal detachment occurring, in the absolute majority of cases, when diagnosed in time, it is possible to correct it through surgery.

Endophthalmitis –post-operation infectious inflammation (less than 0,001%)

Endophthalmitis is, on the whole, an acute post-operational intraocular infectious inflammation. Among the symptoms are a sudden worsening of vision, swelling of the eyelids and conjunctiva. Later lassitude and fever with chills may appear. If endophthalmitis is suspected, it is very important to seek an ophthalmologist. Endophthalmitis is treated with antibiotics and surgically removing the eye’s inflammatory exudates.

Oval pupils (0 to 5% depending on lens type)

For some patients after several months to years there may be a certain amount of pupil deformation (oval shape).

Other complications (less than 1 %)

There are rare cases of bleeding into the inside of the eye during the operation or in the post-operational period, which raises the intra-ocular pressure, causes corneal swelling and moves the implanted lens. The complications are, on the whole, easily controlled by administering medicaments or another treatment. On rare occasions, patients may lose the reflexes of the lens surface.