Clear Lens Extraction

Some patients with presbyopia but without a cataract may choose a clear lens exchange to improve their vision.  A clear lens exchange removes the clear, natural lens and replaces it with a multifocal intraocular or accommodating intraocular lens.  The decsion to have clear lens extraction with an intraocular lens implant involves many factors.  It is our hope that the following ilnformation may help you to better understand the choices you have so you can make the best possible decisions.

A clear lens extraction with intraocular lens implant and a cataract extraction with introcular lens implant are very similar surgical procedures.  Most peoople are familiar with cataract surgery because they have had friends or relatives who have had their cataracts removed.  In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgicial procedure.  But, there are some important differences between the two procedures that are necessary for you to understand so that you can make the very best possible decision.

Patients with cataracts experience increasing loss of vision due to the progressive clouding of the natural lens of the eye. When the vision decreases to the point that quality of life is affected, a cataract extraction with intraocular lens is recommended.  This means that the cloudy lens in the eye will be removed and replaced witlh an artificial lens.  If cataract extraction is not performed the vision will continue to worsen and eventually, the lens will become so cloudy and dense that the vision may be lost and the eye may develop other problems like glaucoma.  For this reason, cataract surgery is considered medically necessary and most of the surgery is usually covered by an insurance plan. 

Clear lens extraction patients don't wait for a cataract to form.  They are often uncomfortable wearilng glasses and/or contact lenses, or they may have a career requiring good, uncorrected, vision. They usually are not good candidates for other types of refractive surgery so they choose to correct the refractive error by having the natural, clear lens of their eye removed and replaced with an artificial lens that will correct the refractive error.  Clear lens extraction is considered a cosmetic or elective surgery and it is usually not covered by an insurance plan.

With either type of surgery, the lens is removed from the eye and replaced with an artificial, intraocular lens.  The type of lens to be implanted will be determined by you and your surgeon.  The choices are described in Premium Cataract Surgery.