Contact lenses, Eye disease, General · Overview

Lens implantation: the most important facts in brief



In the past, if you wanted to see perfectly without glasses, you had to undergo laser eye correction. For some years now, however, the lens implantation procedure has enjoyed great popularity as an equivalent alternative. You can read the most important facts about the implantation procedure in brief in this blog post.

 

The surgical procedure of lens implantation is becoming increasingly relevant and represents an alternative to laser eye correction. The term lens implantation refers to the insertion of permanent surgical implants, which should not be confused with conventional contact lenses that are inserted only temporarily. Basically, there are two procedures for implantation: supporting or replacing the natural lenses. Lens implantation is mainly used when the need for correction is very high. Lens replacement has also been a routine treatment for cataract disease for several years and is highly recommended.

 

 

Lens implants for cataract disease

Probably the best known lens implantation is called cataract surgery. In cataract disease, the patient’s own natural lens has aged or degenerated to the point that it is cloudy and must be replaced. Standard lens implants (spherical monofocal implants) are used for this procedure. However, many patients opt for bifocal or multifocal premium implants, which can be used to improve visual acuity at the same time. In this way, in addition to treatment of the disease, the quality of life can be sustainably improved, since the patient can live almost spectacle-free afterwards. The removal of cataracts is one of the services covered by the basic health insurance.

 

Lens implants in case of high need for correction

For younger people, the implantation procedure is often used when the need for correction is too high for laser treatment. This includes eyes with spectacle corrections of more than +3 or -8 diopters. When correcting vision defects, the natural lens is supported and the artificial lens is placed in front of the natural one. However, with this operation, it is important to remember that the patient’s own lens may wear out or degenerate in the future, making another operation necessary.

 

Our recommendation

Lens implantation is as individual as our patients. Whether a lens implantation can be performed depends on the interest and the will of the patient, the affordability of the additional costs as well as the individual data of the surgery preparation. That is why extensive preoperative consultations are essential in our practice. You are welcome to arrange such a consultation with me here. We are your competent ophthalmologist in Zurich and look forward to your visit.