Clear Lens Extraction offers an opportunity to safely intervene in what would otherwise be a lifelong commitment to reading glasses. In this painless procedure, the natural lens inside your eye is removed through a tiny, self-sealing incision. A ReSTOR / TECNIS MF intraocular lens is then carefully implanted in the eye, unfolded, and properly positioned by your doctor. The ReSTOR / TECNIS MF is a multifocal lens meaning that it has the potential to provide good distance, intermediate, and near vision with less dependence on reading glasses.
Ideal candidates for Clear Lens Extraction and ReSTOR / TECNIS MF implantation are:
- Hyperopic (farsighted) in a range too high for laser vision correction
- Good candidates for laser vision correction who desire less dependence on both distance and near corrective lenses
Pros:
- An alternative for patients who are not eligible for laser surgery
- Corrects high myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness) that is out of the range of laser surgery and phakic IOLs.
- You will no longer develop a cataract as the lens has been removed and replaced by a clear implant
- Minimal postoperative discomfort
Cons:
- Lose your ability to accommodate – you may need reading glasses for near vision
- More invasive than laser refractive surgery. This procedure is done in the operating room with topical and/or general anesthesia
- More difficult to remove than phakic IOLs