How long will lens replacement results last?
Interview transcription:
We interviewed Alex Shortt to find out how long lens replacement results last; if there is any pain involved; and how long the procedure takes.
How long do results last?
Interviewer: In terms of how long the procedure lasts, is this a lifetime thing or is this something that you have to get replaced?
Alex Shortt: Once we have completed the process and the lens implants are in, and the eyes are in focus, your vision should remain absolutely stable forever. Now the caveat for that is that very rarely we have patients who develop a small amount of astigmatism as the eye ages. And that’s entirely possible to treat, it’s a very tiny proportion of people and it rarely actually reaches significant levels. But if it does then, it’s entirely possible to refocus the eye again.
Does it hurt?
Interviewer: And does the procedure hurt at all, is there any kind of pain?
Alex Shortt: The procedure is a day case procedure, and we typically perform both eyes on the same day. It’s a local anaesthetic; we effectively marinade your eye in anaesthetic drops which have a very powerful effect of numbing the surface of the eye. Then we perform keyhole surgery, tiny 2mm incisions, and we use some anaesthetic actually on the inside of the eye as well, to numb the internal parts of the eye.
While you’re awake, you will feel absolutely nothing. It’s a totally sensationless operation.
How long does it take?
Interviewer: And how long does this whole procedure take?
Alex Shortt: It takes somewhere between 10 to 15 minutes for each eye, and we usually have a gap of five minutes between. The entire procedure length is about 30 minutes.
Afterwards, most patients say that they would much rather have a lens exchange procedure than have a filling or any other dental work done. In terms of how stressful it is, how much you feel, and the experience of the procedure, lens exchange patients find it much less traumatic than a dental procedure.
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About the author
Mr Alex J. Shortt | Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
MB BCh MSc PhD FRCOphth PGDipCatRef
I’m Alex Shortt, a highly trained academic researcher and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon based in London’s famous Harley Street medical district. I trained and worked as a consultant for 14 years at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital. I specialise in advanced technologies for correcting vision, including cataract surgery, implantable contact lenses and laser vision correction.
