Ophthalmology - lens replacement?

Question

My left eye, for driving lenses, has this prescription:
+3.75 sph, -.75 cyl, 084 axis.

The lasik center says both lasek and PRK can only make as much correction as I could expect from glasses. For the level of correction I need for 20/20 they need to replace the natural lens.

1) How do you measure or quantify correction levels?
2) Could the lasik PLUS glasses achieve the same level of correction without replacing the natural lens?

I'm 59. I got a second evaluation.

My left eye has always been "lazy" but apparently can be corrected to 20/30 with glasses.

Partly as a precaution I would like it to be very close to 20/20. I don't mind using reading glasses or even driving glasses to give additional correction beyond Intralase lasik or lens replacement.

One service quoted $5000 for lens replacement on the left eye and $1800 for Lasik on the right eye = $6800.

The other quoted two eyes, Intralase lasik, $3800. They said the best I could expect on the left eye would be 20/25 but they wanted to fix both eyes at the same time.

I'm studying a product called crystalens.

http://www.feinermanvision.com/feinermanvision/UserFiles/File/Crystalens-OCregister.pdf

Answer 1

If you're under about 55, the last thing you're going to like is having your natural lens replaced.
The eye will have no ability to re-focus for near, so even if the distance vision is 20/20 without glasses, you'll need a reading Rx for all closework, or suffer two unbalanced eyes.

Where an Rx is outside the range for refractive laser treatment, an *extra* intraocular lens can be implanted in younger people, in front of the iris.
This carries about the same risk as standard cataract surgery.
Should you later *need* cataract surgery it might make the operation slightly more complicated.

But if this centre is thinking of taking out your lens, or is not very good at explaining what the options (and risks) really are, this may not be the centre for you.

(over 55, removal of the natural lens as a route to adjusting Rx makes more sense, and I'm considering it myself for a few year's time)

Optometrist, retired.

Answer 2

I have never heard of the lens being replaced during vision correction surgery. The lens is, however, replaced during cataract surgery. LASIK and PPK is used to reshape the eye so I'm not quite sure what you're referring to.

When you went to your consult the doc should have told you what your acuities will be post-surgery. Although some people may not get 20/20 after the first surgery most vision correction centers tell you that you can achieve perfect vision, unless of course you have other ocular pathologies which may cause blurry vison (i.e., retina related problems).

Answer 3

Do you also have cataract which is preventing you from seeing 20/20. Laser correction is a substitute for glasses; if you don't see 20/20 with glasses you won't see 20/20 after LASIK.