Refractive Lens Exchange

Refractive Lens Exchange is a surgical procedure to remove the natural lens of the eye and replace it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL is specifically powered to correct your refractive error, and also treat presbyopia. Presbyopia starts to affect people in their 40s, resulting in degradation of near vision and the need for reading glasses or bifocals.  RLE is effectively the same procedure as cataract surgery, before your cataract is medically ready for surgery. You may be a good candidate for RLE if you are in your mid to late 40s or 50s, and you want to be glasses independent. Patients in this age range who have LASIK will still need to wear reading glasses and will eventually develop cataracts. RLE is a permanent visual solution – the IOL will last the rest of your life, and you will not develop cataracts.