Implantable contact lenses

With the approval of FDA, the benefits of implantable contact lenses are within reach for people who suffer from severe levels of farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism. Another use of implantable contact lenses is for people who do not qualify for laser eye surgery. However, the idea behind implantable contact lenses is not new, based as it is on the cataract procedure. Here, as in the cataract procedure, the doctor will replace the eye's natural lenses with synthetic lenses.

Although FDA approved only the procedure in September of 2004, its success rate is 95%. For it has been available in Europe more than over 10 years ago. This is because implantable lenses have been proven to correct vision problems with precision without the alteration of the corneas, unlike that of eye laser surgery.

How do you know if you can have these contact lenses implanted? You are eligible for the surgery if you have any of the following: severe myopia, farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism, but are not over 60 years old. For those who are developing cataracts, or have high glaucoma, and recurrent eye infections, this is not an option.

How does one undergo the procedure? First, you should meet with an eye doctor who specializes in this procedure. During this session, the eye surgeon will determine if you qualify for the surgical procedure. Afterwards, the strength of your implanted contact lenses will be determined.

What happens in the operating room? The doctor inserts the lens through a small incision, in the side of your cornea where it sits in front of the eyes' natural lens, but is behind the cornea. Afterwards to ward off infection, you will receive antibiotic drops on the operated eye. All in all the surgical procedure takes about 20-30 minutes with only one eye treated per procedure. This is done in case of infection or other complications happening.

You won't need to stay in the hospital overnight but must stay near by, as the doctor will check on you the day after the operation. Afterwards, your doctor will examine you when the second eye will be operated on. Your eye surgeon will give you a schedule for check ups.

You can expect to have better visibility back within 10-12 days of the operation.
There is now hope for a lot of people who have once thought that they would have to live through progressively bad lenses. Certainly, the success rate makes the possibility of implanted contact lenses a surgical procedure worth looking into!