In this blog post, we will compare the differences between lens implantation and LASIK/LASEK, as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages, to determine which option is better.
Having poor eyesight and wearing glasses is quite inconvenient. I myself have severe myopia and cannot live without glasses, so I am well aware of this inconvenience. To get rid of that discomfort, I had LASIK surgery and now I don’t wear glasses, but because I was very nearsighted, a large part of my cornea had to be removed, and due to the unavoidable side effects of the surgery, I suffer from dry eyes, which is a little uncomfortable. So, I would like to talk about lens implantation, a vision correction procedure that does not require cutting the cornea and does not cause dry eyes.
Lens implantation is a vision correction procedure that involves inserting special lenses tailored to the patient’s vision. It is performed to correct vision in cases where LASIK or LASEK cannot be performed or when there are concerns about the side effects of those procedures. As the name suggests, it involves inserting special lenses into the eye. Unlike LASIK and LASEK, it does not directly touch the cornea, so there are no side effects such as corneal opacity or dry eye syndrome, and myopia regression does not occur. It also has the advantage of being able to perform surgery regardless of corneal thickness, vision, or corneal disease. In addition, since the lens is inserted according to the patient’s vision, it is possible to correct vision more accurately than LASIK or LASEK, and if vision changes or problems arise after surgery, the lens can be replaced or removed, making it the next generation of vision correction surgery that enables the best vision recovery.
Lens implantation is divided into anterior lens implantation, in which the lens is inserted between the cornea and the iris based on the position of the iris, and posterior lens implantation, in which the lens is inserted between the back of the iris and the crystalline lens. Anterior lens implantation has the advantage of a very low risk of cataracts because the lens does not come into direct contact with the crystalline lens. However, because the lens is located in front of the iris, it is closer to the corneal endothelium and has a higher risk of damaging corneal endothelial cells than posterior lens implantation. Unlike anterior lens implantation, posterior lens implantation does not involve the lens coming into close contact with the corneal endothelium, so there is less chance of damage to the corneal endothelial cells. Another advantage is that the lens is located at the back, so it is protected from external impact. However, the lens is located close to the crystalline lens, which can cause the crystalline lens to become cloudy and lead to cataracts.
One type of anterior lens implantation, the Altis lens implantation, is the oldest method of lens implantation. It is a surgical procedure that corrects vision by attaching an Altis lens to the iris using a unique lens fixation structure similar to the claws of a lobster. Artiflex lens implantation requires the insertion of a lens made of a non-foldable material, which requires iris incision and a large corneal incision of 5 to 6 mm, resulting in a long surgery time and the possibility of corneal astigmatism after surgery. The AntiFlex lens was developed to compensate for the long surgery time and large corneal incision required for Artiflex lenses. The Altiflex lens implantation is a method of inserting a foldable lens, Like Alti-San lens implantation, iris incision is required, but the incision is smaller (3.2 mm) than that required for Alti-San lens implantation, so the surgery time is shorter, vision recovery is faster than with Alti-San lenses, and there is less chance of corneal astigmatism.
One type of posterior lens implantation, ICL implantation, involves inserting a special lens designed to preserve the cornea and allow it to be inserted into the original lens. This method can correct vision in patients with high myopia or high hyperopia, but it does not correct astigmatism. However, a similar method called toric ICL implantation can correct both myopia and astigmatism. In most lens implantation procedures, iridotomy is performed 1-2 weeks prior to lens implantation to create a flow of aqueous humor around the eye where the lens is located. However, omitting iridotomy allows for faster and safer lens implantation. The method developed for this purpose is called Aqua ICL+ surgery. Aqua ICL+ is a posterior lens implantation procedure, similar to ICL implantation. However, Aqua ICL+ has tiny holes in the lens itself to facilitate the flow of aqueous humor, eliminating the need for iridotomy. Therefore, there are no side effects from iridotomy, and the surgery itself is simpler.
As you can see, there are various types and characteristics of lens implantation. And just like LASIK and LASEK, you need to undergo several tests to see if you’re a good candidate for lens implantation. If you’re thinking about getting lens implantation, you should get tested and compare the characteristics of each procedure to find the one that’s best for you.
