Restoring Your Vision with Refractive Lens Exchange

Are you interested in getting rid of your reading glasses and bifocals? Looking for a procedure that can restore your vision even though you don’t qualify for laser eye surgeries such as Photo-Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) or LASIK? Well, the Refractive Lens Exchange procedure may be a great option for you! Read on to find out more.

The Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) procedure is essentially identical to cataract surgery with one key difference: it’s performed on patients who don’t have visually significant cataracts. In cataract surgery, the goal is to remove the natural lens in the eye because its cloudiness has resulted in blurred vision, while in RLE the goal is to replace the natural lens with a multifocal lens implant to get rid of prescription glasses and reading glasses.

RLE replaces your natural lens with a clear, artificial one, called an acrylic multifocal intraocular lens (IOL). This implant restores your vision and ensures that you will no longer have to rely on prescription and reading glasses.

The procedure:

Before the surgery, you may be given a mild sedative and topical anesthetic eye drops. Your ophthalmologist will make a small incision at the edge of your cornea with a femtosecond laser, remove your natural lens, and replace it with the artificial implantable lens. The whole procedure is painless and only takes 7-10 minutes per eye. No stitches are needed, and your vision should be fully clear in a few days.

Recovery is fairly quick, and most often, patients can resume driving and other normal activities within a few days of the surgery. In a few weeks, your vision should be excellent without the need for any glasses. Until then, you may have mildly blurred vision, glare, eye halos and slight discomfort.

Am I a candidate?

Good candidates for this procedure include patients ages 45-60 years old who have to wear reading glasses, are nearsighted or farsighted, and have minimal cataract formation. Also, those who want to treat presbyopia (the gradual inability to focus on close objects without reading glasses) with a multifocal implant may find that this procedure is an amazing option.

RLE surgery works for a lifetime and prevents you from forming cataracts. If this procedure sounds like a good fit for you, please contact Dr. Salisbury today at https://salisburyvisio.wpengine.com/contact/.

Top 8 Tips for Preventing Dry Eye this Winter

It’s getting colder outside, which means hot chocolate, cozy blankets, quality time with family and… dry eyes? As the seasons change, you may have noticed that your eyes have been feeling painful or uncomfortable, and your vision has been getting blurrier. Taking care of your eyes is very important during the winter, so here are some tips for preventing dry eye during the most wonderful time of the year!

Invest in a humidifier or houseplant to minimize dry air in your home:

Avoid sitting in front of a heater or fan since they can dry out your eyes. Since your heating is going to be on while it’s chilly outside, keeping the air inside your house from becoming too dry is extremely important.

Try some eye drops:

If your eyes are especially dry, eye drops can be super helpful for keeping them hydrated. Look for artificial tears or lubricant eye drops at your local pharmacy. Please avoid Visine since it doesn’t actually address the underlying problem, just masks it. Over time, your eyes will become dependent on it just to stop turning red and feeling irritated.

Clean your eyelids and eyelashes:

Clogged oil glands in your eyelids and eyelashes can lead to dry eyes. Try taking Omega 3 fish oil supplements to help with this and clean your eyelids and eyelashes frequently with lid wipes or baby shampoo lid scrubs while showering.

Wear your glasses more frequently:

Wearing prescription contacts can dry your eyes out even more than usual in the winter, so consider going back to your eyeglasses for the colder months. You don’t have to get rid of your contacts completely during the winter, but if you tend to wear them on a daily basis, think about taking a holiday from them at least a few days per week.

Use a cool compress:

Try running a washcloth under cold water and placing it on your (closed) eyelids. Keep it there for a couple minutes, then remove it. This technique will only provide temporary relief, so consider pairing it with one or two of these other tips for more lasting effect.

Stay in warm places whenever possible:

The temperature can also play a significant role in how your eyes retain moisture. If possible, stick to warmer areas to help keep them from getting too dry.

Wear sunglasses:

Photokeratitis (commonly known as snow blindness) can occur when the sun’s light is reflected by snow into the eye, effectively giving the outer layers of your eye a sunburn. It may not be warm enough to get a tan, but you can be doing significant damage to your eyes if you don’t wear sunglasses or tinted goggles while you’re skiing or snowboarding.

Seek medicated eye drops:

If your symptoms worsen or fail to improve after taking these steps, consult your ophthalmologist. They may prescribe eye drops or other medications to treat inflammation and dry eye symptoms. Take care of your eyes during these chilly months. You’ll thank yourself for it when spring comes again and you can enjoy the lovely weather with open eyes and clear vision!