Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

My wife is always coming up with inventive ways to spend money, this time around I think she may be on a winner.

Conductive Keratoplasty, ever heard of it, or anyone on here had it done, would like some personal feedback from a neutral source.

Apparently a lot of the nurses at the Royal Melbourne are getting this done at present. It negates the need to wear glasses permanently and unlike laser surgery is totally reversable.

Out of pocket less than 600 bucks, if one has health insurance, about the price of a pair of glasses. Actually cheaper than mine. So I may indulge.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Found this link.. http://canberraeyehospital.com.au/la...k_eye_surg.htm

They have a desc, and a list of problems

Only appears to work on longsight

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Yehp should be ok for me, and the wife is booked in already, I'll use her as the guinea pig ;)

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Not heard of it.

I had LASIK 2 years ago, and would not look back. oops yer I would, but in focus :)

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Yes, I have heard of it. I'll explain the procedure like I would have to one of our cataract patients.

First thing they do is use a topical anesthetic gel to freeze your eye. A very small incision is made just along the edge of the iris (coloured part of the eye) where it meets the sclera (white part). A very small phacoemulsification tube is inserted into the incision. The surgeon then uses the probe to break up the natural lens of your eye and then vacuums out the debris. Once the lens is removed a new prosthetic lens is inserted into the capsule left. Some surgeons use a stitch to close the incision, but others do not. The surgeon I worked for did not use a stitch but he did patch the operated eye for 24 hours just so you don't rub it by accident. You will probably be using eye drops for a few weeks post op to prevent infection and a steroid to prevent swelling around the implant site. The procedure itself is very simple and only takes about 15 or 20 minutes per eye. I've seen it done for cataracts so many times I could probably do the surgery for you myself.

Downsides: The risk of infection is very real. You are only ever given 2 eyes and they cannot ever be replaced. Research your surgeon and the clinic well. The need for glasses is NOT removed completely. They will do something called an A-scan which will measure what strength lens is appropriate at this point in time. As you get older you will require reading glasses, as every person eventually will if they live long enough. It doesn't have anything to do with the lens in your eye, it has to do with the eye itself not being able to accomodate. There is also a possibility of the lens capsule becoming clouded and the need for further laser surgery to clear the cloudiness. Make sure the laser is included in the price should it become necessary.

After 19 years working in ophthalmology, if it were my eyes I wouldn't do it. Yes, contacts and glasses are a pain in the ass, but as I said you only get one set of eyes and I've seen some pretty nasty infections and permanent blindness caused by poor surgery.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Yes I understand and I should take 100 pct note of your advice. One thing though in this procedure here as follows they use RF (radio frequency as the surgery tool rather than laser) Does that make a major difference ?


http://www.weyec.com.au/ck_surgery.htm

BTW I dont think I'll show the wife your post until after, all going well that is ;)

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

They cannot remove a lens with laser. It is done by phacoemulsification which is a tool that uses high frequency to break up the lens. It is then sucked out of the capsule by a vaccuum. Anyone who tells you they can do the procedure with laser is lying.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Apologies Dorothy I thought you said laser but you were talking about removing cataracts.

My misunderstanding

There is also a possibility of the lens capsule becoming clouded and the need for further laser surgery to clear the cloudiness. Make sure the laser is included in the price should it become necessary.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Ah, I didn't read the link you sent. What that is is not a lens implant, but rather corneal reshaping. Essentially the same as LASIK, where the shape of your cornea is changed. You still will require either reading glasses as you get older and the shape of your cornea is no longer adequate for your degree of presbyopia or you will need to have the procedure re-done at a later date. I also think I would like to see long term studies done on this procedure, since as of leaving ophthalmology 18 months ago I hadn't heard or it.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

No, I wasn't talking about cataracts. The procedure for removing a healthy lens and replacing it is exactly the same as a cataract operation.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

I think the wife has made her mind already, plus she has the dates booked. She has had a pterygium removed before so she knows a little bit about the discomfort afterwards. This op would make a massive difference to me, having worn +7.50 and +8.50 since about the age of 2, it would be great to be able to see clearly whilst swimming.

BTW, thanks for calling the removing of the lens tissue "debris" put me right of my pre night shift nap it has LOL ;) (even though It's a different procedure she is booked in for)


Thanks for the advice, and see how we go once we've absorbed your info.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

What procedure is she booked to have? I'd be interested in how she goes. Much as I love me new career, I do miss the familiarity of eyes.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Here's some more general info about alternatives to LASIK

http://www.lasik-eyes.co.uk/leftpanel/other.asp

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Right now the bets are on this procedure, because we are of the understanding that it's implantable lenses. This is slightly more confusing than first meets the eye (lol).....



http://www.weyec.com.au/refractive_surgery.htm

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

That's the one that's done like a cataract operation. Very straightforward, simple surgery.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Why would you want to reverse it? More to the point, if one wanted to correct one's vision, why not go down the lasik route (unless I missed a post)?

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Lasik is about twice as expensive as this, and afaik more intrusive. As for the reversability now I've read more and more on the subject I'm not sure that it is a reversable as the word of mouth comments purported it to be.

The fact that a lot of Nurses at the Royal Melbourne suddenly started to undergo this procedure having bypassed Lasik, also caught my attention, what the main factors are for that maybe Dorothy has a better idea ? It could be its just a Fad, it could be cost related, it could actually be medically superior. Probably all three factors play a role. From what I can gather now it does seem a very simple procedure.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Argggggh!!!! I typed this big long answer for you both and suddenly was redirected to some German greeting card site!!! I'll do it again later.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Hey Ozzieeagle,some one else with eyes as good as mine, Lorri calls me mr magoo after that cartooon man,don't know if you have heard about him.
Lorri was reading about this op while we were still in the uk.
My eyes are +750 125 110 + 725 125 75 since as long as I can remember. My mam said I got bad eyes from sitting too close to the telly when I was little but its because I couldn't see the B****y thing.She still swears it was from that!
Anyway Can you let me know how your wife goes with it all, I think I better join me a health fund right now to get it at that price even if it means flying down to your way to get it done.
Cheers John aka Mr Magoo

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

The reason I'm interested in this, besides cosmetic are cost factors. To get a pair of glasses where the lenses dont look terrible, which means 1.74 hi index, with the lot, for multifocals cost, at last look 1,050 bucks from OPSM. Even on the Internet via select specs the cost was over 570 bucks.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

So Ozzieeagle, where are you getting them done at if you don't mind me asking, I saw a couple of links but wasn't sure. But i want to ring up and ask them about it,did your wife have to go in just once before? Since I am up in QLD I will have to sort it out so I can fly down and get doe all in the one visit.
Cheers John:thumbsup:

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

The wife is booked in at the Freemasons hospital, under the care of a doctor from the Williamstown Eye clinic, sometime in the middle of November. I'm waiting to see her outcome before I venture myself. Will ask the practitioners if they have a Brisbane recommendation for you.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

My wife had her operation yesterday. Had her patch taken off today, (at the doctors in Williamstown at 8.45 am :ohmy:) Fantastic outcome already, an eye she has not been able to use in her life for anything practical, she can already use as her main reading eye. She is very excited. Wont have to use reading glasses again, which was frustrating her, when it came to reading patient notes etc.

I'm booked for a consultation as to whether I'm suitable for a procedure... the fellow doing this is very different. Opticians uptil this point have said my wife would never be able to use her left eye for anything practical and now she is using it to read, less than 24 hours after the op. Pretty exciting stuff actually.

Not sure how I will go, had a brief chat with the doctor this morning, something about one eye working at full capacity and the other only working like a 28k dial up link, and whether the brain would adjust properly after the surgery. He will give me his full prognosis after intial consultation for me after the 17th Jan. I've never been able to use my right eye for anything meaningful, so if he can do something like he has for my wife, then this is life changing.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

That's wonderful news for your wife. Glad it all went well so far for her. I hope your tests show you are able to get the same result.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

I'm glad it went well for your wife. Can you see the implant?

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Heh... LOL, I just came and read your post, and got up, stood the wife under a very bright light, and nope I cant see the implant at all.

Her pupil is still dialated after the op though, will have to see how it settles down in a few days, apparently the vision can continue to improve for upto 12months as the brain becomes attuned to using the eye in a different way and the nerves etc become more functional.

Re: Lens Implants, for the Eye.
 

Apparently Dorothy, I dont understand this, but the doctor/surgeon used a 27 or is it 2.7 inplant, plus an incision to correct an astigmatism, Usually they only can get good results upto 2.2 (22) with any degree of certainty, so I do beleive this fellow we are seeing is going down a different path to cure a chronic lazy eye. For the first time in her life she can read with her left eye. She is reading what I'm typing now, without glasses, which should would not have been able to do yesterday. BTW, we are now off to a BBQ, followed by Melbourne Victorys game tonight, so recovery is fantastic.... Mind you she could be overdoing it...

I'll try and get her to go home after the bbq



shhh...