The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis at the Centre. The procedure generally requires twenty minutes of operating room time, during which phacoemulsification is used for a few minutes on each eye, but the actual duration of the procedure may vary according to the hardness of your natural lens. If you would prefer to take a mild sedative, such as Valium or Ativan, to help you relax during the procedure, please inquire about this possibility during your pre-operative assessment.

RLE and CAT

RLE is a surgical procedure to replace the natural lens of the eye with an artificial one of a preselected power. The principle is that in a myopic eye, the cornea and lens combination is too powerful for the length of the eyeball so an image is out of focus. Conversely, for long-sighted patients there isn’t enough focusing power. The artificial lens is calculated using a sophisticated device to provide the correct focusing power for the length of the eye. It is effectively exactly the same procedure that patients having Cataract surgery undergo. In that situation, the patient’s lens is cloudy and being replaced for that reason rather than spectacle error.

Before the procedure begins, you will be given eye drops to dilate your pupil and numb your eye. Essentially, the procedure is identical to a cataract operation. A tiny incision is made in the cornea, and an ultrasonic probe is used to soften the lens and remove it. This is done through an incision that is so small it doesn't need any stitches. The technique is known as "Phacoemulsification" (from the Greek: Phakos = lens, and Latin: emulsification = to turn into milk!). This is the most modern way to perform lens surgery. The laser is not used for surgery. There are some machines that use a laser to remove the lens, but they are in development, and not widely used. An Intra-ocular lens implant (or I.O.L) is then inserted, folded, into the space left where the natural lens used to be. The lens membrane, or capsular bag, is left intact to provide support for the new lens.

The RLE and CAT procedures offer extremely fast recovery: within hours of the surgery, the incision has usually begun to heal. Most patients are able to resume day-to-day activities just 24 hours after the surgery. Your surgeon may prescribe eye drops for one or two weeks after surgery. You must also wear eye shields at night to prevent rubbing your eyes for the first week.

You should not drive for at least twenty-four (24) hours after either procedure and in no event should you drive until your vision is clear.