For patients with severe visual impairment or presbyopia, lens implantation is the best solution.
For which group of people is the procedure suitable?
What procedures or methods exist?
Who is suitable for lens implantation?
Although the correction of vision defects using lasers has achieved an ever greater level of perfection since the introduction of these methods, the procedures reach their limits for certain visual defects and eye diseases or do not represent the best possible solution.
In this case, the implantation of an artificial lens is the best alternative:
- Presbyopia
- Cataract
- High visual impairment with a very thin cornea
- High visual impairment with a very severely curved cornea
Lens implantation is also often a better solution for various visual defects that occur simultaneously than wearing glasses or contact lenses. The main goal is, of course, for the patient to be able to see clearly in the long term, both near and far, without visual aids. Beforehand, comprehensive information about the various treatment options and a more in-depth examination by an eye doctor are required.
How do the methods of lens implantation differ?
Which procedure is used for lens implantation depends on the existing visual defect (or eye disease). There are various artificial lenses as a replacement or as an additional lens to the natural lens, as well as various surgical methods.
Here is a brief overview of the surgical methods and the associated lens shapes:
Lens replacement
Replacing the natural lens of the eye with an artificial lens is not only the most common form of eye surgery, it is the most common operation in Germany at least. Around 650,000 lenses are replaced every year. As a health insurance benefit, the natural lens is replaced with a monofocal lens, mainly in the case of cataracts, the clouding of the lens. For the patient, this means that glasses or contact lenses must be worn for close vision even after the operation (the patient will still need reading glasses). Monofocal lenses are only set for distance vision.
Multifocal lenses (bifocal lenses), on the other hand, have two focal points for near and far vision. Their structure is therefore similar to that of two-strength glasses. Depending on the field of vision, the eye captures the image with the respective focal point. This happens automatically via the image processing center in the brain, although it can take a while for the patient to get used to it. In addition, the change between near and far vision is seamless.
Trifocal lenses are equipped with three focal points and represent the current state of the art in the field of artificial lenses. In addition to the near range (40 cm in front of the eye) and the far range (infinity), the trifocal lens has a focal point for the intermediate range at around 80 cm in front of the eye. It corresponds to progressive lenses and covers the important range that is necessary for computer workstations.
The vision achieved through the multifocal lens (or trifocal lens) remains stable for life. In addition, the patient no longer suffers from cataracts, as the new artificial lens cannot become cloudy.
How long does a lens exchange take?
Purely surgical procedures of around 10 to 15 minutes are to be expected per eye. The operation is carried out under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. If both eyes are operated on, there is usually an interval of 1 to 3 days between the operation on one eye and the other. How quickly the maximum achievable visual acuity is achieved depends on the brain getting used to the new way of seeing. Depending on the case, it can take up to 14 days (or longer).
What risks are to be expected with lens implantation?
The artificial lens is inserted in a folded state through a minimally invasive channel into the capsular bag of the eye. This means that the risk of infection can be kept very low. Of course, the experience of the surgeon performing the operation also counts. There is hardly any danger with regard to the implanted lens. The ophthalmic material from which it is made is neutral to the body. This means that the body does not reject the lens. In fact, complications, if any, arise more during follow-up care because patients do not follow the doctor’s instructions, for example when using eye drops or taking medication.
Additional lens implantation (phakic lenses)
An artificial lens is placed in front of or behind the iris to compensate for the respective visual defect of the natural lens. The artificial lens is ordered specifically for the patient and the dioptre strength of the visual defect. This method is the ideal option for young patients under 40 years of age with a high degree of visual impairment, e.g. over -10 dioptres.
Lens implantations with Health Travels
While the cost of cataract surgery is covered by health insurance companies in Germany, Switzerland or Austria, but only for monofocal lenses, the better lenses, especially trifocal lenses, are excluded from the list of services. Lens replacement to correct presbyopia is also not covered by health insurance. The patient must cover these costs themselves.
In this respect, it is only sensible to consider having the lens implanted in another country that has a cheaper cost structure for the same quality. For example, in Turkey. Health Travels, the agency for health travel based in Frankfurt am Main and Istanbul, has been organizing eye operations in Istanbul and Izmir for many years.
This means that the clinics carrying out the surgery have the best possible technical infrastructure and that the clinics are ISO certified. Likewise, only very experienced surgeons and trained clinic staff are used here.
One example of this is the cost savings when replacing lenses due to existing presbyopia. Presbyopia is a progressive weakening of the ciliary muscles of the natural lens, which makes it impossible to see up close. The patient is dependent on traditional reading glasses. In Germany, Switzerland or Austria, the costs of replacing the lens are borne entirely by the patient. With an operation in Turkey, up to 50% of these costs can be saved.
Health Travels organizes the surgery appointments and other services in coordination with the traveler(s). A route that is worthwhile in every respect. Incidentally, also in terms of tax savings, because lens implantations carried out abroad can also be claimed as extraordinary expenses.