What Are Phakic Intraocular Lenses?
There are many terms in the medical world that may seem a bit big, a bit complex, and more than a bit confusing to some. In the vision health world, one of these terms is phakic intraocular lens. At one point or an other in your life time, you may need to have a pair of phakic intraocular lenses. So that means you may need to know what exactly these lenses are, how they work, and why they would possibly be prescribed to you in the first place.
What is a Phakic Intraocular Lens?
A phakic intraocularlens is a special type of intraocular lens. It is special mostly because of the way that it is applied. A phakic intraocular lens is actually surgically attached to the eye. The reason that the phakic intraocular lens is called “phakic” is that they do not cover, correct or in any other way alter the natural lens of the eye. This is a wide difference from other intraocular lenses that cover the eye’s natural lens.
What is a Phakic Intraocular Lens For?
Why would you ever need a phakic intraocular lenses implanted in to your eye? Myopia, also known by its common name “near sightedness,” is the precise type of condition which phakic intraocular lenses are designed to rectify. For any one who suffers from being near sighted, you no doubt understand how difficult the condition can be, especially when driving. Being able to focus on things that are near and yet not being able to focus on things that are far can be absolutely frustrating to deal with. Thus, phakic intraocular lenses can be a great solution to the issue, keeping the original integrity of your eye’s lens with out altering it and also helping to correct for your near sightedness.
Types of Phakic Intraocular Lenses
There are three types of phakic intraocular lenses available for those who need them. The first is the angle supported phakic intraocular lens. It is surgically placed in the anterior chamber of the eye, resting at an angle. The second type is the iris fixated phakic intraocular lens. This type of phakic intraocular lens is actually directly attached to the iris, and is one of the more common procedures for those who suffer from being near sighted. The third and last type is the implantable collamer phakic intraocular lens. It is a popular alternative to the LASIK surgery, and is fixed to the cornea of the eye.
Do You Need Phakic Intraocular Lenses?
Of course, the question always remains; do you need a phakic intraocular lens to correct your vision problems? Believe it or not, phakic intraocular lenses are much less invasive than LASIK surgery. Many tend to prefer them as they are cheaper alternative to fix myopia, and to do it with out very much effort at all. If you believe you may need them, talk to your eye care specialist and see how they feel.