Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)

Refractive Lens Exchange - An Alternative to LASIK

Our surgeon here at Providence Eye, Dr. Trey Nunnery, typically recommends Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) for two groups of individuals:

• People who are not good candidates for LASIK vision correction because they are severely farsighted or hyperopic (have trouble focusing on up close items more than distance)
• People who are 50+ who are very myopic (nearsighted) and experiencing the effects of presbyopia, the medical term for the stiffening of the eye lenses that makes it increasingly difficult to focus on objects up-close without reading glasses

The Refractive Lens Exchange procedure involves removing your eye’s natural lens and replacing it with an artificial Intraocular Lens (IOL) that is designed to match your specific vision needs. After a comprehensive consultation, Dr. Nunnery, with your input, will determine if you are a good candidate for RLE and if so which type of IOL (monofocal, multifocal, extended depth of focus, or toric) will best help you reach these vision goals.

How does farsightedness differ from presbyopia?

• Farsightedness (hyperopia) occurs when an eye has a flatter cornea or is shorter, which forces light entering the eye to focus behind the retina. This causes blurry vision and typically affects reading, texting and performing other up-close visual tasks.
• Presbyopia (from the Greek word meaning old eye) occurs to most people over age 40. It is the gradual loss of your eye’s ability to focus on nearby objects because the eye lenses become less and less flexible. When a lens slowly loses its flexibility, it struggles to focus on up-close items such as restaurant menus, prescription labels and magazines – especially in low light.

Refractive Lens Exchange Cost

When considering Refractive Lens Exchange, you will likely need to consider medical, lifestyle and financial aspects of the procedure. Dr. Nunnery and his team are fully committed to always educating and answering all your questions.