
LASIK is not always the best way to repair vision for everyone. Fortunately, there are many other alternative surgeries that may be a better fit.
PRELEX is a totally different way to get excellent eyesight at any distance. Keep reading to learn what to know about PRELEX!
How Does PRELEX Work?
PRELEX is an outpatient surgery just like LASIK. You’ll be in and out of the office on the same day.
Before the procedure, your eye doctor will numb your eyes and give you mild sedation. The procedure is relatively short and takes only about fifteen to thirty minutes to complete.
The surgery is accomplished with incisions so small and precise that no stitches are needed at the end. The tissues reattach to themselves naturally.
Whereas LASIK fixes vision in the cornea, PRELEX takes a different approach. By replacing the lens inside your eye, eye surgeons can adjust your sight safely and accurately.
You and your surgeon will select the best kind of lens for your eyes well before the surgery date. PRELEX is performed one eye at a time.
Your eye surgeon will give you a few weeks to recover from the first procedure before operating on your other eye. After each PRELEX procedure, you’ll need to rest for a couple of days.
Once the incisions have had a chance to heal a little bit, you’ll be able to resume many of your normal activities.
What Are Some of the Lens Options?
Choosing the right lens is important since it will affect your everyday vision and life. Consult with a specialist at Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin, TX, to find which of the following is right for you.
Multifocal Lenses
Brand options: RESTOR, Tecnis MF, REZOOM.
How it works: Multifocal lenses use an aspherical design to allow several focal distances.
Benefit: Allows you to have improved distance vision and up-close vision.
Accommodating Lenses
Brand: CRYSTALENS
How it works: The lens itself only focuses at one distance. However, it can move inside your eye like a natural lens.
Benefit: Addresses distance, intermediate, and near vision. Provides excellent distance vision.
Toric Lenses
Brand: Acrysof
How it works: Custom-fit to your eye to counter astigmatism, as well as farsightedness or nearsightedness.
Benefit: The only lens option for treating astigmatism. You can instead opt to get arcuate incisions. These are carefully placed cuts on the corneal surface to help counter astigmatism.
Do I Really Need PRELEX Instead of LASIK?
The decision between PRELEX and LASIK depends a lot on why you are getting vision surgery. PRELEX is typically better for older patients who suffer from presbyopia.
Typically, the lens flexes and stretches to help you change focus. Presbyopia causes the lens to harden and get stuck in a farsighted position.
It’s often more effective to entirely replace the lens with an artificial one. Ultimately, it is up to you and your eye doctor to determine which path to take.
Speak with the surgery coordinator and technicians to learn more about PRELEX and if it is right for you!
Are you interested in learning more about how you can experience improved vision through PRELEX? Schedule an appointment at Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin, TX, today!