By implanting a lens in the eye, the need for glasses or contact lenses is eliminated. Phakic IOLs almost always meet or exceed the best vision achievable using eyeglasses or contacts, a final result not always achieved with LASIK or other surgeries. Because of the stability of the artificial lens, the results do not regress over time, as is sometimes seen with LASIK. For several types of lenses, the surgical process is closely related to cataract surgery, so with only minor adjustments many, many surgeons are experienced in the implant procedure. Additionally, this surgery keeps the cornea and lens in its natural state, allowing the process to be reversed if necessary. One of the most significant benefits of this surgery is the ability to treat with equal efficiency mild to severe nearsightedness and farsightedness, even to a refractive error that requires correction in the 10 to 25 diopter range. This is beyond what is recommended for treatment using LASIK or other laser based surgeries.

At the initial consultation you will be carefully tested to determine the refractive errors in your eye so that the surgeon can select the lens needed to correct the problems. If astigmatism is present, very careful measurements will need to be taken because the toric lenses used to correct this type of error are custom made to the exact characteristics of the eye. The doctor will also perform a complete history to determine if you have pre-existing medical conditions that will make the surgery more difficult.

Because contact lenses can change the shape of the cornea, patients are required to stop wearing their hard lenses and switch to glasses at least two weeks prior to surgery. Patients with soft lenses must switch to eyeglasses at least 48 hours prior to surgery. Not leaving contact lenses out long enough for the cornea to return to its natural shape can lead to less optimal vision after surgery.

	Patients between 21-40 years
	Myopia -5 to -25 diopters
	Hyperopia +3 to +12 diopters
	No significant systemic disease
	No additional ocular pathology
To learn more about phakic IOLS and whether you are a candidate for this procedure or to speak to patients who have had this amazing technology, please fix an appointment at: appointments@nethradhama.org

Candidates for this procedure should have a stable prescription, which is common for most people over the age of 25. If an IOL patient's prescription changes over time, he/she can still receive LASIK as it will not interfere with the IOL implant.

LASIK uses laser energy to reshape the cornea to improve vision. While LASIK has been very successful in patients with low to moderate myopia or hyperopia (near- or far-sightedness), it is not recommended for patients who have severe vision impairments. These patients are potential candidates for phakic IOLs. Also, the reshaping of the cornea during LASIK is permanent, whereas the VerisyseTM phakic IOL is reversible --it can be removed at anytime. 

Once the Verisyse Phakic IOL is placed inside your eye, it is virtually undetectable; however, you and others may be able to see the lens in your eye if you look very closely. Because the Verisyse Phakic IOL is placed inside your eye, you will not be able to feel it.

Yes. The Verisyse Phakic IOL is made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) — an extremely well proven biocompatible material that has been widely used in and on eyes for over 50 years.

Local anesthesia is used to numb your eye prior to surgery so most patients experience no pain during the procedure. Although some discomfort is normal during the healing process, the vast majority of patients experience little or no pain after the Verisyse procedure.

The Verisyse Phakic IOL design has been successfully used in Europe for 18 years. More than 150,000 phakic procedures have been performed worldwide.In the United States, clinical studies of the Verisyse procedure began in 1997. In Nethradhama Superspeciality Eye Hospital we have performed more than 100 Phakic IOL surgeries. It was FDA approved in 2004 after these clinical studies proved that Verisyse is a safe and effective way to reduce your need for thick glasses and contact lenses.

Most people who have the Verisyse procedure see well near and at a distance because their natural lens is left in place. This lens (the crystalline lens) naturally adjusts to focus on near and distant objects. As you age, this natural lens function may diminish and you may need reading glasses to see objects that are near.

You can swim and participate in virtually any other activity with the Verisyse Phakic IOL because unlike contact lenses, the Verisyse Phakic IOL is placed inside your eye, behind the protective covering of your cornea. Therefore, it is not affected by external elements such as water.

The Verisyse Phakic IOL is not affected by external elements like rain or steam because it is implanted inside your eye, behind the protective covering of your cornea.

One significant risk associated with phakic intraocular lenses is adverse reaction of eye tissue to the implant. This can be seen as development of a cataract (adverse reaction by lens), thinning of the corneal tissue (adverse reaction by the cornea), or inflammation of the iris (adverse reaction by the iris). Although each of these conditions occurs very infrequently, they are occasionally seen in association with the lens implants. Different lenses incurred these complications with different frequency due to placement. For example, a trial of the STAAR lens saw an approximately 10% incidence of cataracts, but new placement surgical procedures is believed to have corrected this problem. It is important for you to understand the specific eye tissue reaction problems that occur with the type of lens you are considering.

Because the eye is being opened for the implant, internal eye infections are a risk. Although very infrequent, they are quite serious and can result in loss of the eye. This is another risk that should be discussed with your doctor prior to the procedure.

Another risk that is unique to implants is the possibility of the lens shifting from its proper position after implantation. Because the different lenses have different means of anchoring the lens in place within the eye, there are different frequencies of this occurring. Although with all lenses the chance of misalignment is low, it does happen and should be considered.