Lens exchange RLE

RLE Excellence is our method for finding the best lens for each individual patient. Rather than starting from a particular brand or a standard solution, we start by understanding how you use your vision in everyday life.

Among the things we assess:

• your visual needs at distance, intermediate and near

• work, leisure interests and lifestyle

• the anatomy of your eye and your refractive error

• any astigmatism

• your expectations of life after surgery

Based on that overall assessment we recommend the premium lens that will give you the best possible visual result. For some patients an EDOF lens is the best choice; for others a multifocal, toric, spiral-optic or monofocal premium lens.

We work with several of the world's leading lens manufacturers, which means we are not tied to a single technology or supplier. Our focus is always the same — to find the lens that suits you best.

• Monofocal premium lenses – give very sharp vision at one distance, usually far, with high contrast and excellent image quality.

• EDOF lenses (Extended Depth of Focus) – give an extended range of vision, with good distance vision and functional intermediate vision, while the risk of glare and halos is often lower than with multifocal lenses.

• Multifocal or trifocal lenses – are designed to give sharp vision at several distances, which can reduce the need for glasses for reading, computer work and distance alike.

• Toric premium lenses – correct astigmatism, and can be combined with monofocal, EDOF and multifocal lenses.

• Spiral optics (Galaxy) – a new generation of premium lens that uses spiral optics to create a greater depth of focus in a different way from traditional multifocal lenses. The aim is a more natural visual experience with high contrast, a wide range of focus and a low incidence of glare and halos. One example is the Galaxy™ lens from Rayner.

It depends which lens you have. A monofocal premium lens gives very sharp vision at one distance – usually far – so you will need reading glasses for close work. EDOF, multifocal, trifocal and spiral-optic lenses are designed to cover several distances and reduce the need for glasses considerably.

Complete independence from glasses in every situation is not something we can guarantee. What your particular lens can realistically give you is something we go through at the examination, before you decide.

No. The eye is numbed with drops and you are awake during the procedure but feel no pain – at most a slight pressure. Most people describe it as undramatic.

For the first day afterwards the eye may feel gritty, water and be sensitive to light. You are given eye drops and written instructions to take home, and you can always reach us.

Most people notice a clear improvement within a few days and can return to everyday activities within a couple of days. Heavy lifting and intense exercise are best avoided for the first few weeks.

When you can drive again is decided by how your vision looks at the follow-up visit, not by a set number of days. Vision settles gradually over the following weeks.

A lens exchange is a well-established procedure, but it is surgery inside the eye and it is not entirely without risk. It is also a choice rather than a necessity, so you should know the risks before you decide.

More common and usually temporary effects are grittiness, dryness, light sensitivity and swelling in the early days, along with glare and rings around light sources in the dark. These light phenomena are more common with multifocal and trifocal lenses and usually subside as the brain adapts to the new optics.

Less common complications can include posterior capsule opacification, treated with a laser; a residual refractive error needing further treatment; raised intraocular pressure; swelling of the macula; retinal detachment, where the risk is higher in high myopia; and, rarely, infection inside the eye, which can affect vision permanently.

At the examination we go through which risks apply to your eyes specifically, and what they mean in numbers.

No. A cataract is a clouding of the eye's own lens, and that lens has been removed. The artificial lens cannot develop a cataract, so that part is settled for life.

The thin capsule the lens sits in can cloud over time, however. This is called posterior capsule opacification, and it is often experienced as the cataract coming back, though it is something else. It is treated with a short laser treatment in the clinic and needs no further surgery.

Not in the way some other procedures can be. Your own lens is removed and cannot be put back, so a lens exchange is intended to be permanent. That sets it apart from, for example, an add-on lens or an ICL, which can be removed again.

A residual refractive error can be corrected afterwards, with a further treatment that is included in our 6-year Peace of Mind Guarantee.

It is also why we put so much work into choosing the lens before surgery rather than after.

A lens exchange with a monofocal premium lens costs from SEK 39,000. RLE Excellence, where the lens choice is tailored to your needs, is priced according to which premium lens is chosen.

The price includes the free examination and our 6-year Peace of Mind Guarantee. Current prices are on our price page.