A: Both RLE and cataract surgery, replace the eye’s natural lens, with a permanent man-made one instead. The difference is that RLE is an elective procedure, simply decreasing the need for glasses, while removing a formed cataract is medically necessary, as adequate vision cannot be achieved otherwise.

A: You may be a candidate for RLE surgery if you:

• are forty-five or older with farsighted vision.
• do not qualify as a candidate for laser eye surgery, due to acute nearsightedness or farsightedness.
• wear bifocals or progressives lenses for both reading and distance vision.

A: One percent of patients experience postoperative complications. Despite efforts to avoid such complications, the following may occur:

• Eye infection (1 in 10,000 cases), usually requires emergency surgery, additional antibiotics and may result in vision loss. Dr. Conlon has not had a case of an intraocular infection in over twenty years.
• Posterior ocular swelling (1 in 500 cases), is usually resolved with antibiotic drops.
• Failed removal of the crystalline lens after one operation (1 in 1,000 cases), thus necessitating a second operation.
• Retinal detachment, occurs when the thin tissue at the back of the eye pulls away from its normal position (1 in 1,000 cases). Requires surgical retinal reattachment.

A: The Conlon Eye Institute carries out the following tests and measurements prior to surgery:

Computerized Topography images the cornea’s both sides, to determine the degree of corneal astigmatism and orientation, and thus reduce astigmatism. Forms of treatment include laser arcuate incisions, limbal relaxing incisions, and/or a toric implant.

The IOL Master 700 determines intraocular lens power. This device measures the front of the eye’s curvature and its length. This information is used to calculate the lens’ power.

Macular Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is used to examine the macula, prior to RLE, to confirm the macular health, and thus eliminating any contraindication for RLE.

A: Cataracts are a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. As RLE surgery removes the natural lenses, RLE eliminates the possibility of cataract development.

A: Saskatchewan’s Medical Services Branch (MSB) does not cover RLE implants but they are available for private purchase. These include:

• A toric implant besides reducing spherical aberration and enhancing the quality of vision, also reduces astigmatism, making it the best choice for higher degree astigmatism patients. Astigmatism correction is actually built directly into a toric  implant and then rotated to a specific orientation in the eye.
• A multifocal implant can improve both distance and near vision without glasses. This type of implant may cause glare and/or halos but these symptoms tend to diminish with time.

A: RLE is an elective procedure, and thus is left uncovered by insurance. MSB will cover cataract surgery, so for those experiencing visual impairment due to cataract,the surgery will be covered, minus the costs of upgrades from monofocal lenses. RLE is more expensive than laser vision correction as it must be performed in an accredited non-hospital surgical center.

A: The Conlon Eye Institute uses only the latest technologies to ensure optimal patient outcomes are achieved. For RLE, the LenSX Femtosecond Laser, and the ORA with VerifEye+ Systems, are combined to produce such results:

LenSX Femtosecond Laser performs surgical maneuvers previously undertaken with hand-held surgical tools. This blade-free laser technology completes corneal incisions, anterior capsulotomy and lens fragmentation with a newfound level of precision, consistently ensuring the best refractive outcomes.

The ORA with VerifEye+ System predicts whether a chosen implant will optimize your refractive outcome. Using this information, Dr. Conlon can adjust the implant as needed. The ORA system guides Dr. Conlon during IOL placement, providing real-time micro-measurements mid-surgery, allowing Dr. Conlon to adjust accordingly.