Any Opticians/Opthalmologists? Refractive Lens Exchange

[njshep]

Curious if anyone has had refractive lens exchange for being longsighted? I don't mean presbyopia (where we naturally lose our ability to focus with age).
Since I was a kid I have been longsighted, I wore very thick glasses as a kid. Through my teens up until almost 40 I got away without wearing my glasses (bc I could compensate with my own flexible lens). Throughout my 40s I have lost my own built in power to compensate and now am in glasses full time. I can no longer see any distance without it being totally blurry. Currently I am a +3.50 in the left eye and +4.75 in the right eye with a +1.75 add. I get massive eye strain bc progressives don't allow for a great reading function. Every couple years my prescription gets worse and I am paying a fortune on new glasses and sunglasses.
I went through the consultation for refractive lens exchange and am told that I would be so pleased, but I am terrified of messing with the only two eyes I have! Curious to hear any outcomes with a similar situation or input.

Bump

I'm not an ophthalmologist or an optician, but I just had a look at the refractive lens exchange procedure.

It's cataract surgery, except it's not for cataracts. I have known MANY people who have had cataract surgery, and they have mostly done very well. The only person I know who did not do well was in his 90's and had macular degeneration, so I don't think that counts.

I participated in several groups during COVID, and none of the women wore glasses. I was so jealous - then I found out that they had all had cataract surgery!

As PP said it's cataract surgery without the cataract - which comes with the added bonus that you will not need cataract surgery in future.

The most common complications are

Dry eyes - easily sorted with drops
Post operative swelling at the back of the eye - treated with steroid eye drops
Posterior capsular opacification (look it up) - this is quite common and is treated easily with a laser

I tend to see one of these complications a few times a week as opposed to the serious complications that I maybe see once a year or less.

Nowadays it's very easy to very accurately calculate the power of the lens implant needed so that you will not need any additional vision correction afterwards.

In a personal note my father and my aunt have both had it done with no complications and are delighted with their vision with no glasses

Thank you for the message. I really want to know if I can expect better vision from RLE than I get from glasses. It is unnerving to not be able to “try on” the prescription before it is inserted with no turning back.
I cannot see clearly at any distance without glasses now- it’s awful. Anything would be better than my unaided vision, but can it be guaranteed to be as good or better than vision with glasses? Does anyone know?

Somebody I know who had the cataract surgery told his wife, "The telly is working much better - we don't need a new one."
It was the same - but he could see it better!