Most people have heard of laser eye surgery, but there’s another option that might be even better suited to your needs: lens replacement surgery. Whether you’re struggling with cataracts or simply tired of being dependent on glasses, replacing your eye’s natural lens could be the answer you’re looking for.
What is Lens Replacement Surgery?
Think of your eye as a camera. Just as a camera has a lens to focus light onto its sensor, your eye has a natural lens that focuses light onto your retina. This lens sits inside your eye like a Smartie in its shell. During surgery, the surgeon carefully breaks open the outer ‘shell’, scoops out the inner lens, and replaces it with an artificial one. It’s rather like upgrading your camera’s lens to take better pictures.
There are actually two main types of lens replacement surgery: cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange (RLE). While the surgical procedure is essentially the same, the reasons for having each type are quite different.
Cataract Surgery: When Your Lens Goes Cloudy
Cataracts are a bit like having a frosted window in your eye – the lens becomes cloudy, making everything look misty or blurred. It’s an incredibly common condition as we age, affecting many people over 65. During cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial one, helping restore your vision to its former clarity.
Refractive Lens Exchange: For Clearer Vision
RLE is essentially the same procedure as cataract surgery, but it’s performed before any cataracts develop, purely to correct your vision. One significant advantage of RLE is that it can treat much more extreme prescriptions than laser eye surgery. The largest prescription corrected at Midland Eye Clinic was -27D compared to laser eye surgery which can treat up to -8D.
RLE is particularly beneficial for people over 45 who want to address both distance and reading vision issues simultaneously. If you’re going to have eye surgery, why not correct everything at once?
RLE is particularly good for people who:
- Are over 45 and want to correct both distance and reading vision
- Have a high prescription that might not be suitable for laser eye surgery
- Want to reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses or contact lenses
- Want to prevent future cataract surgery (since your new artificial lens can’t develop cataracts)
Choosing Your New Lens
When it comes to lens selection, factors to take into account include your lifestyle, eye health and your specific vision needs and preferences. Here are the main types of lenses available:
Monofocal Lenses
These lenses focus at one distance – usually far distance for driving and watching television. You’ll likely still need reading glasses, but they’re a reliable choice and are what the NHS typically provides for cataract surgery.
Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) Lenses
These lenses provide a more natural range of vision than traditional multifocal lenses, with excellent distance and intermediate vision, plus some near vision capability.
Multifocal Lenses
Available in various designs (bifocal, trifocal, and spiral), these lenses can help you see clearly at different distances.
However, it’s important to note that while these lenses can dramatically reduce your dependence on glasses, none can absolutely guarantee you’ll never need them again.
Toric Lenses: The Astigmatism Specialists
If you have astigmatism (where your eye isn’t perfectly spherical), these rugby ball-shaped lenses can help correct this while also improving your general vision. They’re available for extended depth of focus lenses and multifocal lenses to match your specific needs.
The Journey to Clearer Vision
The path to lens replacement surgery typically starts with a thorough consultation. While you can be referred by your GP to an NHS hospital for cataract surgery with a monofocal lens, you might want to consider a private clinic for more lens options.
Independent clinics like Midland Eye can offer a wider range of lenses than high street providers, allowing them to truly tailor the solution to your individual needs.
The surgery itself is usually performed under local anaesthetic, and most people can have both eyes treated on the same day. The procedure is remarkably quick, with the surgeon even being able to use advanced robotic-assisted laser technology to work in a space just 3mm deep!
The Financial Side
Lens replacement surgery typically costs between £3,000 and £4,000 per eye for private treatment. While this is more expensive than laser eye surgery, remember that you’re getting correction for both distance and reading vision (if suitable), and the results will last for life. Plus, you’ll never need cataract surgery in the future.
If you have cataracts, surgery is available on the NHS, though you’ll typically receive monofocal lenses. If you want multifocal lenses, you’ll have to seek a private clinic. Many private clinics offer payment plans, and private insurance policies should contribute to the cost of cataract surgery but not RLE.
- An alternative to laser eye surgery - 3rd October 2025
