Tersigni Vision: What Is Refractive Lens Exchange?

Lake Oswego, Oregon -

Lake Oswego, OR based Tersigni Vision recently released an article about the Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) procedure they offer to patients in the Portland area. The article talks about what the procedure is, explores its benefits and answers frequently asked questions about the procedure.

According to the article, RLE is a popular alternative to LASIK surgery that can be used to address vision issues that come about as a result of aging. As a person approaches and crosses 40 years of age, parts of the eye deteriorate and become less responsive, but the clinic says there are several solutions that can help, and RLE is just one of the options at a patient’s disposal. At Tersigni Vision, every patient will be thoroughly examined during their initial consultation to determine whether they are a good candidate for any of the available procedures, and the clinic will formulate a personalized treatment plan to address all their needs.

The article notes, “Tersigni Vision offers the most vision correction options in Portland to help keep your eyes youthful and your vision clear. Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), sometimes referred to as Custom Lens Replacement Surgery, is an attractive alternative to LASIK surgery that can help resolve age-related vision issues while also eliminating the need for cataract surgery in the future.”

Early on in a person’s life, their lens is able to flex, manipulating light inside the eye so as to allow them to focus on nearby objects with ease. Over time, this lens undergoes several changes, and the resulting deterioration causes a loss of near vision (known as presbyopia), which is when the patient will begin to require reading glasses or bifocals. As the deterioration continues, the lens will also begin to harden and become yellow and cloudy, forming a cataract. Tersigni Vision says this cloudiness interrupts the natural flow of light within the eye, reducing the quality of the patient’s vision as well as the accuracy of their color perception. Everyone experiences this to some degree as they age, and the clinic says the process is known as Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome (DLS).

In the past, people had to accept this loss of vision as a part of life, but this is fortunately no longer the case. Advancements in the field now mean that Refractive Lens Exchange can provide an excellent long-term solution for many patients who are experiencing DLS with no more than a 15 minute procedure.

“Patients in their mid-40s and beyond are typically good candidates for Refractive Lens Exchange,” states the article. “During an RLE treatment, the eye’s natural lens is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens, also known as an IOL. The new lens can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia and prevents cataracts and the need for future cataract surgeries. As a result, many patients no longer need glasses after RLE and experience freedom like never before as they see life more clearly."

Each patient’s condition is unique, so the RLE treatment they undergo may not be exactly the same as another’s. Their eye health and lifestyle are taken into account when determining the precise course of treatment, for instance, and the clinic says a variety of lenses can be implanted depending on what the patient’s needs are. Overall, however, the goal is always to improve their vision, free them from having to rely on less subtle solutions and even prevent the need for future cataract surgery (among several other benefits).

The article adds, “Refractive Lens Exchange is a permanent vision correction solution with lifelong results. The eye’s natural lens is replaced with a specially designed intraocular lens that cannot grow or change. As long as your eye stays healthy, we expect the vision to stay stable long term.”

The fastest way for anyone to discover whether they are a candidate for RLE is for them to get in touch with the clinic’s staff and schedule a consultation. The team will administer a comprehensive examination and determine which procedure would be best for their personal requirements, following which a treatment plan will be devised. Tersigni Vision can be reached via phone or email, and patients are welcome to contact the clinic via social media as well.