Clear Lens Extraction
What Is Clear Lens Extraction (CLE)?
- Clear lens extraction (CLE)—is similar to cataract surgery. Both CLE and cataract surgery involve removing your eye’s natural lens and replacing it with a synthetic lens.
- Clear lens extraction or CLE surgery is like cataract surgery, in fact, it is recommended as the refractive procedure of choice even in patients with early cataracts. During Clear lens extraction surgery, the natural lens of the eye is removed by phacoemulsification, as in the case of cataract, and replaced by an artificial lens.
- In most cases, the synthetic lens corrects for distance vision, usually requiring a pair of reading glasses for close work. Different synthetic lens replacement options include correction for both distance and near vision as well as lenses that can correct for astigmatism.
- This procedure may be used for patients who have farsightedness or near-sightedness combined with astigmatism. Presbyopic patients can also benefit.
Clear lens extraction surgery is the procedure of choice in the following situations:
- High Myopia - Nearsightedness or short-sightedness
- High Hyperopia - Longsightedness or far-sightedness
- High Astigmatism
Especially in the presence of:
- Presbyopia
- Early cataract
- Contraindications to LASIK
- Age over 40 years
Advantages of CLE
- CLEs are an alternative for patients who are not eligible for laser surgery.
- They correct high myopia (near-sightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness) that is out of the range of laser surgery and phakic IOLs.
- You will no longer develop a cataract since the lens has been removed and replaced by a clear implant.
- You will experience minimal postoperative discomfort.
Surgical Options for Clear Lens Extraction (CLE)
Implanting a traditional or monofocal lens in both eyes: This gives the patient the best corrected distance vision. The patient will require reading glasses after surgery for near work.
Doing a mono-vision correction – The second option is to use a traditional monofocal lens in both eyes, which means that the dominant eye (usually) is corrected for distance and the non dominant eye is under corrected so the patient can see up close.
Using multifocal lenses – These specialty intraocular lenses divide the light that enters the eye into two primary focal points. One is for distance vision; the other is for near vision. These lenses are good for patients who are motivated to have distance and near without glasses or mono-vision.
Dr. Palak Agrawal
MBBS, DNB (Gold medalist), FICO, FRS, MNAMS , MRCS (Ed)
Cataract & Refractive surgeon
