Is LASIK or Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) the Better Choice for You?
Two procedures dominate the vision correction conversation for adults whose eyes have started to change, and they work on entirely different parts of the eye. Which one a surgeon recommends turns on a question most patients have never been asked. Is LASIK or Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) the better choice for me? The choice between LASIK and Refractive Lens Exchange depends primarily on which part of the eye is causing the vision problem. LASIK reshapes the cornea and suits adults whose natural lens still focuses clearly. Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), also called Custom Lens Replacement, replaces the eye’s natural lens and is generally considered for adults over 50 whose lens has begun losing focusing ability. Prescription type also shapes which procedure a surgeon recommends. Matthew Hammond, M.D., board-certified ophthalmologist, Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery, and co-founder of Carrot LASIK & Eye Center, evaluates what the natural lens is doing befo...