Phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs) are plastic or silicone lenses that are permanently implanted into your eye to correct near-sightedness, and reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Phakic lens implants redirect light rays on to your retina to allow your near-sighted eye to see distant objects more clearly.
Phakic means that the intraocular lens is implanted into your eye without removing its natural lens. This differs to cataract surgery, where the IOLs are implanted after your eye's cloudy natural lens (cataract) has been removed.
Phakic lens implants are used to correct refractive errors, when you have a problem focusing light on your retina due to the shape of your eye, particularly near-sightedness (myopia).
If you are near-sighted you have more difficulty seeing distant objects than near objects. The images of distant objects come into focus in front of your retina instead of on the retina, so objects faraway are out of focus or blurred.
Phakic lenses allow light entering your eye to be focused on the retina so that you have clear distance vision without wearing glasses or contact lenses.
Surgery is not required to correct near-sightedness. You can decide to wear glasses or contact lenses instead to give you better vision.
An alternative to phakic IOLs is laser eye surgery, including LASIK and PRK, for correcting myopia. However, not everyone is a good candidate for laser surgery, and it may not be suitable if you have: too much near-sightedness, an unusually thin or irregularly shaped cornea, or an eye condition such as keratoconus or dry eye syndrome.
If you have moderate to severe near-sightedness you may be better suited for phakic IOLs than laser surgery.
Mr David Jones
Dr David Jones is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Duchy Hospital in Truro, Cornwall
Read more
Mr Ashish Patwardhan
Mr Ashish Patwardhan is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Duchy Hospital in Truro, Cornwall
Read more
Mr William Westlake
Mr William Westlake is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Duchy Hospital in Cornwall.
Read more
Spread the cost of your treatment with fixed, monthly payments over a time period to suit you.
Find out more
We offer an alternative range of ways to pay, so you can choose which one best suits you and your finances.
Find out more
Use your private medical insurance to fund your treatment through our simple referral process.
Find out moreSurgery to remove the cataract and replace it with an artificial lens.
If you have a refractive error condition, the image of what you are looking at is not focussed properly on to your retina and this causes blurred vision.
Glaucoma is an eye disorder where your optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain, is damaged by the pressure of the fluid inside your eye.
Saint Piran Pro Cycling, the UK’s number one team, and Cornwall's Duchy Hospital, announce a partnership designed to help promote positive physical and mental wellbeing across Cornish communities.
Duchy Hospital have invested in the latest edition of the Body Jet liposuction machine, learn all about it from Plastic Surgeon, Mrs Rebecca Dunlop.
If you want to find freedom from uncomfortable or unsightly veins, our Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Mr Windhaber and his team are able to help. We go through the patiet journey for varicose vein treatment at Duchy Hospital.