Refractive lens exchange

What it is

Refractive lens exchange (RLE) replaces the natural lens of your eye with an artificial lens. It is the same procedure as cataract surgery, done before a cataract forms. The goal is to reduce how much you rely on glasses, including reading glasses. Your surgeon removes the natural lens and places an intraocular lens (IOL) inside the eye. Because the natural lens is gone, a cataract cannot form in that eye later. Some people develop clouding behind the new lens over time. This is called posterior capsule clouding. It is usually treated with a quick laser in the office.