Bioptics – is your prescription too complex for regular laser eye surgery?

If you have been advised that laser eye surgery isn’t for you, you may have given up on a surgical solution for 20:20 vision. However, if you have a complex prescription that can’t be treated with regular surgery, bioptics could be the answer.

Here we explore how this surgery can help patients with high or complex prescriptions.

What is bioptics?

Bioptics is a tailored approach to vision care, which treats every individual differently according to their unique needs. In bioptic surgery, lens implant surgery and laser eye surgery are used in combination to provide the very best visual outcome for every patient.

What does it involve?

Bioptics begins with an assessment with your specialist, to determine your tailored treatment plan. Because most patients opting for bioptic surgery have complications that make them unsuited to regular laser eye surgery, this is an important stage, so that the surgeon can take into account every detail in order to ensure the best results.

• Those with cataracts then have cataract surgery to remove the cloudy lens causing their distorted vision.

• Short-sighted and long-sighted patients undergo lens implant surgery, which involves an artificial, permanent intra-ocular lens (IOL) being implanted into the capsular bag.

• Finally, advanced laser eye surgery is performed to fine tune the patient’s eyesight.

Am I a good candidate for bioptics?

Those with very high prescriptions who are not eligible for regular laser eye surgery are prime candidates for bioptic surgery. Regular laser eye surgery can typically only be performed on patients with prescriptions of up to -10, as beyond this level, the corneas are too thin to be reshaped safely. However, because bioptic surgery involves a combined treatment, it can be safely employed to treat higher prescriptions effectively.

In addition, bioptics is a great choice for anyone who wants to achieve the best possible visual outcome, beyond a standard one-size-fits-all approach. So, people who need good vision for their jobs may value the extra finesse that bioptic surgery offers.

Candidates for bioptics usually fall into one or more of the following categories:

• People with high hypermetropia (long sightedness)

• Those with severe myopia (short sightedness)

• Patients with cataracts

• Patients with astigmatism

What results can I expect?

The outlook for those undergoing bioptic surgery is good. While you will have to discuss your own individual expectations with your surgeon, many candidates achieve 20:20 vision.

Because bioptics involves highly skilled surgery in more than one field, it is relatively rare to find it on offer in the UK. OCL’s consultants possess experience in both lens implant surgery and laser eye surgery, and therefore one of the few surgeons offering this option to patients with high or complex prescriptions.