Last updated: 06/18/2009

Implantable intraocular lenses are a means of surgical vision correction other from LASIK and related laser-assisted procedures. Phakic intraocular lenses resemble contact lenses except that they are placed in front of the natural crystalline lens....

The term phakic simply means that a patient’s own lenses are still present within the eye, as opposed to those people that have had their own lens removed surgically (aphakic). In general, phakic intraocular lenses are implanted in people who desire vision correction surgery but may not be good candidates for laser vision correction, that is, people that would require too much laser ablation of the lens in order to achieve 20/20 or 20/40 vision. In many cases IOLs can provide better vision correction than LASIK. In contrast to regular contact lenses, phakic IOL lenses are permanent, do not need replacement, and, once implanted, cannot be felt or sensed by the patient.