The system involves inserting two lenses into the eye, one in front and one behind the iris. The two lenses act like a telescope, slightly magnifying the image and diverting it onto a healthier area of the retina.

Not all patients will achieve an improvement in vision and therefore a careful preoperative assessment with a simulator is essential to recreate the effect of the operation and ensure that the IOL-VIP system will be beneficial. To achieve the best quality vision after lens implantation patients are given a course of exercises to retrain the visual system and these are performed both before and after surgery. Support with these is provided by our low vision specialist.

Before the lenses can be implanted, laser iridotomy is carried out to create two small drainage holes in the iris. This is performed as an outpatient procedure in the consulting room after anaesthetic eyedrops have been given. These drainage holes provide an “escape route” to ensure that secondary glaucoma does not develop if subsequent lens implantation blocks the usual drainage channels of the eye.

On the day of surgery to implant the lens system the iris will be checked to ensure that the drainage holes are clear. Provided this is the case surgery to implant the IOL-VIP system can be carried out. This is usually performed under general anaesthetic on either a daycase basis or with an overnight stay in hospital and can incorporate cataract surgery.