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SINGAPORE : For those with myopia, Lasik surgery is often seen as an alternative to wearing spectacles or contact lenses.
Now there is another option, which involves implanting contact lenses into the eye.
One in five Singaporeans wears glasses by the time they enter Primary One.
By the time they are 18, that proportion jumps to 83 per cent, with one in 10 suffering from severe myopia.
Doctors have said implantable contact lenses can correct common eye problems like short-sightedness and astigmatism.
A tiny incision is made in the cornea, and the lens inserted behind the iris.
All it takes is 10 minutes under the knife, and one does not need to stay overnight at the hospital.
In addition, because of the type of material used, there is little risk that the lens will be rejected by the eye.
In all, doctors said there is a less than 1 per cent chance of complications.
Associate Professor Leonard Ang, medical director, Eye and Cornea Transplant Centre, said: "Some of the risks include the formation of the clouding of the lens, what we call cataract. This clouding of the lens is usually mild, and if detected early, we just remove the lens and no further formation of the cataract will occur.
"Other complications like infections or inflammation are very rare, and these are usually treatable with medication."
This sounds like potentially good news for spectacle-wearers. However, it costs about S$3,000 to S$5,000 just to have one lens implanted. That is three times more than an average Lasik surgery.
But convenience, rather than cost, was the main consideration for Karen Lee, who opted for the contact lens implants.
She said: "It helps me a lot, especially at night, because I have to send my kids for enrichment classes. So I am not afraid, I know that is the correct bus number..."
In Singapore, 300 patients have opted for the procedure since 2005. - CNA/ms
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