Secondary Lens Implants

The term secondary lens implant is used to describe a procedure where individuals receive a lens implant where they previously had none. Most commonly this occurs in individuals who, because of trauma, lost their natural lens, or who had cataract surgery decades ago, prior to the routine use of lens implants. Secondary lens implants may also describe a procedure known as a "piggyback lens” implant. This is when a second lens implant is put adjacent to an existing lens implant to fine-tune the refractive state of the eye. This can be done after cataract surgery for individuals who have some degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness.