
Refractive Lens Exchange
Modern RLE Surgery
No readers now & no cataract surgery later! Restore clarity and brightness to your vision with the new standard in Laser Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)—safer, gentler, and highly customizable—quite simply, this is the best technology in the world.
Refractive Lens Exchange
Enjoy perfect vision now.
Why wait until you need cataract surgery? Laser-assisted RLE with multifocal intra-ocular lenses make it so there are no needles, no blades, and no glasses afterward. This is the future of vision over 45!
Precision
Laser-assisted RLE surgery is a precise treatment that’s highly customized to each patient. The method allows for little to no discomfort during surgery and a more rapid recovery. Patients will experience a gentler lens removal versus traditional techniques, reduced inflammation, and no need for glasses or contacts after surgery.
Personalization
One size does not fit all. There are different options for you to choose from when it comes to your replacement lens. Your doctor will help you determine the best option for you based on your anatomy, expectations, and lifestyle. RLE pricing can be found on our Pricing page. We will walk you through the process and help you fully understand the costs, including what your insurance will and won’t cover, so you can make a confident, informed decision.
Performance
These are not your parents’ lenses! Technologically advanced multi-focal lenses can give you back the eyesight of your youth. Combined with state-of-the-art laser-assisted surgical equipment and over 80,000 successful lens replacement surgeries performed, our SharpeVision surgeons take RLE surgery to a new level.
Laser RLE
LASER-ASSISTED LENS EXCHANGE
Our state-of-the-art Surgery Suite is complete with the latest and greatest in laser-assisted surgery featuring the Ziemer Z8 laser and 3D heads-up display that allows the surgeon to view the surgery on a large screen instead of through the microscope.

What to expect
Modern RLE: Start to Finish
Comprehensive exam
A comprehensive, dilated examination is the only way to know which vision-correction procedure is best for you. While your exam involves comprehensive 3D diagnostic testing, it is also our opportunity to learn more about you, your expectations, and your lifestyle. All of these factors play an important role in recommending if RLE is the best procedure for you:
The complete exam can take up to 90 minutes. After all the data is collected, our doctor will examine you, discuss the treatment recommendation, and answer any questions you have. Your visit will include dilation of your pupils, which will affect your eyesight for about 4-6 hours, as you may have experienced with a routine eye exam.
Before Procedure
Depending on your pre-operative vision and desired visual result, your doctor will recommend a tailored treatment plan that includes creating ultra-precise laser incisions in the cornea and inserting a specific multi-focal lens. The team will discuss the various lens implant options that may eliminate glasses after RLE surgery.
Your doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drops that reduce swelling and the risk of infection. We’ll provide specific instructions on how to use them after surgery. Depending on your location, your surgery will be performed in either a hospital, an outpatient surgery center, or our state-of-the-art Surgery Suite. When you arrive, you will be checked in and asked to sign an informed consent document. You will be taken to a room and given drops to prepare your eye for the surgery. Depending on your surgery location, you will be given Valium or an IV for relaxation. Most people feel sleepy during the procedure.
Day of Procedure
Because every eye varies in size and shape, advanced 3D imaging builds a 3D map of each eye and tailors the treatment to that map. This mapping technology allows your doctor to create a customized treatment plan that matches the uniqueness of each eye.
During the procedure, eye drops are used to completely numb the eye—no needles are used at all. Your surgeon then uses the laser to create a circular opening for accessing and removing the lens. This opening is about 10 times more accurate than what is achieved by hand.
Post-Procedure
After your surgery, you will spend a short period of time resting in the outpatient recovery area before you are ready to be driven home. You should expect to have blurry vision and mild soreness after the procedure. You will see your doctor the very next day for your post-operative evaluation at your SharpeVision location.
ALL about RLE
EVENTS
September 20th
Check out Dr. Barker on New Day Northwest as he explains the benefits of RLE. New Day Northwest can be seen daily on King 5 @ 11am and streaming live on king5.com.
September 27th
Join us for a deep dive into RLE at our Bellevue location with Dr. Sharpe, Dr. Barker & Dr. Balani. Get all your questions answered and learn how RLE, not LASIK, is often the best choice for those over 45 to get rid of readers for good! Refreshments will be provided. Seattle-Bellevue location 6:00-7:00 pm
October 8th
Join surgeon Dr. Luke Barker for a virtual seminar on all things RLE! 6:00-7:00 PM Please RSVP for the zoom link below.

The Intraocular lens
Which IOL should I choose?
SharpeVision offers multiple types of intraocular lenses for multiple types of eyes and patient needs. The list of IOL options gets longer every year as the technology gets better. It is an encyclopedia of info on the pros & cons, design types, outcomes, and side effects that our doctors weigh based on what a patient wants to achieve with their vision, their hobbies and occupation, their eye history, and habitual use of glasses or contacts. Your doctor will then make a lens recommendation based on those factors and expectations, along with your unique eye anatomy. If a you have specific questions about the lens type that is recommended for you, your doctor will go into more detail and supply you with educational materials.

Refractive Lens Exchange
What is RLE?
Watch Video
Candidate Quiz
Are you Eligible?
Could Refractive Lens Exchange be right for you? There are some conditions that could exclude certain patients. Take our quick and easy candidate quiz to find out if RLE surgery could be your vision correction solution.
