Both procedures use similar techniques and offer excellent success rates, but they address different situations:
Lens replacement (RLE): This is an elective surgery for people with good vision who want to improve it further, especially by correcting presbyopia (age-related nearsightedness). During RLE, your natural lens, even if clear, is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).
Cataract surgery: This is a necessary surgery for people who have developed cataracts. Cataracts are a clouding of the natural lens in your eye, which significantly affects vision. Cataract surgery removes the clouded natural lens and replaces it with a clear artificial IOL to restore vision.