phakic

A term used to describe an eye that has its natural lens still in place.  This is opposed to the term “pseudophakic,” which is a person who has a plastic implant in their eye (such as after cataract surgery).  If a person has NO lens in their eye (neither their natural lens or cataract implant), we would call this person “aphakic.” Aphakia is rare these days, and usually only occurs after trauma or difficulties with prior cataract surgery where a new lens couldn’t be implanted.