While I was living in NJ, I heard of a guy who performed some kind of eye sugery. The way I understand it, it is basically a contact lens that is permanently implated into the eye. It is said to be cheaper & less risky than Lasik, and if you don't like the results, they can be removed. I have not heard of this since moving to PA. Does anyoe know about this? Is it just this one guy doing this, or are there others out there?

Paul:

When cataracts are removed a permanent lens is placed in the eye. It can correct refractive error, the way glasses or contacts do; however, I've never heard of anyone without cataracts having a healthy lens replaced (but I'm no expert).

Moe

Implantable contact lenses, known as phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs) to ophthalmologists, are presently being investigated as another refractive procedure. Phakic IOLs hold promise as potentially powerful refractive tools with almost unlimited potential to correct refractive errors (nearsightedness and farsightedness). At the present time, however, phakic IOLs are being studied in clinical trials to determine efficacy and safety. If FDA approved, phakic IOLs are expected to gain wide acceptance from ophthalmologists who have implanted IOLs in cataract patients for the past four decades with excellent results.

Ophthalmologist believe that the phakic IOL may prove to be a powerful addition to the present refractive armamentarium, especially for those individuals whose refractive errors presently fall out of the range for LASIK.

Implantable contact lenses, known as phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs) to ophthalmologists, are presently being investigated as another refractive procedure. Phakic IOLs hold promise as potentially powerful refractive tools with almost unlimited potential to correct refractive errors (nearsightedness and farsightedness). At the present time, however, phakic IOLs are being studied in clinical trials to determine efficacy and safety. If FDA approved, phakic IOLs are expected to gain wide acceptance from ophthalmologists who have implanted IOLs in cataract patients for the past four decades with excellent results.

Ophthalmologist believe that the phakic IOL may prove to be a powerful addition to the present refractive armamentarium, especially for those individuals whose refractive errors presently fall out of the range for LASIK.

You may be refering to a product called Intacs. Here is a thread about it.
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/Forum50/HTML/000504.html