Refractive Surgery

Visian ICL

 

Visian ICL

Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) is a procedure very similar to cataract surgery.  However, unlike cataract surgery, the patient’s crystalline lens is not removed.  While it is a type of refractive surgery, no corneal tissue is reshaped or permanently removed.  The lens is constructed of Collamer that is collagen based and compatible with your body’s natural chemistry.  Visual improvement is immediate and permanent as long as the lens remains in the eye.  However, if in the unlikely event, a patient experiences issues with the lens it can be removed or replaced.  Additional benefits of the Collamer include UV protection and anti-reflectivity. 

The procedure is performed as outpatient surgery and is completed in 15-20 minutes.  One to two weeks before the procedure the patient will have a YAG laser iridotomy performed to make one or two small openings near the edge of the iris, which is the colored portion of the eye.  The openings are important to allow fluid in the eye to circulate around the new lens when it is inserted. 

To insert the ICL, a very small opening is created in the cornea.  The lens is folded into a special cartridge that allows the lens to be injected through the opening.  The lens will then open and settle into place.  During both the YAG laser and ICL implantation, patients are given topical anesthetic eye drops and medicine to relax so they do not experience any discomfort.