Implantable Contact Lens (ICL)
An implantable collamer lens (ICL) is an artificial lens that’s permanently implanted in the eye. The lens is used to treat:
- myopia (nearsightedness)
- hyperopia (farsightedness)
- astigmatism
Implanting an ICL requires surgery. A surgeon places the lens between the eye’s natural lens and colored iris. The lens works the eye’s existing lens to bend (refract) light on the retina, which produces clearer vision.
Some of the best candidates for ICL are those with high glasses/contact lens prescriptions. An ICL can offer the benefit of crisp, clear vision, free of halos and glare. A patient should be relatively young, between the ages of 21-45, since presbyopia and cataracts start to develop later in life and could impact the clarity of vision.
Weighing implantable contact lens pros and cons is important when considering this refractive surgery option. Talk to your doctor today about whether ICL is right for you.
Your doctor will make sure that you meet the parameters for which Visian ICL is approved before proceeding with the surgery. This includes certain age limitations and refractive error parameters. There may be concerns with the procedure’s safety if you have a chronic condition causing hormonal fluctuations, are taking medication that causes vision changes, have a condition that inhibits proper wound healing, or have problems with your corneal endothelium. Your doctor can discuss these with you in more detail.
Yes, it is reversible .It is possible to remove the lenses, but their removal requires another surgery.