A surgeon holds a folded intraocular lens (IOL) for implantation beneath the iris.
ICL, which stands for implantable contact lens, is just that: a lens, much like a contact lens, implanted inside the eye. It’s like somebody putting their contact lenses in and never having to take them out.
The procedure’s results are very fast. The full effects aren’t quite seen on the day of the surgery, but typically, the patient will notice an incredible improvement in their vision by the next day. The healing process is also much faster than LASIK.
LASIK is an excellent option for patients with mild to moderate nearsightedness. Still, if you have moderate to severe nearsightedness, you’re probably not going to be a good candidate for LASIK. This is where the ICL really shines. For patients with moderate to severe nearsightedness, the results of the ICL are typically outstanding!
The ICL procedure usually takes about five to ten minutes per eye, and most people choose to have both eyes done on the same day; each eye is done about half an hour apart from the other. The surgeon makes a tiny incision on the eye, less than an eighth of an inch, and injects the rolled-up ICL into the eye through that incision. The ICL unrolls automatically, and then the surgeon tucks it under the colored part of your eye, the iris. And that’s it!
One of the most significant advantages of the ICL procedure is that the lens does not touch the cornea like LASIK does. This means that people with thinner corneas, at a higher risk for ectasia, or who will eventually have a thinning or weakening of the cornea, are still candidates for ICLs. This is true because the ICL can be removed from the eye if it bothers them later.
The ICL provides a higher quality of vision than pretty much any other refractive surgery, especially for those with higher prescriptions. Higher prescription eyes cannot be treated with LASIK, but the ICL, on the other hand, can address those with extremely high degrees of nearsightedness.