17/07/2015
The VISIAN Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) is a refractive surgery procedure in which an artificial lens is implanted in the eye in order to correct the refractive error. The VISIAN ICL is a form of phakic IOL that works in addition to the eye's natural crystalline lens, which is left inside the eye rather than being removed, as in refractive lens exchange.
How Does VISIAN ICL Work?
In myopic (nearsighted) patients, the light coming into the eye is not focused properly on the retina. This poor focus may be due to the eye's crystalline lens being either too weak or too strong to help focus light appropriately. By placing an artificial lens inside the eye, the light can be better focused on the retina, reducing the person's dependence on glasses and contact lenses. The artificial lens placed in the eye, in this case the VISIAN ICL, can be chosen depending on the refractive needs of the patient's eye.
Who are candidates for the VISIAN ICL?
The VISIAN ICL is used for myopic individuals with low amounts of astigmatism and who are otherwise not candidates for LASIK or PRK. Typically, very high levels of myopia or thin or irregular corneas are reasons why LASIK and PRK may not be the best choice for a person. In these cases, the VISIAN ICL can offer a good alternative to correcting the refractive error.
In general, candidates for the VISIAN ICL should be:
21 years of age or older: younger people may still have eyes that are growing.
Dissatisfied with wearing glasses or contact lenses.
Have had no change in glasses or contact lens prescription for at least a year.
Have otherwise healthy eyes.
Be willing to accept a small amount of risk associated with surgery.
Understand that glasses and/or contacts are occasionally still needed for some activities after surgery.
These conditions may prevent you from undergoing the VISIAN ICL surgery or other refractive surgeries. You should alert your eye surgeon if you have one or more of these conditions so that he or she can help you make the best choice about undergoing refractive surgery:
Condition:
Reason for caution:
Autoimmune diseases (ex: Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogrens syndrome, Lupus, scleroderma)May result in poor or inadequate healing after surgery. LASIK may cause activation of these diseases in the eye.DiabetesMay result in poor or Inadequate healing after surgery. Poorly controlled diabetes can cause unstable refractive error.Immune deficiencies (ex : HIV/AIDS, history of an organ transplant, undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, taking oral corticosteroidsMay increase chance of a severe eye infection after the surgery.History of Herpes Simplex or Zoster eye infections.May cause reactivation of the infection.History of other eye diseases (Glaucoma, Fuchs Dystrophy, Macular degeneration, Cataract, Ambylopia or lazy eye)May decrease the chance of success of surgery.Pregnancy or NursingCan cause temporary changes in the shape of the cornea.History of retinal detachment or eye traumaMay increase the risk of retinal detachment occurring after the VISIAN ICL surgery.
Examination prior to the VISIAN ICL surgery
Before you arrive at the doctor's office
If you wear contact lenses you must stop wearing them prior to surgeryтАУat least two weeks for soft contacts and one month for hard contacts. Contact lenses can cause mild warping of the corneal shape, which can interfere with the preoperative measurements of the eye and calculations for VISIAN ICL surgery.
Tests you may have at the doctor's office
The evaluation for VISIAN ICL surgery typically includes a complete eye exam of the front and back of the eye, plus several additional tests:
Your vision with and without glasses will be tested, as well as a refraction to determine if your current vision differs markedly from the vision corrected in your current glasses. If they do differ markedly, you may need to return for another visit several weeks later for a repeat refraction to insure that your prescription is not changing.
Your doctor
