Implantable Collamer Lens

The NBC Today show aired a segment featuring a live ICL surgery. Click here to watch it.

This link will bring you to the post op NBC Today show piece. They did a follow up to the story telling the viewing audience that the patient had already gone down to the DMV and passed his vision screening, and he is now carrying a non-restricted drivers license.

The Surgery

Prior to the surgery a surgeon will make two microscopic holes in the iris. Your eye will be numbed with a light, topical or local anesthetic. Once the eye is numbed the surgeon will make 2 side port incisions and one main temporal incision that is critical to the insertion process. Next the surgeon will insert the ICL through the main temporal incision and place the lens behind the iris and in front of the crystalline lens. This insertion procedure is typically performed one eye at a time. There is very little discomfort and normally no pain associated with the procedure. Some drops or perhaps oral medication may be prescribed and a visit is usually scheduled the day after surgery. Patients will be advised to arrange for someone to drive them to and from surgery.

Are you a Candidate?

Most individuals who suffer from extreme nearsightedness will have a solution for their poor vision. The ICL provides an opportunity to those individuals who are not candidates for LASIK eye surgery. Some people cannot have LASIK for reasons ranging from high prescriptions to thin corneas. The ICL will now give these patients the opportunity to experience the same lifestyle change that LASIK has brought to millions.

You're likely a good candidate for ICL if:

• You have extreme to moderate nearsightedness
• You have thin corneas and are not a LASIK candidate
• You have a history of dry eye
• You have large pupils

The Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens), created by STAAR® Surgical Company, is a phakic intraocular lens (IOL) for the treatment of myopia and other refractive errors. Staar® provided the following questions & answers. For more Information on this device, click here.