Implantable Collamer Lens

ICL, is a micro thin lens implanted inside the eye, over the clear natural lens, to correct spectacle power. They are similar to contact lenses placed in eyes except that a contact lens is temporary and has to be put on a daily basis, whereas ICL is put inside the eye permanently. ICL is made in Switzerland and USA, and the order for the lens is placed as per measurements of your eye. The lens is then received by courier in about two week’s time. ICL is of two types, ICL Spherical and ICL Toric. Spherical ICL lens corrects only spherical power of glasses while Toric ICL lens corrects cylinder along with spherical power of glasses. It is made up of collamer material which is 100% biocompatible, meaning it is designed to function in harmony with your body’s chemistry. ICL surgery is stitch less, has best results & is US-FDA APPROVED.

Advantages of ICL over LASIK

• Suitable for up to -20 D myopia and less than or equal to -6D astigmatism. ICL is a safe spectacle removal option to patients with low to severe myopia, and astigmatism. Many patients with the very high power of glasses (typically -8D sphere and above) are not suitable candidates for LASIK, but ICL provides them with a safe and effective alternative for better sight without spectacles.
• UV Protection & highly biocompatible material The material that is used to make the ICL is a biocompatible product that protects the eye from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. This additional advantage of the procedure reduces the chances of developing eye conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration, both of which occur due to exposure to UV radiation.
• Reversible Procedure ICL is completely removable. It means that the doctor and the patient still retain the option of a change in ICL power, as well as that of a different surgical option. It is not possible with LASIK/ SMILE where the corneal curature is permanently altered. It allows the treating eye surgeon to make changes in accordance with changing technology as well as changing needs of their patients. Therefore, one of the important advantages of ICL is that even though it permanently corrects vision, it can be removed and/or replaced if necessary, using a very simple procedure.
• Better Night Time Vision ICL provides better night time vision than LASIK with lesser complaints of haloes, distortions of light and sensitivity to bright light.
• Stability of the Cornea The ICL surgery does not tamper with the stability of the cornea, as no corneal flap is raised, nor is any corneal tissue removed as in LASIK/SMILE. Because of the very small incision, about 3.5 mm, the procedure and recovery is fast. Most people can resume daily activities in just a few short days with clearer vision. One of the most common concerns people have about the laser-based correction is that the procedure permanently changes the shape of their eye by removing corneal tissue. The advantage of the ICL is that it can permanently correct your vision yet no natural tissue is removed or reshaped in any way during the procedure. LASIK/ corneal refractive procedures may cause progressive change in curvature of cornea (post LASIK ectasia), which may induce refractive error. In addition to this, even patients with thin corneas are eligible for the ICL, unlike LASIK. Therefore, several patients who were earlier denied spectacle removal surgery because of thin corneas can now be free of glasses.
• No Induced Dry Eye Dry eye is known & most common complication of LASIK. Almost all patients report symptoms suggestive of dry eyes after the LASIK surgery, and these symptoms variably persist for up to about six to twelve months. Even though this is not a serious complication regarding vision, it can hamper quality of vision. ICL surgery do not cause dry eye.
• Excellent Safety Profile The ICL has an excellent safety profile documented for almost three decades. Over 1millio ICLs have been implanted safely, with patient satisfaction rate of more than 99%.

Who is a Candidate for ICL Surgery? To be a suitable candidate for ICL, you should be:

• At least 21 years old
• Your specs number should be stable for about a year – minor changes do not disqualify you from becoming a candidate
• Ladies should not be pregnant or be breastfeeding
• You should not have any eye disease

Absolute Indications for ICL

• Eye power more than -8 dioptres up to -20 dioptres
• Cornea thinner than 450 microns
• Cylinder power of the eye more than 3.5 diopters
• Dry eye situations
• Any situation where LASIK is not a suitable option
• Thus ICL surgery is the safe & effective option for spectacle removal. It gives best results if specs power is -8 or more. In lower powers, they are preferred when the cornea is thin, if you have dry eyes and LASIK is not advisable.

Benefits of ICL Precise Vision Correction

ICL has been approved in Europe since 1997 and in the U.S. since 2005. Over 1 million eyes have been implanted with ICLs by certified, specialized surgeons with more than 99% patient satisfaction rate. In addition to that, one also gets the following benefits:

• Completely reversible & it does not change the other ocular structures
• No dry eyes
• High definition vision
• Excellent Night Vision
• Preferred choice in thin corneas
• UV protection
• Most people can resume daily activities in just a few short days with clearer vision