Candidates for the Visian ICL are between 21 and 45 years of age, suffer from myopia (nearsightedness), and want to experience superior vision correction. The ideal Visian ICL candidate has not undergone any ophthalmic surgery and does not have a history of eye disease such as iritis, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy.
Anyone seeking clearer vision may be a Visian ICL candidate, including those with special or extreme vision correction needs.
Ophthalmologist will insert the Visian ICL through a small micro-opening, placing it inside the eye just behind the iris in front of the eye's natural lens. The Visian ICL is designed to stay in position with no special care.
No, most patients state that they are very comfortable throughout the procedure. Your ophthalmologist will use topical anesthetic drops prior to the procedure and may choose to administer a light sedative as well.
The Visian ICL is made of Collamer®, a highly biocompatible advanced lens material which contains a small amount of purified collagen. Collamer does not cause a reaction inside the eye and it contains an ultraviolet blocker that provides protection to the eye. Collamer is a material proprietary to STAAR Surgical Company.
One advantage of the Visian ICL is that it offers treatment flexibility. If your vision changes dramatically after receiving the implant, your surgeon can remove and replace it. If necessary, another procedure can be performed at any time.
br> Patients can wear glasses or contact lenses as needed following treatment with the Visian ICL. The implant does not treat presbyopia (difficulty with reading in people 40 and older), but you can use reading glasses as needed after receiving the Visian ICL.
The surgical procedure to implant the Visian ICL is simple and painless.
As a Visian ICL candidate, your surgeon will prepare your eyes one to two weeks prior to the procedure by using a laser to create two very small openings in the colored part of your eye which lies between the lens and the front chamber of your eye. This allows for the natural passage of fluids between the two areas, thereby avoiding the build up of intraocular pressure following the treatment.
The implantation procedure itself takes about 15 minutes and is performed on an outpatient basis and you will have to make arrangements for someone to drive you to and from the procedure.
o You can expect to experience very little discomfort during the Visian ICL implantation. You will undergo treatment while under a light topical or local anesthetic, perhaps with the addition of a mild sedative. Following surgery, you may use prescription eye drops or oral medication. The day after surgery, you will return to your surgeon for a follow-up visit. You will also have follow-up visits one month and six months following the procedure.
The Visian ICL is designed to be completely unobtrusive after it is put in place. It stays in position by itself and does not interact with any of the eye’s structures and you should not feel it's presence.
Although the Visian ICL is intended to remain in place permanently, ophthalmologist can remove the implant if necessary.
No. The Visian ICL is positioned behind the iris (the colored part of the eye), where it is invisible to both you and observers. Only your surgeon will be able to tell that vision correction has taken place.