Phakic Intraocular Lenses (ICLs)
Phakic Intraocular Lenses (ICLs)
What are phakic intraocular lenses?
Phakic intraocular lenses, also known as implantable contact lenses (ICLs), are implantable contact lenses which are surgically inserted into the eye where they provide excellent quality of vision with predictable and stable results. The latest phakic intraocular lenses treat a wide range of myopic (near-sightedness), hyperopia(farsightedness) and astigmatism.
In nearsighted people, the images of objects come to focus in front of the retina instead of on the retina. Phakic intraocular lenses cause the light which enters the eye to be focused on the retina to provide clear distance vision without any aid of glasses or contact lenses.
Advantages of Phakic Intraocular Lenses include:
- Able to correct high degrees of near-sightedness that cannot be corrected with other surgical procedures
- May be performed in patients who are not candidates for LASIK eye surgery due to corneal irregularity or thinness.
- Less likely to cause or contribute to dry eyes
- May be surgically removed.
How are phakic intraocular lenses implanted?
During an office visit one week before surgery, your ophthalmologist will use a laser to create a small opening between the lens and the front chamber of your eye. This allows fluid to pass between the two areas, thereby avoiding the buildup of intraocular pressure following the surgery. The ICL is surgically inserted through a small micro-incision just behind the iris in front of the eye’s natural lens. The ICL does not touch any internal eye structures and stays in place without maintenance. The implant does not treat presbyopia (difficulty with reading in people 40 years of age and older), so some patients may need reading glasses.
What to expect after ICL implantation surgery?
After the surgery, you may feel like something is in your eye, and you may be sensitive to light for the remainder of the day. You may have minor pains or discomfort, and if it gets severe rather than getting better, you must contact the eye specialist, Dr Beatty immediately. You will see Dr Beatty again the following day to make sure that everything is still in place and he will prescribe eye drops.
Your vision will stabilize over the next 2 to 4 weeks.
Although the ICL is intended to remain in place permanently, a certified ophthalmologist can remove the implant if necessary.
FAQ
A good candidate for an ICL is between 21 and 45 years of age and is myopic (nearsighted). It is preferable that the patient has not undergone any ophthalmic surgery and does not have a history of eye diseases such as iritis, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy.
If your vision changes dramatically after receiving the implant, your ophthalmologist can remove and replace it. If necessary, another procedure can be performed at any time.
No. The ICL is situated behind the iris (the coloured part of the eye), where it is invisible to both you and observers. Only your ophthalmologist will be able to tell that vision correction has taken place.
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