Unsuitable for laser eye surgery? Learn how implantable contact lenses enable you to live glasses-free

What does ICL mean?

• The implantable contact lens is a transparent, highly biocompatible lens. It’s made from Collamer that permanently corrects ametropia.
• It can be used for nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism.
• The EVO Visian ICL is implanted every 3 minutes worldwide. It has been an established correction procedure for ametropia for 20 years.
• EVO Visian ICL has been implanted worldwide since 1993. More than 1 000 000 ICL lenses have been implanted. Continuous development of the lens has made it the most widely used phakic lens in the world.

Even if you have already been told that laser treatment is not possible for you, or you would like to have a reversible procedure to correct your refractive error, you do not have to give up a spectacle-free life.

EyeLaser specializes in the correction of ametropia. We offer both the correction of ametropia using lasers and implantable lenses. EyeLaser is already implanting the latest generation of the EVO + Visian ICL with an even greater optic. This can reduce the risk of so-called halos. As part of an extensive preliminary examination, the surgeon will decide which treatment method is most suitable for you. Due to the excellent image quality, we usually implant the EVO Visian ICL in the following cases:

• In patients with thin corneas
• For chronically dry eyes or contact lens intolerance
• When the patient wants a reversible correction procedure
• If the cornea is noticeable
• For patients with very severe ametropia

With the use of Phakic Lenses (ICLs), we can even correct severe visual defects with more than -8 and +3 diopters and astigmatism. In this method, we use a scalpel to make a small tunnel incision in the cornea. Through this tunnel, we insert a foldable artificial lens made of Collamer (ICL) into the eye.

This phakic lens with a certain power corrects the visual defect in the eye. The surgeon inserts the lens between the iris and the natural lens. It is neither visible nor noticeable.

EVO Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer lens)

In the first step, the surgeon numbs the eye using eye drops and prepares the lens.

To protect the cornea and lens of the eye, the surgeon injects a protective gel (viscoelastic).

The surgeon implants the lens through a 3.00 mm opening at the edge of the cornea.

Once the surgeon has positioned the lens, they remove the protective gel.

The surgeon will check the fit of the lens during a postoperative check on the day after treatment using special OCT technology.

What advantages does the EVO Visian ICL offer?

• Due to its reversibility, the ICL implantation has no effect on subsequent eye treatments.
• The lens does not cause dry eyes and also offers UV protection
• The treatment spectrum ranges from -0.50 to -18.00 dpt for myopic patients and +0.50 to + 10.00 dpt for farsighted patients. A corneal curvature can be corrected up to 6dpt.
• Due to the special material, an optimal visual result is achieved even with very high ametropia.
• Also suitable for eyes with thin corneas
• Due to the very high proportion of collagen, the EVO Visian ICL is extremely well tolerated and cannot grow together with the eye.
• The Collamer material offers additional UV protection for the eye.
• Due to the high water content and the optimal refractive index, an optimal result can be achieved even with highly ametropic patients.
• The very good compatibility is due to the biocompatible material. This is patented by the manufacturer STAAR Surgical and is therefore not available in any other lens.

Risks & side effects

In some cases, we also combine ICL surgery with a LASIK operation to improve vision further. First, we use an artificial lens to roughly correct the ametropia. After approximately three months, we can perform a LASIK operation. This will fine-tune any astigmatism or residual ametropia.

Patients tolerate the implantation of lenses well and without complication. Inflammation inside the eye can occur in less than 0.1% of cases. The low risks include an increase in intraocular pressure (glaucoma), halos (light effects, for example, when driving a car), glare (night glare) and starlings (fine cloudiness). These can be minimized in advance or eliminated after the operation. Please follow the instructions and the drip plan of the treating surgeon exactly and keep your check-ups.

Treatment with artificial lenses:

In some cases, laser eye surgery is not possible or not at low risk, e.g. if the diopter value is too high or the cornea is too thin. In this scenario, the surgeon would need to remove too much tissue, or halos might occur.
For such patients, we also offer refractive lens surgery without a laser. Here we insert an additional artificial lens into the eye or replace the natural lens with an artificial one.

The use and safety of ICL lenses have been scientifically proven in numerous scientific studies. In centres where ICL procedures are routinely performed, complications are rare. Still, you should adhere to the highest safety criteria after every procedure. If you have any doubts, contact the attending physician.

The preparation

We first disinfect your facial area. You will receive a local anaesthetic in the form of eye drops or a syringe next to the eye. Your eyelids are fixed. All this is symptom-free and pain-free.

The cut

We use a knife to make a very small and precise tunnel incision at the edge of the cornea.

The artificial lens

We insert the foldable phakic lens through the incision.

The conclusion

After the procedure, we will apply a temporary eye patch to protect your eye from environmental factors.