IntraLase is the most sophisticated and accurate technology today.
The Verisyse Lens & The Visian ICL
The Verisyse Phakic IOL and Visian ICL are designed to treat patients who are extremely nearsighted, and for whom LASIK may not be a viable option. The Verisyse lens and Visian ICL act like a contact lens that is implanted in front of the iris to improve your vision. And unlike cataract surgery and some other implant procedures, the eye’s natural crystalline lens is left in the eye, allowing your focus to easily adjust between objects that are far and near.
In a healthy eye, light is focused onto the retina at the back of the eye by passing through the cornea and the lens. Signals are then sent from the retina to the brain via the optic nerve, where they are translated into the images you see. In nearsighted eyes, the cornea’s shape is too steep, causing the light to focus at the wrong point on your retina. The Verisyse lens is designed to correct this problem by refocusing light directly onto the retina, leaving you with clearer vision.
During the procedure, a small incision is made in the cornea to allow the Verisyse lens to be placed between the cornea and the iris. The artificial lens is then attached to your iris and centered in front of the pupil, and the incision is closed with microscopic stitches. The Verisyse lens is meant to be permanent, but the procedure is reversible.
These implants are ideal for patients with high corrections who might not have been candidates for LASIK. Because of the effectiveness of the artificial lens, the cornea is not reshaped, allowing for safe correction and the possibility of a future LASIK procedure should your prescription change.
Dr. Vance Thompson is a pioneer in the field of laser vision correction and a leading researcher of refractive surgery implants. In February of 2004, his expertise on this innovative procedure took him to Washington D.C., where he was one of two surgeons in the country invited to testify about his research and experience.
ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens)
A solution for patients with high amounts of nearsightedness, the ICL is a revolutionary refractive lens that can correct vision up to –15 diopters of nearsightedness. The ICL procedure has been repeatedly improved through years of studies and continued refinement. This lens is a posterior chamber implant that is situated behind the iris and in front of the natural crystalline lens. It is also know as a Phakic IOL. The surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, which means that a patient has surgery and leaves the same day.
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, with surgery on the second eye 1 to 2 weeks later. 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?
Individuals who suffer from extreme nearsightedness now 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
