Many people use contact lenses because they’re convenient and effective. But what if there was a more permanent solution that didn’t require extensive surgery?
Keep reading to learn about the Visian ICL. It is a unique option that can treat nearsightedness and astigmatism without contacts or glasses.
What is the Visian ICL?
The Visian ICL is an implantable collamer lens. Collamer is a mix of polymer and collagen.
The material is primarily natural and is biocompatible with your body. Your immune system is unlikely to reject collamer because of these biomimicking properties.
It gets permanently placed in your eye in front of your natural lens and can improve your vision if you astigmatism or nearsightedness.
How Does the Visian ICL Work?
Before ICL implantation, you will have an eye exam to assess your vision. Your eye doctor will ask about your optical and medical health to ensure you can have the procedure.
They will apply numbing eye drops about two weeks before your implant appointment. These drops also make a tiny hole in each eye, which supports healing after implantation.
During the procedure, your surgeon applies eye drops to dilate your pupils and numb your eyes. Then they use a laser or scalpel to make a tiny incision in your cornea.
After the incision is open, they insert and position the ICL for optimal vision. Your eye will heal without adhesive within a few weeks.
The procedure takes 20 to 30 minutes per eye, and most people see the difference within a few hours. But, you’ll need someone to drive you home after the procedure as your eyes adjust.
Your vision will continue to improve in the days after the appointment. Expect to return to daily activities within a day or two.
Follow all your doctor’s directions during the recovery period. They will prescribe eye drops to use for several weeks after the procedure. These are vital for the healing process.
You will also have follow-up appointments within a few days and a few months to assess your healing. Once it is in, you will not see or feel the lens, and other people cannot see it either.
What are the Benefits?
LASIK and other refractive procedures have a risk of dry eye. Those with dry eyes may not get these procedures because they don’t want to increase their symptoms.
Visian ICL does not have an increased chance of dry eye. The procedure is minimally invasive, and the lens works with your body.
Another distinct advantage of the Visian ICL is that it is removable. You can have it taken out if your eyes change.
Aging and disease can change your optical health and eye prescription strength. If your eyes dramatically change, your eye doctor may recommend removing the lens.
Changes to your eyes include things like cataracts, glaucoma, and presbyopia. If these changes occur in your eyes, you can have your ICL removed to treat the new condition. Vision correction procedures like LASIK do not provide this flexibility.
Who is a Candidate for the Visian ICL?
You may be a good candidate for the Visian ICL if you can’t have LASIK because of high prescriptions or thin corneas. You must also have mild to severe nearsightedness to be a candidate for the Visian ICL.
Patients should be between 21 and 45 years old, and your prescription must be stable during the year before the procedure. Does visual freedom with the minimally invasive Visian ICL sound exciting?
Schedule an appointment at EnVue Eye and Laser Center in Oxon Hill, MD. Come find out if the Visian ICL can give you the eyesight you’ve always wanted!
