VISIAN ICL

Implantable Collamer Lens | Implantable Contact Lens in St. Louis

Visian ICL, sometimes referred to as an implantable contact lens or implantable collamer lens, is a lens that is in sync with your body’s natural chemistry and is placed in the eye in a simple, 15-minute procedure. This type of corrective eye surgery encompasses Visian Toric ICL.

ICLs, also known as permanent contact lenses, correct a wide range of prescriptions and can be a good choice for patients with thin corneas, high astigmatism, too strong of a glasses prescription for LASIK, or a desire for the crispest, sharpest vision that lens implant surgery can provide. Brinton Vision offers multiple LASIK and vision correction surgery options that can help patients see clearly — including for many people who have been told they are not candidates for LASIK.

Most people who wear contact lenses would agree the most disturbing aspect of contacts is having to remove them; however, sometimes removal brings relief. The maintenance of contact lenses and the eye irritation some people experience can be downright inconvenient.

An ICL is placed alongside the eye’s natural lens and is hidden behind the iris. The patient’s natural lens remains intact and no corneal tissue is removed. The ICL corrects imperfections that lead to poor eyesight. While ICLs cannot be seen from the outside once in place, they deliver incredibly crisp vision – without the need for glasses or contact lenses!

Many LASIK centers in St. Louis pour their training, investments and advertising into LASIK but don’t offer LASIK eye surgery alternatives. After all, LASIK surgery holds a well-deserved spot as one of the most successful elective procedures in medical history. However, just as every person is unique, so are their eyes. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for vision correction surgery, for many patients, Visian ICL is the best option.

Your Brinton Vision Ocular Analysis will provide the information needed to develop a customized, personalized plan to help you obtain visual freedom.

Schedule an ocular analysis today

Is ICL safe?

Visian ICL technology may not be as well-known as LASIK but it has been proven to be safe and effective for decades. The first lens implant was placed in a human eye in 1949 by London Ophthalmologist Dr. Harold Ridley. He was later knighted by the Queen of England for his pioneering work. Ophthalmologists now have seven decades of experience with lens implants. Known globally as EVO Visian ICL and EVO Visian Toric ICL, ICL implants have been used internationally since 1993. More than 1 million eyes in 63 countries have received ICL implants, and that number is growing. Every six minutes, someone is given the chance at visual freedom that Visian ICL offers.

During ICL surgery, the Visian ICL is placed behind the iris (the colored part of the eye) and in front of the natural lens through a tiny self-sealing incision. Vision can be significantly improved immediately after surgery. Our patients tell us about waking up the next day with sharp, clear vision. As an added bonus, Visian ICLs contain an ultraviolet blocker that protects eyes from harmful UV rays.

What to expect on surgery day

An ICL procedure takes about 15 minutes, whether its Visian ICL or Toric ICL; however, you should plan to be at Brinton Vision for approximately two to three hours as we test you before and after the procedure. Come with a friend or family member who can drive you home, since your vision may be blurry in recovery.

Just as when you visit your optometrist for a routine eye exam, you don’t need to wear special clothing or change clothes on your procedure day. The only thing we will add to your ensemble is a blue surgical cap to wear during your procedure.

You’ll lie down on a comfortable bed and your surgeon will use anesthetic drops to numb your eye. A small, gentle eyelid holder or blink protector will be put into place so that you do not need to worry about blinking during the procedure.

A small slit measuring about 2.9mm will be made to the side of the cornea, and a small collamer lens designed for you is rolled up like a scroll, inserted through this slit and smoothed out into place. The tiny incision generally heals quickly, and vision is typically clear within a few hours of surgery. In the following days, most patients notice it becomes even sharper with healing.

What to expect after ICL

Following your procedure, our experienced surgical technicians will provide you with instructions as well as eye shields to wear at night for the first week so you don’t accidentally rub your eyes while you sleep. We’ll schedule follow-up examinations for a few hours after your procedure and the morning after surgery so Dr. Poore, Dr. Chesnut, Dr. Lant or Dr. Brinton can personally ensure that your new vision is progressing well.

Visian ICL patients typically experience little if any discomfort during or after the procedure. Most patients are able to resume regular activities, including returning to work, the day after surgery.

Patients tell us they do not feel the new lens or notice it’s there, and it’s not noticeable to others. Unless you share it with others (and we hope you do), only your surgeon will be aware that vision correction has taken place.

Although the Visian ICL is intended to remain in place permanently, a qualified ophthalmologist can remove or update the lens to meet changes in your vision needs or health circumstances.

Are you a candidate for ICL? Take the LASIK Self-Test

VISIAN TORIC ICL

The Visian Toric ICL provides a safe, proven treatment for people with severe myopia and steep astigmatism. This permanent implant is an effective solution for people with thin corneas, large pupils and/or a history of dry eyes, and it can help patients who have a relatively common degenerative eye disease called keratoconus without removing any delicate corneal tissue, as is required by other corrective approaches. The implanted lens, made from collamer, a collagen copolymer, is a removable option that offers lifelong vision correction.

The FDA spent 14 years investigating Visian Toric ICL before its approval in September 2018, making the United States the 64^th country to authorize its use. In 2018, Dr. Brinton was cited by STAAR Surgical as the #1 implanter of Visian ICL technology in the U.S.

On Oct. 22, 2018, Brinton Vision became the first provider in the United States to use Visian Toric ICL. It’s part of the Brinton Vision mission to help as many people as possible improve their lives through the priceless gift of vision.

Visian Toric ICL can correct or reduce myopia from as low as -3.0 diopters to -20.0 diopters with or without astigmatism. What that means is that Visian Toric ICL can correct severe myopia and steep astigmatism, even for those who weren’t eligible for vision correction in the past.

To find out if you are a candidate, schedule your comprehensive Brinton Vision Ocular Analysis today!

Schedule an ocular analysis today

Visian ICL FAQs

What is the difference between Visian ICL and Visian Toric ICL?

The original Visian ICL corrects only nearsightedness. The Visian Toric ICL has the ability to correct both nearsightedness and astigmatism.

Am I a candidate for ICL?

A good ICL candidate is typically 18 years or older and suffers from poor vision due to nearsightedness and/or astigmatism. You may be a good candidate for ICL even if you have been told that you are not a candidate for LASIK.

Will I experience halos and/or glare after my procedure?

Early after a vision correction procedure it is common to see halos and glare, particularly around lights at night. Our patients often say this is prominent at first, but dissipates over time to the point where it either completely goes away or is less noticeable. Glasses and contacts often have this same effect, as does applying artificial tears before driving at night.

How successful is Visian ICL?

To-date, Visian ICL has been used in more than 1 million patients worldwide with a success rate of over 99 percent [source: MICL PMA data]. Visian ICL is a premium and primary option for patients with nearsightedness and astigmatism, including those who are not candidates for LASIK.

Are there any risks to Visian ICL?

Vision correction surgeries are among the safest and most successful procedures available today. That being said, every human body is unique. No two eyes are alike, and all corrective options, including contact lenses, pose a risk of side effects and complications. At Brinton Vision, we minimize this by taking the time and utilizing the most advanced technology to ensure you are a good candidate for any of our procedures and achieve the outcome you desire. Still, there are no guarantees. Some patients may notice:

Under-correction or overcorrection. Often, the situation heals on its own, or we can do an adjustment to the procedure.
Dryness. While some vision correction procedures can cause dry eye, one benefit of Visian ICL is that, because none of the eye’s corneal tissue is removed, it does not induce dry eye syndrome. [2]
Night vision and other vision disturbances: Some patients report glares, halos and starbursts at night following surgery. These are fairly common during the healing period, but thanks to technological advances, our patients tell us that these symptoms dissipate as they eyes heal. An additional advantage of Visian ICL over all of our other six modern vision correction procedures is that the lens is removable, so you could go back to wearing glasses or contacts if desired.
Cataracts: Everyone who lives long enough develops cataracts. So, there is a small risk that cataract develops following ICL. If this happens, it is possible to remove the ICL and implant an intraocular lens to correct the cataract and the vision. Brinton Vision has never observed a cataract after Visian ICL surgery.

Risks of any vision correction treatment can be minimized with thorough testing, such as a Brinton Vision Ocular Analysis, which properly ensures patients are ideal candidates for the procedure. Also, there is no substitute for training and experience, and skillful use of the most modern technology. The FDA, which has approved a number of corrective devices as safe and effective, has published information available about LASIK risks. Any patient considering ICL surgery is encouraged to discuss all relative advantages, disadvantages, risks and benefits with a qualified vision correction surgeon trained and experienced in ICL surgery.

Testimonial

Dr. Jason P. Brinton (left) and actor Eve Torres Gracie, a patient who received Visian ICL implants, headline a symposium for doctors in Louisiana.

It’s been over six years since I’ve had Visian ICL and I still couldn’t be happier with my vision. Now, all I have to focus on is jiu-jitsu, empowering women and being a mom. – Eve Torres Gracie

[1] Naves, J.S. Carracedo, G. Cacho-Babillo, I. Diadenosine Nucleotid Measurements as Dry-Eye Score in Patients After LASIK and ICL Surgery. Presented at American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) 2012.
[2] Packer M. The Implantable Collamer Lens with a central port: review of the literature. Clin Ophthalmol. 2018;12:2427–2438. Published 2018 Nov 27. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S188785 AND Kojima T, Kitazawa Y, Nakamura T, et al. Prospective Randomized Multicenter Comparison of the Clinical Outcomes of V4c and V5 Implantable Collamer Lenses: A Contralateral Eye Study. J Ophthalmol. 2018;2018:7623829. Published 2018 Sep 5. doi:10.1155/2018/7623829