What are the lenses made out of?
Visian ICL is made from Collamer, which consists of collagen – a substance that is naturally found in the body. It’s a unique material that delivers a wide range of benefits. It’s biocompatible and created to be in natural harmony with your eye, so your body won’t recognize it as a foreign object. Thanks to the inherent softness and flexibility of the material, the lenses also feel extremely comfortable. And finally, Collamer provides your eyes with UV protection.
What to expect during the procedure
To begin surgery, Dr. Benjamin will apply a topical anesthetic and sedative to minimize discomfort and ensure that you’re at ease throughout the procedure. From there, he will create one or two very small incisions at the base of the cornea and apply a gel-like substance to protect your eye, before delicately placing your implantable contact lens. The entire procedure takes about 30 minutes to complete and you should notice an immediate improvement in your vision. Additionally, you should be able to resume your normal daily routine within a day or two.
Once the procedure is complete, we will provide you with eye drops to use for several days. These drops will reduce the risk of infection and inflammation. You’ll need to have a friend or family member take you home, as you won’t be able to drive. Dr. Benjamin will want to see you within 24 hours to monitor your eye’s internal pressure and ensure that you’re progressing as planned.
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Can Visian ICL correct my vision?
Visian ICL is intended to correct moderate to high nearsightedness (-3.0 to -20.0). In general, Dr. Benjamin will require that your vision is stable for at least a year before he will agree to perform this procedure.
Are you a candidate?
Visian ICL can be a terrific way to improve your vision, but the procedure is not right for everyone. In general, you will need to meet the following requirements to be considered an ideal candidate for implantable contact lenses:
- Between the ages of 21 and 45
- Possess acceptable anterior chamber depth and eye tissue cell density (this will be determined by Dr. Benjamin during a comprehensive eye exam)
- No known allergies to medications used during refractive surgery
- No history of eye surgery or disease, such as iritis or glaucoma
- Stable vision for more than one year
- Not currently pregnant or nursing
- Minor or no astigmatism
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Risks
In general, Visian ICL is extremely safe. However, there are risks associated with any refractive procedure, and implantable contact lenses are no different. The most common complications include:
- Over or under correction. Dr. Benjamin goes to great lengths to ensure that your eyes are corrected appropriately with the right prescription lenses. However, if the wrong prescription strength is determined, the lenses will need to be removed and replaced with an additional procedure.
- Infection. All surgical procedures are associated with a risk of infection. However, Dr. Benjamin does everything within his power to prevent this from happening by ensuring the use of sterile instruments and administering preventative treatments.
- Vision problems. With any refractive procedure, there is a risk of vision problems after surgery. These include residual halos and a glare around lights.
Visian's Toric ICL
Benjamin Eye Institute is excited to announce that it will be one of the first providers to offer the new Visian Toric ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens). This new addition to the Visian line was recently approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
What’s New About the Vision Toric ICL?
Like the standard Visian lens, the Toric is an implantable device made of Collamer, a material made with collagen that is biocompatible with your eye. Soft and flexible, this material is easy to implant. It allows visible light to pass through unaltered but provides protection against UV light.
The Visian Toric ICL is designed to treat both astigmatism and near-sightedness (myopia). It takes its name from the term “toric,” which refers to contact lenses with two curves that are used to treat blurred vision. Up to now, additional surgical procedures or LASIK were required to fully address astigmatism in patients receiving ICLs.
How Well Does It Work?
Of the almost half a million ICLs that have been implanted around the world, almost 120,000 have been Toric ICLs. More than three-fourths of patients who receive the Toric lens end up with vision as good as or better than the best vision they were able to achieve with glasses.
What Are the Advantages of the Toric ICL?
The Toric ICL is an important new tool that offers significant advantages to patients:
- Each Toric ICL is made for the specific eye that is being treated.
- Like other ICLs, it can be removed at a later date if you change your mind about using an ICL or if your vision needs additional correction.
- It is a valuable option if you have both astigmatism and myopia and are not a candidate for LASIK due to thin corneas, dry eyes or a high prescription.
