Visian™ Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL)

San Francisco, Bay Area, and San Jose, California

The Visian™ Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) is a type of phakic intraocular lens used to correct severe to moderate myopia. It is surgically placed in your eye, and it serves as a permanent solution to your vision problem. If you are not a suitable candidate for LASIK or PRK, then the Visian ICL may be the ideal option to correct your refractive error.

The Visian ICL is made from a soft foldable polymeric material called Collamer. Both Collamer and your cornea are primarily made up of collagen. As a result, the Visian ICL is biocompatible with your eye and there is no risk that your body will reject the lens. Since the procedure does not involve the removal of corneal tissue, it is often an excellent option for people with corneas that are too thin to accommodate LASIK.

Am I a Candidate for the Visian ICL?

Ideal candidates for the Visian ICL meet the following criteria:

• Between the ages of 21 and 45
• Do not have a prior history of eye disease
• Have not undergone previous eye surgery procedures
• Suffer from myopia ranging from -3.0 to -20.0 diopters
• Have astigmatism less than or equal to 2.5 diopters
• Have sufficient anterior chamber depth and acceptable endothelial cell density
• Have maintained a stable eyeglass prescription for at least one year

The Visian ICL Procedure

Your Visian ICL procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and takes between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. Generally, only one eye will be treated at a time.

San Francisco ophthalmologist Dr. Gary Kawesch will administer anesthetic eye drops to numb the region. A small incision is made in your cornea and the Visian ICL is inserted in between the iris and your eye’s natural crystalline lens. Dr. Kawesch will make sure the ICL is centered behind the pupil and supported by the inside walls of the eye before closing the incision.

You will experience minimal downtime, and you should most likely be able to resume normal activities the night of your surgery. However, Dr. Kawesch may instruct you to wear a protective shield over your eye for several days to prevent infection.

 Effective Results

You should notice a substantial improvement in your vision almost immediately following the procedure, although it may take several days before you experience optimal results. There is a very high success rate for Visian ICL procedures. Approximately 95% of patients achieve vision of 20/40 or better (the legal requirement to drive without corrective lenses) and nearly 60% of patients achieve vision of 20/20 or better.

While the Visian ICL is considered a permanent solution to correct your refractive error, it is possible to remove or replace the lens down the road if necessary. This is an additional benefit compared with other surgical options such as LASIK or PRK, which are not reversible.

Please contact our San Francisco ophthalmologist today to schedule your free initial consultation. Dr. Kawesch serves patients in the San Francisco, Bay Area, and San Jose, California areas.

1.800.725.0740