Permanent Visian Implantable Collamer Lenses Replaces Contacts Lenses
Thanks to a newly approved vision correction surgery, which involves permanently inserting a special lens into the eye. The Visian ICL, or Implantable Collamer Lens, removes the need for temporary contact lenses.
The device, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December, is a new option for a small number of individuals who do not qualify for Lasik surgery, a popular vision correction procedure that uses a special laser to reshape the cornea.
In the past, patients were turned away from the Lasik procedure if they were very nearsighted, had pupils that were too large, or a cornea that was too thin.
The Visian ICL surgery offers those patients an opportunity to be free from both glasses and contact lenses, said Vos, an ophthalmologist with the Wolfe Eye Clinic.
To be eligible, a patient must be 21 to 45 years old, with no previous eye surgery or disease, such as glaucoma, iritis (inflammation of the colored part of the eye), or diabetic retinopathy.
The surgery costs $3,200 per eye, and is not covered by insurance, Vos said. By comparison, Lasik costs $2,150 per eye.
If a patient's vision happens to change dramatically, the lens can be removed or replaced. People who have slight changes in their vision as they get older may need to use reading glasses, Vos said, and implantable bifocals or Lasik are other options.
Filed under Cataract Surgery, Contact Lens, Eye Treatment, Lasik Eye Surgery
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