Q: How can I tell if I am a good candidate for Visian ICL implantation?
A: Patients who are suitable for Visian ICL should be between the ages of 18 and 50, have nearsightedness (with or without astigmatism) or farsightedness, and want to achieve better vision correction. The ideal patient for Visian ICL should ideally not have had any eye surgery and not have a history of some eye disease such as iritis, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.
Almost anyone seeking clearer vision correction may be a good candidate for Visian ICL, including those with special requirements or those seeking perfect vision correction. Patients can contact a Visian ICL-certified ophthalmologist for a consultation and examination to obtain more information and to evaluate their suitability for the procedure.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not undergo Visian ICL surgery at this time. Also, people with insufficient anterior chamber depth or low corneal endothelial cell density are not suitable for Visian ICL surgery.
Q: Where is the Visian ICL implanted?
A: A trained ophthalmologist will implant the Visian ICL into the eye through a tiny incision, behind the iris and in front of the lens. The Visian ICL is designed not to contact any intraocular structures and no special care is required once it is implanted in the eye.
Q: What is the track record of Visian ICL?
A: Visian ICL has been extensively researched and refined before it was introduced to the market. Now, more than 300,000 patients worldwide have received Visian ICL implants. In FDA clinical trials, more than 99% of patients were satisfied with the results of the procedure, and Visian ICL has a track record of stable clinical outcomes with consistently excellent results.
Q: Is the procedure painful?
A: No. The ophthalmologist will apply surface anesthesia and may also administer some weak oral sedation. Most patients feel relatively comfortable throughout the procedure, with a little eye swelling at times.
Q: What materials are used to make the Visian ICL?
A: Visian ICL is made of Collamer®, a highly biocompatible, advanced crystalline material containing a small amount of purified collagen.Collamer does not cause any reaction in the eye and also has a UV filter to protect the eye.Collamer is a patented STAAR Surgical The material is patented by STAAR Surgical.
Q: What should I do if my vision changes after the Visian ICL is implanted?
A: One of the advantages of the Visian ICL is the flexibility of its treatment. If there is a significant change in your vision after the Visian ICL is implanted, your doctor can remove or replace the lens. A repeat procedure can be performed at any time of need. After the Visian ICL is implanted, patients can also wear glasses or corneal contact lenses as needed. The lens does not treat presbyopia (difficulty reading in patients over 40 years of age), but you will still be able to read with presbyopic glasses as needed after the Visian ICL is implanted.
Q: What kind of surgical procedure is required to implant a Visian ICL?
A: The procedure to implant a Visian ICL is very simple and painless. If you are a candidate for a Visian ICL implant, your surgeon will apply a laser to make a small hole in the iris (the colored area between the lens and the anterior chamber) of your eye before the procedure. This ensures the flow of atrial fluid to the area and prevents an increase in intraocular pressure after treatment.
The implantation procedure itself takes about 15 minutes and can be performed on an outpatient basis, but you will need to arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure.
You may experience mild discomfort during the Visian ICL implant procedure. The procedure can be performed under surface or local anesthesia, and some weak sedation may be applied. After surgery, you will need some eye drops or oral medication as prescribed by your doctor. The day after surgery, you will need to see your doctor for a follow-up examination. You will also need to have a review at 1 month and 6 months after surgery.
Q: Can Visian ICL be removed from my eye?
A: Although it is intended to be permanently implanted in the eye, it can be removed by a board-certified ophthalmologist if necessary, and you will still be able to wear glasses as needed after the ICL is removed.
Q: Can Visian ICLs be seen by others?
A: No. The Visian ICL is located behind the iris (the colored part of the eye), so neither you nor anyone else can
Therefore, neither you nor anyone else can see the lens. Only your doctor will be able to tell that you have had your vision corrected with special equipment.
Q: Will I be able to feel the lens after the Visian ICL is implanted?
A: The Visian ICL is designed so that there is no irritation at all after implantation. The lens is very quiet in the eye and does not react with any intraocular tissues.
Q: What are the benefits of the Toric ICL (which has the ability to correct astigmatism at the same time)?
A: Toric ICL has excellent predictable results, correcting nearsightedness or farsightedness along with the accompanying astigmatism up to 600 degrees, resulting in excellent visual quality. The implantation procedure itself takes approximately 15 minutes and can be performed on an outpatient basis. You will need to see your doctor for a follow-up the day after the procedure. You will also need to be reviewed at 1 month and 6 months post-operatively.
Q: Am I a good candidate for Toric ICL/ICL?
A: If you have myopia, with or without astigmatism, and no other eye disease, and your exams meet the criteria for surgery, and you have a desire to remove your glasses, then you may be considered for Toric ICL/ICL.
Q: Can I get more information about Visian ICL?
A: If you wish to undergo Visian ICL surgery and would like to learn more about Visian ICL, you can contact an ophthalmologist certified through STAAR® Surgical, the maker of Visian ICL. for more information.
Q: What is the procedure for refractive lens implantation for ultra-high myopia?
A.
Step 1.
Ophthalmology examination (stop wearing soft contact lenses for 1 week and hard RGP glasses and keratoplasty lenses for 4 weeks before the examination) to determine if the eye condition is suitable for the procedure: (about RMB 1,000, takes about 3 hours)
(1) Routine eye examination: cornea, lens, fundus, intraocular pressure, etc.
(2) Refractive examination: dilated pupil examination.
(3) IOL prescription determination: anterior chamber depth, eye axis, corneal curvature, horizontal diameter of cornea, etc.
(4) Depending on the patient’s condition, some other further tests may be performed, such as corneal endothelium, fundus and anterior segment OCT, UBM, visual field, one-day IOP measurement, contrast sensitivity, etc.
Based on the results, the surgeon will determine if the eye condition is capable of surgery, as well as predict the post-surgical visual acuity results, and the surgeon will communicate with the patient to determine whether to proceed with the surgery.
Step 2: After it is clear that surgery can be performed
1. Pre-operative routine blood tests: blood routine, blood biochemistry, serum pre-operative eight items, coagulation function
(Results will be available in 1-2 days at our hospital, or can be checked at local hospitals)
2.Iris laser perforation surgery procedure.
After completing all the tests, you can make an appointment for iris laser perforation (prevention of high pupillary block IOP after surgery must be done before crystal implantation), and post-operative outpatient observation of IOP for 1-2 hours. If the IOP is high, the doctor will give symptomatic treatment.
3. Reservation of lens and appointment of surgery date (non-astigmatic lens will arrive in about 1 week, astigmatic lens will arrive in 1-1.5 months because it is mostly customized.)
Step 3: Intraocular refractive lens implantation
Antibiotic drops (such as levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, etc.) should be started in both eyes 2-3 days before surgery to prevent infection. You can buy the eye medication at home in advance and start using it before coming to Beijing.
The procedure is a 24-hour in and out procedure, i.e. the same day you are admitted to the hospital, the same day you are discharged. Depending on the circumstances, some people can have the surgery on the same day or on separate days, while others need to have the surgery on the second eye more than 1 week apart. The details are determined by the surgeon. After the surgery, you should stay in the hospital for 2-3 hours for observation.
For out-of-town patients, our hospital can basically schedule the surgery for the first eye within 1 week and observe for about 2-5 days after the surgery according to the recovery situation.
Step 4: Regular post-operative checkups
The first day of post-operative outpatient examination, and then regular re-examination according to the specific situation, usually 1 week after surgery, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2 years after surgery, etc.
There is a gradual recovery process after surgery. If the doctor judges that the current situation is stable, you can go home for observation, and the situation is generally stable for 3 months after surgery.
It is best to be able to return to our hospital for a follow-up once in a year, or at least to have a checkup at the local hospital and tell us the results by phone.
Q: What are the advantages of refractive lens surgery that excimer laser surgery does not have? Who is it suitable for?
A: Compared to excimer laser surgery it has the following advantages.
1. The correction range is much higher than that of excimer laser surgery. Generally, laser has the best effect for myopia below 800 degrees; for myopia below 1200 degrees, if the corneal thickness is normal, it can be considered, but with the increase of degree, there will be a certain degree of regression; above 1200 degrees, not only the effect is not ideal, but also the risk increases. In contrast, crystal surgery can be done around 2000 degrees, regardless of the degree, it is very stable and will not regress.
2, laser surgery needs to cut off part of the cornea, so after doing the surgery, the cornea will become thinner, and once the tissue is cut off, it cannot be returned. Once the tissue is cut off, it can’t be restored. If you have myopia again, whether you can do it a second time depends on the remaining corneal thickness. If necessary, the crystal can be removed and restored to its original state, and then other surgeries can be considered, which means it is a reversible surgery.
3. After laser surgery, some parameters of the eye change. When cataract surgery is needed in old age, you need to tell the doctor that you have had laser surgery before (it is better to provide pre-operative data), and you need to consider the deviation and make adjustments when calculating the IOL degree, otherwise, errors may occur. The parameters of the eye remain unchanged in their original state after the lens surgery, so future cataract surgery will not be affected and there is no error.
4. The recovery of crystal surgery is fast, and you can see normally the next day. The postoperative medication time is short, usually 2~3 weeks, which is more convenient.
5. The postoperative visual acuity of crystal surgery patients is greatly enhanced, that is to say, most patients’ visual acuity after laser surgery is generally just about the same as wearing glasses before surgery, but the vast majority of patients’ visual acuity after crystal surgery is better than that of wearing glasses before surgery, and some of the enhancement is quite large, and the visual quality is better for highly myopic eyes.
6.No foreign body sensation and good stability: After ICL implantation, no foreign body sensation will be felt in the eye.
That is to say, most of the patients’ vision after laser surgery is generally similar to that of wearing glasses before surgery, but most of the patients’ vision after crystal surgery is better than that of wearing glasses before surgery, and some of the improvement is quite large, and the visual quality is better for highly myopic eyes. Foreign body sensation and good stability: After ICL implantation, no foreign body sensation will be felt in the eye.
8. Scientific design, practical and beautiful: ICL is implanted in the posterior chamber and fixed in the ciliary sulcus with a unique double-sided baked design, which does not touch the crystal nor the iris, and cannot be seen externally by outsiders as well as by the eye itself, achieving perfection in cosmetology.
Q: Features of ICL
Answer.
(1) Unique crystal composition
Unlike other IOLs for crystalline eyes, ICL is made of Collamer, which is a unique body crystal material. This specialized lens material has higher biocompatibility than acrylic and silicone. ICL is also collapsible and requires smaller incisions during surgery compared to other lenses.
(2) The safety of the procedure has been proven
The safety and effectiveness of ICL implantation has been widely proven with over 60,000 procedures performed worldwide and rigorous clinical validation by the U.S. FDA. Unlike keratoconus surgery, ICL does not permanently alter the structure of the eye, but is placed covertly in the posterior chamber of the eye and works with the person’s own lens to correct vision.
(3) Small surgical incision
Unlike other IOLs for crystalline eyes, ICL is collapsible and can therefore be implanted through a smaller surgical incision. ICL requires only a 2.8mm to 3.0mm incision compared to the 6.0mm incision required for other FDA approved IOLs. This smaller incision is much less invasive and does not require sutures and does not induce astigmatism.
(4) Can be removed if necessary
ICL can be permanently placed in the eye. However, if overcorrection or undercorrection occurs, or if complications arise, or if the patient’s vision changes, the ICL can be removed or replaced by a trained eye surgeon.
Q: If IOL surgery is so good, why don’t we let everyone have IOL surgery?
A: First of all, the cost of crystal surgery is relatively high, about twice as much as laser surgery. For each myopic patient, a comprehensive evaluation of the surgical effect, safety and economy is needed to decide which method is the best, not the more expensive the better!
Q: How has ICL evolved?
A: Excimer laser surgery is widely used in myopia surgery today, but ICL implantation is superior for patients with high and super high myopia who are more eager to remove the “bottom of the bottle” lens. It can be placed in the pre-crystalline safety zone of the human eye and is only about 50 microns thick, thinner than the diameter of a hair, while the post-operative vision is superior to that of frames, contact lenses and other refractive correction techniques implemented on the cornea.
ICL implantation was introduced in the United States in the 1990s and has been gradually promoted, and ICL products have been clinically implanted around the world for 15 years. In July 2006, ICL was approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the People’s Republic of China to enter the Chinese medical device market. It has been released to the domestic market in large quantities. Through unremitting efforts, we have received comprehensive technical support from foreign manufacturers, enabling this scientific research to be mastered by more ophthalmic medical institutions and solving the long-standing eye problems for more patients with myopia and astigmatism.
ICL lens implantation can be done on an outpatient basis with only surface anesthesia, short surgery time, small incisions, and no sutures, reducing the risk of astigmatism. The post-operative recovery is quick and the patient’s quality of life is quickly improved. The surgery has been proven to have a high success rate. Even with high refractive error, it can be highly predictable, with good post-operative visual quality, very little regression and high patient satisfaction.
Q: ICL is suitable for people
A: 1. Age 18-50, stable refractive error in recent years, no history of internal eye surgery and intraocular uveal, retinal and glaucoma lesions, and good corrected visual acuity.
2. The correction range of farsightedness is 300–1000 degrees, the correction range of myopia is 300–2300 degrees, and the range of astigmatism is 100–600 degrees;
3. High myopia can not accept glasses, corneal contact lens (RGP), have good corrected vision, no high eye pressure and glaucoma, no history of uveitis, and understand the possible results of surgery.
4, For limited corneal thickness, excimer laser is a good choice when it is difficult to balance the preservation of safe corneal thickness and a large enough cutting area.
Q: ICL is not suitable for people
A: 1, systemic or ocular diseases are not suitable for internal eye surgery.
2, Age > 55 years old.
3, Central anterior chamber depth <2.8mm.
4.Ocular segment disease: lens disease (early cataract, lens hemianopsia), corneal endothelial count <2,000/mm2 or corneal degeneration, glaucoma.
5. With uveitis (active or resting phase).
6, accompanied by diseases that require regular peripheral fundus examination, ICL implantation will have some effect on peripheral retinal examination.
7. The patient cannot understand the risk of surgery and is overly anxious.
Q: ICL surgery steps
A: 1. First, a small incision is made in the area between the white and black of your eye.
2. Then, a gel is injected into your eye to protect the intraocular tissues, and then the ICL is pushed into the eye.
3. Afterwards, the ICL is carefully adjusted to the back of the iris and the gel is flushed out of the eye.
Q: What are the complications of IOL surgery?
A: Crystal surgery is currently an effective method for treating high myopia, with results unmatched by other methods. The current technology is mature, but of course any surgery has possible complications, and the common problems are mainly post-operative high intraocular pressure and cataract, but through careful examination, and evaluation by the doctor before surgery, and the doctor’s skilled technique, the current complications are very low, and many of them can be handled to get a solution. For complications of high myopia itself, such as retinal detachment and fundus hemorrhage, which are not related to surgery, they are just as likely to occur without surgery, and surgery neither reduces nor increases these risks.