When you can see things clearly close to your face, but objects in the distance are blurry, you have myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness. Most people fix this refractive error by wearing eyeglasses or contacts. But that’s not the only way to correct nearsightedness.
Implantable contact lenses (ICL) are another corrective solution. Imagine the benefits of contact lens technology without the drawbacks. You can sleep with ICLs in place, there’s no lens cleaning process, and your vision is always in focus.
Like other forms of refractive eye surgery, ICL requires little downtime. It’s also an ideal option for those who aren’t good candidates for other corrective vision procedures, such as LASIK.
Dr. Randa Garrana and our expert team at Advanced Lasik specialize in surgical vision correction. We can diagnose your vision issues and recommend the best approach to free you from the hassles of contacts and glasses. Here, we answer FAQs about ICL.
Like all refractive vision errors, myopia results from the focusing elements of the eyes failing to bend light onto the retina within the normal range of eyesight. The front surface of your eyeball (cornea) may be excessively curved, or your eyeball could be too long.
About 30% of people in the United States have myopia, causing them to see distant objects as blurred, while things close to their faces are clear and sharp. While the causes of myopia aren’t fully understood, having parents with the condition increases your risk of developing it yourself. How you use your eyes also affects the development of myopia.
Frequent use of near vision with devices like computer monitors and smartphones can strain your eyes. While this can be a temporary condition called false myopia, repeated strain without sufficient rest may permanently affect your distance vision.
There’s plenty to learn about ICL surgery. Here, we answer the most common questions we receive in our office.
While implantable contact lenses is an accessible and familiar description for most people, the technology is also referred to as implantable collamer lens or intraocular contact lens. These terms are generally interchangeable.
An ICL procedure places a corrective lens similar in size and shape to a contact lens either between the iris and natural lens in the eye, or between the lens and the cornea.
While there are similarities between ICL and IOL (intraocular lens), these two types of vision correction surgeries are different. Primarily used to treat cataracts, IOL is a procedure that removes and replaces the eye’s natural lens.
When it comes to myopia, both ICL and LASIK improve your vision. However, some people aren’t good candidates for LASIK surgery due to problems like severe myopia, health conditions, or thin corneas.
The intention of ICL surgery is for permanent vision correction, but it’s possible to remove the ICL at a later time if your vision needs change.
Your vision may require a day or two to stabilize, and it can take slightly longer for you to receive the maximum vision correction benefit from the surgery.
Do you have more questions about ICL? We have answers. With two bicoastal offices located in the Midtown East section of New York City and Long Beach, California, Advanced Lasik is here for your advanced vision correction needs. Call or click online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Garrana today.
