ICL - Implantable Contact Lenses from Advance VisionCare

Implantable Contact Lenses

A Whole New World – Beyond Laser

The majority of patients are found to be suitable for laser vision correction. However, there are a small percentage of people who are unsuitable candidates due to various reasons such as their prescription falling outside the recommended parameters or their corneas being too thin. Fortunately there is a non-laser alternative available at Advance VisionCare.

Rather than changing the shape of the cornea implantable contact lenses (ICL) are permanent miniature contact lenses that are implanted into the eye to enhance the natural focussing ability of the eye. This provides excellent quality of vision for a wide range of prescriptions.

These lenses are widely used in Europe and USA and AVC uses the latest lens models which are highly safe and effective.

Prescription range
The ICLs can be used to correct a wide prescription range from -25.00 (short-sighted) to +12.00(long sighted). In addition to this specialist lenses are available to correct astigmatism up to 5.00D (toric ICLs)

The Procedure
The treatment takes less than 30 minutes and if both eyes are being treated they will be done so with a 2 week interval between each eye. A local anaesthetic (only eye drops ) is used to numb the eye and antibiotic eye drops are also administered to prevent any infection during the surgery. There is very little discomfort associated with the procedure and are able to leave the clinic the same day. You are required to return to Harley Street the following day for your one-day post operative check up. The surgeon will also conduct two week, 3 month, and 12 month aftercare appointments. It is recommended you return on an annual basis for a comprehensive check up.

The ICL material
The ICL is made of Collamer which is accepted by the eyes and therefore the body’s immune system does not react or reject it as a foreign body. As the ICL is so tiny, soft and flexible it can be folded up and injected into the eye in seconds through a tiny self-sealing opening. Once it has been injected it unfolds into its correct shape in the liquid inside the eye. There are no stitches in the eye and as the lens is behind the iris (Coloured part of the eye), unlike other lenses, it is not visible to the naked eye.

The ICL surgeons
The surgical team in AVC consists of internationally reputed surgeons who are not only experts in this field but also international trainers for other surgeons in Europe and other parts of the world.

Advantages of the Visian ICL

Quality of vision – The Visian ICL not only results in improved visual acuity but also superior high definition visual quality thus patients experiencing an immediate ‘wow’ factor after the procedure.
Bio-compatibility - Collamer, the 100 percent pure collagen copolymer lens material of the Visian ICL, is not viewed as a foreign object by the body's immune system and therefore is not rejected.
Versatility - The Visian ICL offers a wider treatment range for myopia than LASIK or LASEK procedures.
Simplicity - Unlike traditional contact lenses, once the Visian ICL is implanted in the eye, there is no additional maintenance needed.
Safety - To date approximately 150,000 ICL implants have been performed, 55,000 of those have been the Visian ICL, demonstrating an established track record of safety.
Undetectable - The placement of the Visian ICL makes the lens invisible to the patient and any observer.
Removable - The Visian ICL was designed to be permanently placed in the eye. However, the lens can be removed if a patient's vision changes or if it otherwise needs to be removed or replaced. This means that if there is a prescription change with time it can be corrected and superior vision maintained.