Book Your Free Consultation
Mr David Allamby
MD, FRCOphth, FRCS
Discover the Types of ICL Surgery
When it comes to correcting your vision, patients today have more options than ever before. One particularly remarkable advancement in the field of vision correction is ICL surgery. Standing for Implantable Collamer Lens, ICL surgery is an innovative procedure which can be a game-changer for those seeking freedom from glasses and contact lenses.
There are multiple types of ICL surgery that could be utilised to reduce your reliance on glasses or contact lenses. Before we explore the specific variances in treatment, let’s start with the basics of ICL.
The Basics of ICL Surgery
Implantable Collamer Lens surgery involves implanting a small, biocompatible lens inside your eye to correct vision problems such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism (misshapen eye). Working alongside the natural lens of your eye to improve your vision, all types of ICL surgery are safe and effective. The procedure comes with a rapid recovery time and excellent outcomes for as many as 98% of patients.
To be suitable for ICL surgery, you must fulfil the following criteria:
- Between the ages of 21 and 60
- Anterior chamber depth (ACD) of 2.8mm or more
- Myopic refractive errors higher than -8.00
- A stable prescription for at least 12 months
- No cataracts or glaucoma
Unlike standard contact lenses, ICLs cannot be felt within the eye. This method of vision correction requires ongoing eye health examinations, and may need to be swapped out if your prescription changes.
Types of ICL Surgery
It's important to correctly prepare for implantable contact lens surgery as ICL have evolved over the years, resulting in several different types of procedure and lens types. This means that patients eligible for ICL can have their varying needs and preferences met.
Visian Intraocular Lens
The Visian ICL is one of the most widely-used types of ICL surgery. Known for its quality of results, Visian lenses treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism consistently and effectively. The Visian sits between the natural lens and the iris.
- There are multiple subtypes of Visian, including Visian ICL V4c and Visian Toric.
- This lens has a track record of reliable vision improvement, with numerous successful outcomes.
- With multiple Visian lens variants, your surgeon can choose the most appropriate treatment for you.
Visian ICL is trusted by both surgeons and former patients for its consistent performance in treating a medley of common vision problems.
Artisan Intraocular Lens
The Artisan ICL is another popular choice for ICL surgery. Particularly used to treat myopia (nearsightedness), the Artisan lens sits in front of the iris to correct your vision without changing the shape of the cornea.
- Artisan ICL lenses are known for their effectiveness in improving vision acuity.
- This lens type, as it does not require changing the shape of the cornea, is fully removable by a surgeon.
- Artisan lenses work with the natural lens of the eye to create clearer vision.
Artisan ICL is favoured by surgeons operating on patients with myopia, as it has a proven track record.
Phakic Intraocular Lens (Phakic IOL)
You may hear about Phakic Intraocular Lenses whilst researching the types of ICL surgery which may be best for you. These Phakic IOLs are exactly the same as ICL, just named slightly differently. Inserted into the eye without removing the natural lens, thus not changing the shape of the cornea and making the procedure entirely reversible, Phakic IOLs are a safe and effective method of reducing your reliance on glasses or contacts.
Find our more about the risks of ICL surgery and its safety.
ICL/Phakic IOL surgery differs from cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange (RLE), because those procedures remove your natural lens and replace it with a permanent intra-ocular implant.
Phakic IOLs or Implantable Collamer Lens, no matter the type of ICL surgery you end up undergoing, is an alternative for patients who are not eligible for any kind of laser eye surgery due to an extreme prescription, which can be debilitating. This makes Phakic lenses ideal for those unable to find another permanent solution to their vision problems.
Is ICL Surgery Right For Me?
All types of ICL surgery share the goal of correcting vision without altering the shape of the cornea. A significant advantage if you aren’t eligible for other vision correction methods, such as LASIK or LASEK. The choice of which vision correction surgery you undergo at Focus Clinics will be made by your surgeon, taking into account your eye structure, prescription, and vision goals to determine whether ICL surgery is right for you.
Each type of ICL surgery offers its own set of advantages, and your surgeon will guide you towards the best choice to achieve your desired visual outcomes. Under the care of a skilled surgeon with over 20,000 successful operations performed, and a clinic rated #1 on Trustpilot, Focus stands apart as the best choice for ICL surgery.
If you’re interested in the types of ICL surgery and want to explore the best personalised care you could expect, reach out to us and we’ll guide you on your journey to exceptional vision.Book a FREE* Consultation
To get a better idea of how we can help you, and also the different types of services we offer, book a consultation now.
Why Choose Us?
100% 20/20 vision
Focus Clinic has a remarkable 100% success rate for 20/20 vision. We know of no other clinic that has matched these results. There is a big difference between, for example, 98% and 100% success, especially if you are in the 2%.
10 year guarantee
Your 10 Year Guarantee means you can return at any time if you have additional questions on the quality of your vision. If you have distance vision correction for short-sight then any repeat laser eye treatments to correct a return of myopia in the first 10 years are included free of charge.*
Most trusted eye treatment clinic
We have the highest trust rating of any ‘eye treatment’ rated clinic, according to independent review site TrustPilot. With an outstanding 9.9 out of 10, when it comes to your eyes, choose the clinic that actual patients trust the most.
*Terms and conditions apply, excludes any age-related changes and conditions unrelated to the primary treatment
*100% 20/20 success is from our peer-reviewed published results for LASIK binocular vision treating short-sight up to -6.00 dioptres including up to 2.00 dioptres of astigmatism.
100% SUCCESS RATE
10 YEAR GUARANTEE
#1 IN THE UK TRUSTPILOT RATING
CELEBRITIES CLINIC OF CHOICE