If you’re considering a vision correction procedure as an alternative to wearing glasses and contact lenses, you may have looked into LASIK. But there are other vision correction procedures.
One procedure that’s less invasive than refractive procedures like LASIK is called the EVO Visian ICL. This procedure implants an ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) into your eye.
The ICL can help you see without glasses or contact lenses, and most EVO Visian ICL patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. But is an ICL right for you? To find out, let’s first talk more about what the EVO Visian ICL is and how the ICL works.
What is the EVO Visian ICL?
The EVO Visian ICL is a minimally invasive vision correction procedure. It involves creating a small incision in the eye. Next, the ICL is folded and inserted through the incision.
Once inside the eye, the ICL is unfolded and positioned on top of the natural lens. The incision doesn’t need to be closed with stitches because it’s small enough to heal on its own.
The ICL works similarly to a contact lens, correcting your refractive error by changing how light bends before it passes through your natural lens. The difference is that instead of sitting on your eye, the ICL sits inside your eye and never needs to be changed or removed.
The EVO Visian ICL Vs. Laser Eye Procedures
How is EVO Visian ICL different from laser eye procedures like LASIK and PRK? These procedures use a laser to change the shape of the cornea to correct a refractive error.
While minimally invasive, they remove a tiny amount of tissue from the eye, permanently reshaping the cornea and improving vision. LASIK minimizes recovery time by making a flap in the cornea.
However, in doing so, the procedure requires that your corneas be thick enough to accommodate a flap. If your corneas are too thin, undergoing LASIK becomes unsafe for these patients.
The EVO Visian ICL requires no corneal flap or tissue removal. You can still undergo EVO Visian ICL even if your corneas aren’t thick enough for LASIK. Most people with refractive errors can undergo the EVO Visian ICL, but there are some people it is not suited for.
Who is a Good EVO Visian ICL Candidate?
To have EVO Visian ICL, you must be over 21, in good health, and have no eye conditions besides a refractive error. Your vision should also be stable, meaning your prescription hasn’t changed in at least a year.
The EVO Visian ICL can only correct nearsightedness and mild astigmatism. If you’re farsighted or have astigmatism over 3.00 diopters, you’ll need to choose a different refractive laser eye procedure to correct your vision.
However, EVO Visian ICL can correct nearsightedness to an incredible degree. Most refractive procedures like LASIK can only correct up to -12 diopters of nearsightedness. But the EVO Visian ICL can correct up to -23.00 diopters!
For extremely nearsighted patients, the EVO Visian ICL may be the best way to correct vision without visual aids like contact lenses or glasses. If you meet all the requirements for the EVO Visian ICL, the ICL may be right for you.
It’s an excellent option for patients who don’t qualify for LASIK due to thin corneas or want a less invasive procedure. The EVO Visian ICL has several other benefits that make it preferable to other vision correction procedures.
More Benefits of the EVO Visian ICL
One thing about the EVO ICL many patients like is that it can be removed. The EVO Visian ICL is the only reversible vision correction procedure available.
The ICL can sit inside your eye indefinitely but can easily be removed if you change your mind. Knowing that the EVO Visian ICL doesn’t permanently change your vision like laser eye surgery gives many patients peace of mind.
The EVO Visian ICL is also very comfortable. That’s because it’s made from collamer, a material closely related to collagen.
Collagen is a protein that your body produces naturally. Because of this, the ICL isn’t treated as a foreign substance when placed inside the eye. It’s highly biocompatible, which means that once your eyes heal from surgery, you won’t be able to feel it at all.
Being biocompatible, the ICL also causes fewer uncomfortable post-surgical side effects like dry eye. If you have dry eyes or you’re concerned about developing dry eyes, the EVO Visian ICL can help keep you more comfortable. The fact that the procedure doesn’t remove any corneal tissue also contributes to less discomfort during recovery.
And if all that wasn’t enough, the EVO Visian ICL also offers protection against the sun’s UV rays. The lens blocks UV light, giving your eyes extra protection against the harmful effects of sunlight.
You should wear sunglasses to protect your eyes even if you get the EVO Visian ICL. The additional protection can help your eyes stay healthy and lower your risk for many age-related eye conditions.
To learn more about the EVO Visian ICL and to find out if you’re a good candidate for the vision correction procedure, schedule your commitment-free consultation at New England Eye Center in Boston, MA, today! Isn’t it time to see the world without boundaries holding you back?
