Leave Your Contacts or Glasses Behind with EVO ICL
There are many vision correction options available for today's ophthalmic patients. The EVO Visian ICL (EVO) procedure can eliminate glasses and contacts from your life. Want to learn more?
What Is EVO ICL?
The EVO ICL is an Implantable Collamer Lens, which functions as a "permanent contact lens." This procedure does not change the shape of the cornea as LASIK does, nor does it remove the natural crystalline lens of the eye. It is considered an additive surgery and makes no other structural changes to your eye. This may be a good alternative for patients who aren't ideal candidates for LASIK or Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE). Although the procedure can be permanent, the implanted lens is removable, unlike a traditional Intraocular Lens (IOL) used in RLE.
How EVO ICL Works
The EVO ICL is a small plastic lens that is available in almost any prescription. Sometimes, your ophthalmologist will select a soft lens, which mimics the body's naturally-produced collagen, reducing the risk of rejection or allergic reaction. However, a surgeon may choose a hard lens instead for patients who are severely nearsighted.
The procedure for a soft lens requires the surgeon to make a tiny incision in the sclera, or the white part of your eye, just above the cornea. The soft ICL is then slipped into your eye behind the iris. The procedure for a hard lens is similar, but the surgeon places the ICL in between the iris and the cornea. Both procedures leave the lens behind the iris intact.
Pros and Cons of an Implantable Collamer Lens
Pros
- Ideal for patients with very high contact lens or glasses prescriptions.
- There is no minimal corneal thickness required, unlike with LASIK surgery.
- The corneal nerves remain intact, reducing the risk of developing dry eye syndrome.
- Implantable Collamer Lenses are removable, but they can be permanent.
- ICL lenses have built-in UV protection, which delays cataract formation.
Cons
- ICLs can only be used to correct nearsightedness (myopia) and astigmatism. Currently, ICLs are not available for farsightedness (hyperopia) or accommodative dysfunction (presbyopia).
- Unlike with Refractive Lens Exchange, you can still develop cataracts after having ICL surgery. If this happens, you will need to have the ICL lenses removed and replaced with IOLs.
- An ICL procedure may not be appropriate for patients under the age of 21 or over the age of 40. For younger patients, LASIK may be more desirable. For older patients, Refractive Lens Exchange may be ideal.
Book Your Vision Correction Consultation at I Love LASIK Today
I Love LASIK is a premier provider of EVO Visian ICL lenses in New York. We're excited to make vision correction options accessible and offer affordable payment plans to make it easier than ever for you to get the permanent vision correction you want. Recovering from ICL surgery is easy for most patients and clear vision is almost immediate. Patients can usually return to work or school in just a few days. Contact us now to book your consultation by calling (718) 630-1070.