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If you are considering vision correction surgery, Visian ICL can reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contacts. With over 1 million procedures performed worldwide, Visian ICL is an innovative vision correction procedure that is gaining popularity because it offers many benefits to patients who are seeking the vision correction solution that best meets their needs and fits their lifestyle. The experienced eye surgeons at Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute are excited to offer Visian ICL in San Diego.
People often think that ICL means implantable contact lens, but Visian ICL is not a contact lens and ICL actually stands for implantable collamer lens. Collamer is a unique biocompatible material and works with your eyes to provide clear, crisp vision.1 Visian ICL is a first choice for many patients, but it is sometimes mentioned as a LASIK alternative because it may be an option for patients who are not candidates for laser vision correction. LASIK works by reshaping the cornea while Visian ICL is an additive procedure and does not remove corneal tissue. Visian ICL offers permanent vision correction, but unlike LASIK, which cannot be reversed, Visian ICL can be removed if needed.
The Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute is dedicated to staying at the forefront of vision improvement technology, and we now offer the first implantable contact lens option that is approved to treat patients with astigmatism. While the Visian ICL collamer lens implant has been used with great success since 2005, until now patients with astigmatism were not candidates. The Visian Toric ICL has been FDA approved to treat patients with astigmatism and mild to severe myopia (nearsightedness). The Toric ICL greatly expands the field of vision correction options for nearsighted patients who have astigmatism and are not candidates for laser vision correction procedures such as LASIK.
Ideal candidates for vision correction with Visian ICL are:
Contact us to schedule a consultation appointment to determine if you are a candidate.
First, you will have a consultation appointment at our San Diego office. Your eye doctor will check your vision and eye health, discuss your options, and answer any questions you have. If you choose to schedule your Visian ICL procedure, we’ll give you detailed pre-procedure information.
We will apply numbing eye drops prior to surgery and you may be given a mild sedative medication to ease any anxiety. Your surgeon will make a tiny incision in the front of your eye. The collamer lens will be inserted and placed behind the iris, which is the colored part of your eye. The entire procedure is usually completed within 30 minutes.
You will need to arrange for someone to take you home after your procedure. You can expect an immediate improvement in vision. You will be given eye drops and protective eyewear to use during recovery. We will schedule a follow-up appointment for the day after surgery.
Michael Gordon, M.D., Alison Gordon, M.D. and Julio Echegoyen, M.D. are among the most experienced and well-trained eye surgeons in the world and they have performed thousands of surgical and laser vision correction procedures and continue to lead the way in advanced ophthalmology. Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute, a fixture in San Diego for more than 20 years, is a unique eye care practice with a team of surgeons who have a wide-range of eye care expertise, who hold themselves to the strictest of standards, and who place great emphasis on patient safety and satisfaction.
Like all elective vision correction procedures, Visian ICL is not usually covered by insurance. The overall cost of vision correction surgery can vary depending on your prescription and other factors. At Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute, we offer a variety of financing options to help you invest in your vision while sticking to your budget.
No, unlike a regular contact lens, it is placed underneath the iris so it is invisible once placed.
The Visian ICL does not move once placed and you should not be able to feel it.
Even if your eye doctor has told you that LASIK or PRK are not right for you, you should ask about Visian ICL because it works for people with a range of lifestyles and vision goals. Visian ICL is designed to treat moderate to high myopia (nearsightedness) and it is an option for patients with thin corneas.5
Visian ICL has a favorable record for safety and success, but all medical procedures carry some risk. Before you have Visian ICL surgery, it is important to have a comprehensive eye exam and discuss all the risks, benefits, recovery time, and possible side effects with your eye doctor.
Do you have more questions about Visian ICL or your other vision correction options? We’re happy to answer them and help you learn more — contact us today.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
1 Shin, JY. Ahn, H. Seo, KY. Kim, EK. Kim, TK. Comparison of higher order aberrations after implantable collamer lens implantation and wavefront-guide LASEK in high myopia. J Refract Surg. 2012; 28(2): 106 -111.
2 FDA Premarket Approval Data. Available: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpma/pma.cfm?start_search=1&sortcolumn=do_desc&PAGENUM=500&pmanumber=P030016
3 Parkhurst, GD. Comparison of Night Vision and Contrast Sensitivity in Patients Undergoing Implantable Collamer Lens Implantation or LASIK. Presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO); October 19, 2010; Chicago, IL.
4 Naves, J.S. Carracedo, G. Cacho-Babillo, I. Diadenosine Nucleotid Measurements as Dry-Eye Score in Patients After LASIK and ICL Surgery. Presented at American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) 2012.
5 Gimbel, Howard V et al. Management of myopic astigmatism with phakic intraocular lens implantation. Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Volume 28, Issue 5 , 883 – 886
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The doctors at Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute have either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
