• The implantable contact lens is a transparent, highly biocompatible lens made of Collamer that permanently corrects defective vision.
• It can be used for short-sightedness, long-sightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism.
  The EVO Visian ICL is implanted every 3 minutes worldwide and has therefore been an established correction procedure for defective vision for 20 years.
• EVO Visian ICL has been implanted worldwide since 1993. More than 1,000,000 ICL lenses have already been implanted. Continuous development of the lens has led to the most commonly used phakic lens worldwide.

Even if you have been told before that laser treatment is not possible for you, or if you desire a reversible procedure to correct your vision, you do not have to miss out on a life without glasses.

EyeLaser specializes in the correction of defective vision. In order to provide our patients with comprehensive information and treatment, we offer both laser vision correction and implantable lenses. EyeLaser is already implanting the latest generation of EVO+ Visian ICLs with even larger optics. This can reduce the risk of so-called halos. As part of a comprehensive preliminary examination, we will decide which treatment method is most suitable for you. Due to the excellent imaging quality, we usually implant the EVO Visian ICL in the following cases:

In patients with a thin cornea
In patients with chronic dry eye or contact lens intolerance
If the patient wants a reversible correction procedure
In patients with an abnormal/irregular cornea
In patients with very severe defective vision

With the use of phakic lenses, severe visual defects with more than -8 and +3 diopters and astigmatism can also be corrected. In this method, a small tunnel incision is made at the edge of the cornea using a scalpel, through which a foldable artificial Collamer lens (ICL) is inserted into the eye.

This phakic lens with a certain power corrects the visual defect directly in the eye. It is inserted between the iris and the natural lens and is neither visible nor perceptible.

Important: Anatomical suitability for the ICL lens

EVO Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens)

In the first step, the eye is anesthetized using eye drops. The surgeon prepares the lens. The surgeon injects a protective gel (viscoelastic) to protect the cornea and lens of the eye.

The lens is implanted through a small 2.80 – 3.00 mm opening at the edge of the cornea.

Now the exact positioning takes place and in the last step the protective gel is suctioned off again.

The day after the treatment, the position of the lens is checked using special OCT devices (Anterion- Heidelberg Engineerind or MS39- CSO).

What advantages does the EVO Visian ICL offer?

• Due to its reversibility, ICL implantation has no effect on subsequent eye treatments.
• The lens does not cause dry eyes and also offers UV protection
• The treatment spectrum ranges from -0.50 to -18.00 dpt for short-sighted patients and +0.50 to +10.00 dpt for long-sighted patients. Astigmatism can be corrected up to 6 dpt.
• Due to the special material, an optimal visual result is achieved even with very high ametropia.
• Also suitable for eyes with thin corneas
• Due to the very high collagen content, the EVO Visian ICL is extremely well tolerated and cannot fuse with the eye.
• The Collamer material offers additional UV protection for the eyes.
• Thanks to the high water content and the optimum refractive index, an optimum result can be achieved even with highly ametropic patients.
• The very good compatibility is due to the biocompatible material. This is patented by the manufacturer STAAR Surgical and is therefore not available in any other lens.

Risks & side effects

In some cases, we also combine the implantation of an artificial lens with eye laser surgery into a so-called bioptics procedure. In this process, an artificial lens is first inserted for the coarse correction of the refractive error. After approximately 3–6 months, LASIK surgery follows for fine-tuning or the correction of astigmatism or residual refractive errors.

Lens implantation is generally well tolerated and proceeds without complications. In less than 0.1% of cases, inflammation inside the eye may occur. Minor risks include an increase in intraocular pressure (glaucoma), premature development of cataracts, halos (light effects, e.g., when driving), glare (night glare), and corneal swelling. Most of these can be resolved after surgery. Please follow the instructions and the drop schedule of the treating surgeon exactly and attend your follow-up appointments.

Treatment with artificial lenses:

The eye surgery method Lens implants

In some cases, laser eye surgery is not possible or not possible without risk, e.g. if the dioptre value is too high or the cornea is too thin. Too much tissue would have to be removed or disturbing optical phenomena such as halos could occur. An ICL cannot be used if the anatomical conditions are not optimal or if the lens is beginning to cloud.

For such patients, we also offer refractive lens surgery without lasers at our eye laser centers in Zurich, i.e., lens replacement using premium lenses: the eye’s own lens is replaced with an artificial one.

Differences between ICL & eye laser surgery

The use and safety of ICL lenses has been scientifically proven in numerous scientific studies. In centers where ICL surgery is routinely performed, complications are a rarity. Nevertheless, the highest safety criteria should be observed after every procedure and the attending physician should be contacted if there is any doubt after the procedure.

Literature:

1: Packer M. The Implantable Collamer Lens with a central port: review of the
literature. Clin Ophthalmol. 2018 Nov 27;12:2427-2438. doi:
10.2147/OPTH.S188785. PMID: 30568421; PMCID: PMC6267497.

2: Packer M. Evaluation of the EVO/EVO+ Sphere and Toric Visian ICL: Six Month
Results from the United States Food and Drug Administration Clinical Trial. Clin
Ophthalmol. 2022 May 21;16:1541-1553. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S369467. PMID: 35645557;
PMCID: PMC9132105.

3: Pérez-Vives C, Domínguez-Vicent A, Ferrer-Blasco T, Pons ÁM, Montés-Micó R.
Optical quality of the Visian Implantable Collamer Lens for different refractive
powers. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2013 May;251(5):1423-9. doi:
10.1007/s00417-012-2200-8. Epub 2012 Nov 11. PMID: 23142994.

4: Parkhurst GD, Psolka M, Kezirian GM. Phakic intraocular lens implantation in
United States military warfighters: a retrospective analysis of early clinical
outcomes of the Visian ICL. J Refract Surg. 2011 Jul;27(7):473-81. doi:
10.3928/1081597X-20110106-03. Epub 2011 Jan 17. PMID: 21243974.

5: Fernández-Vega-Cueto L, Lisa C, Esteve-Taboada JJ, Montés-Micó R, Alfonso JF.
Implantable collamer lens with central hole: 3-year follow-up. Clin Ophthalmol.
2018 Oct 11;12:2015-2029. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S171576. PMID: 30349185; PMCID:
PMC6188208.

6: Moshirfar M, Bundogji N, Tukan AN, Ellis JH, McCabe SE, Patil A, Ronquillo
YC, Hoopes PC. Toric Implantable Collamer Lens for the Treatment of Myopic
Astigmatism. Clin Ophthalmol. 2021 Jul 6;15:2893-2906. doi:
10.2147/OPTH.S321095. PMID: 34262249; PMCID: PMC8274236.

We first disinfect your facial area. You will receive a local anesthetic in the form of eye drops or an injection next to the eye. Your eyelids are fixed. All of this is absolutely painless and painless.

A small tunnel incision is made at the edge of the cornea using a precision knife.

The foldable phakic lens is inserted through the incision.

After the procedure, your eye is protected from environmental influences with an eye patch.

The ICL is an artificial lens that is permanently implanted between the iris and the natural lens of the eye. It is shaped to correct existing refractive errors – such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. This procedure is particularly suitable for patients who suffer from very high refractive errors or thin corneas, making eye laser surgery with conventional methods impossible.

ICL phakic lenses are ideal for patients who:

• Have high refractive errors that are not suitable for conventional eye laser surgery.
• Have thin corneas, which makes eye laser surgery impossible.
• Suffer from dry eyes or contact lens intolerance.
• Desire reversibility, as the ICL can be removed or replaced if necessary.
• Have stable vision errors – ideally for at least one year.

The lens implantation does not take long – 10 to 15 minutes per eye. First, the eye is numbed with eye drops so that the procedure is painless. The artificial lenses are inserted in a rolled state through a tiny incision in the cornea. Once in place, the lens “unrolls” and is precisely positioned. The eye is then protected with a type of bandage. Most patients see significantly better as early as the following day.

• No change to the structure of the cornea, which minimizes the risk of complications.
• Reversibility, as the lens can be removed or replaced.
• Suitable for patients who are not candidates for eye laser surgery.
• Fast healing and minimal postoperative discomfort.
• Long-term stability of visual acuity.

The costs for the implantation of ICL phakic lenses at EyeLaser Zurich start at CHF 5,000 per eye. This price includes all necessary preliminary examinations, the implantation of the lens, and follow-up checks. Interest-free installment payments over 6 months are possible. Additionally, a preliminary examination is offered for CHF 350, which will be credited towards a subsequent treatment.