US Military approves Visian ICL implantable lens for correction of myopia in active duty personnel

Have you wondered if there is anything other than LASIK or PRK to improve your vision so that you can see really well without glasses and contact lenses? Most patients who wear glasses and contact lenses wonder about permanent vision correction options at one time or another. However, the urgency is especially great for individuals in the military, police, firefighters, and other fields where loss of glasses or contacts can mean the difference between safety and danger, life and death.

The US Military has been at the forefront of advances in vision correction surgery. Laser vision correction, including LASIK with IntraLase and PRK, is now routinely performed on the military personnel, including the fighter pilots. For some patients, however, laser vision correction is not the best way to achieve great vision. ICL implantable contact lenses have been FDA approved for years and have been done in general population with excellent results. The military has now embraced this treatment option as well. Over 3,000 ICL phakic IOL implantable contact lens procedures have been performed on active duty military personnel to date.

Top reasons doctors recommend ICL phakic IOL implantable contact lens

• Nearsightedness/Myopia is too high for LASIK/PRK– laser vision correction is performed on the front surface of the eye, the cornea. Corneal tissue is vaporized to reshape the optics and improve vision. There is a limit on how much cornea can be vaporized. If the prescription is too high or the cornea is too thin, corneal surgery is avoided. Instead, lens surgery is the best treatment option.  Any myopia/nearsightedness above -8.0 diopters should be considered for ICL phakic IOL procedure instead of LASIK/PRK
• Cornea is too thin for LASIK/PRK– any cornea below 500 micron thickness should be considered for ICL phakic IOL procedure instead of LASIK/PRK
• Cornea is too irregular, uneven, or bumpy for LASIK/PRK– patients with mild corneal irregularity are best treated with PRK procedure. Patients with significant corneal irregularity, should be considered for ICL phakic IOL procedure instead of LASIK/PRK
• Cornea is too flat for LASIK/PRK– LASIK/PRK flattens cornea. If it is very flat already, further flattening can result in poor night time vision and symptoms like glare and haloes. ICL phakic IOL procedure will not result in these symptoms
• Patient is at risk for dry eyes with LASIK/PRK– patients with certain medical conditions and/or taking certain medications that predispose them to dry eyes are best corrected with ICL phakic IOL. This procedure does not result in dry eyes, even during the initial healing period.
• Patient wants fast vision recovery– Patients who have been recommended PRK because their cornea is too thin or too irregular for LASIK, should ask their surgeon whether they would be candidates for ICL phakic IOL procedure instead. While it may take weeks for patients to see 20/20 or better after PRK, vision recovers extremely quickly after ICL procedure – better than 20/20 vision is often achieved the day after the procedure, with most patients seeing well the night of the procedure.

US military vision results with ICL phakic IOL implantable contact lens

• 20/20 vision – is achieved in 98% of patients.  The results are remarkable, considering that many procedures are done for patients with high myopia/nearsightedness
• Better than 20/20 vision – is achieved in 81% of patients.  Most patients have the capacity to see better than 20/20. It is, therefore, imperative, that every patient is assessed preoperatively if they, indeed, can achieve that vision. If they can, vision correction treatment should aim at better than 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts for every patient who the ability to achieve that result.
• Quality of vision – 100% of US Soldiers rate ICL as providing better vision than their glasses and contact lenses. 100% report that ICL allows them to function and perform better both day and night.

Do’s and don’t’s of deciding if ICL phakic IOL implantable contact lens is the right option for you

• Do have a consultation at the surgical facility offering ALL vision correction options, not just LASIK/PRK.
• Do consult with the surgeon who is certified in ICL phakic IOL procedure
• Do seek a second opinion if a surgeon recommends PRK and is not certified in ICL phakic IOL implantable contact lens
• Don’t hesitate to have the procedure done just because you don’t know many people who had ICL phakic IOL. While many people are candidates for LASIK/PRK, only a select group of patients are good candidates for ICL phakic IOL. Your surgeon should provide you with references from patients who had the procedure. Do take them up on it and speak with the patients about their results and experience.

www.pacificvision.org
www.staar.com
www.visianinfo.com