Contact Lens Implants, the Right Choice for You?

Contact Lens Implants, the Right Choice for You

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Do you struggle with contact lenses or glasses? Do you grope around on the nightstand when you wake up trying to find your glasses so you can see the alarm clock? Does wearing glasses or contacts prevent you from participating in some sports as much as you would like? Are they just a hassle? Have you been told that you aren't a good candidate for refractive laser eye surgery to correct your vision? Then contact lens implants might be the right choice for you.

Contact lens implants (ICL) are a fairy new development in vision correction. Intraocular lens implants (IOL) have been used for a time for cataract patients. A clear lens replaced the cataract allowing the patient to see more clearly, but often glasses were still needed. That idea has been taken a step further by creating a prescription lens that can be implanted directly into the eye to correct vision for patients without cataracts who want to see more clearly and aren't good surgical candidates for LASIK or other laser eye surgery.

ICLs differ from the IOLs used in cataract surgery in that they do not replace a lens, they are an addition to it. Depending on the type of lens it is either placed over the iris and held in place initially with stitches or it is inserted behind the iris. The lens can't be seen without a microscope and remains in place without any maintenance other than followup care with your eye surgeon.

ICLs are used for patients who are unable to have LASIK because of dry eyes or severe myopia or hyperopia that is outside of the FDA guidelines for LASIK correction. It is also beneficial for younger patients as the lens can be changed at a later date as the patient ages and the eyes change. The lens can also be removed all together if needed.

The goal of surgical vision correction is to reduce the dependence on glasses or contacts. Depending on the severity of your prescription and your age you may not achieve 20/20 vision. Also, as you age you may need to wear glasses for reading or other close activities, which you would need with or without the surgery!

The implantable contact lenses are a fairly recent innovation in vision correction and as such there is limited knowledge of long-term side effects. So far the procedure has received a solid rating of safety and effectiveness, to the degree that it is now being recommended for patients with less severe myopia or hyperopia than previously.

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