Visian ICL
Visian ICL, known as the Implantable Collamer Lens, is FDA approved, a fairly new procedure in vision correction, and works to benefit those who suffer from nearsightedness. The lens gently unfolds in the eye, resting behind the iris, and is biocompatible with the body. The materials that make up the Visian ICL are certainly unique; a barrier protecting from UV rays is created while allowing natural light to pass through unaltered. Unlike other procedures for the cornea, Visian ICL does not remove corneal tissue, which works well with the natural eye.
The procedure itself is painless due to the numbing medication, as well as being minimally invasive. By using only a 3.5 mm insert, recovery time is optimized. With an expecting procedure time of 20 to 30 minutes or less, most people are able to resume their daily activities in just a few days with overall clearer vision.
If a major prescription change occurs or new vision correction options become available, the Visian ICL can be completely removed. Working with the patient and doctor, changes will be made in accordance to the continuous improvement of technology for vision correction.
Older Adults With Presbyopia
Corneal inlays and corneal onlays are tiny lenses or other devices inserted into the cornea improving overall reading vision. The primary purpose of these inlays and onlays are to improve near vision and reduce the need for reading glasses for older adults with presbyopia. Their names suggest where on the surface of the cornea they are being inserted. Additionally corneal inlay surgery can sometimes be combined with LASIK surgery to correct presbyopia, as well as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism.
Kamra Corneal Inlay
The Kamra Corneal Inlay reduces and or eliminates the need for reading glasses for adults between the ages of 45 and 60 who have good distance with their vision without glasses. Those same people have issues seeing up close, due to their presbyopia. The Kamra Inlay is very thin, only 3.8 mm in diameter with an opaque outer ring and a central opening of 1.6 mm.
When implanted, the inlay is positioned so the central opening is directly in front of the pupil of the eye. A “pinhole camera effect” is created to where the range of clear vision is expanded to bring near objects into focus while also maintaining vision that is clear for distance. The non-dominant eye typically receives the inlay, allowing for both eyes to see for distance while having near vision improvement from the implanted inlay.
Raindrop Near Vision Inlay
The Raindrop Near Vision Inlay, much like the Kamra Corneal Inlay, was also developed to treat those with presbyopia. The clear inlay of 2.0 mm in diameter is made of materials similar to those used for soft contact lenses. The characteristics of the inlay are almost identical to the human cornea. This inlay is implanted in the patient’s non-dominant eye through a laser-cut flap in the cornea. When in position, the inlay will change the curvature of the cornea so the front of the eye acts much like a multifocal contact lens.
Presbia Flexivue Microlens
Another inventive corneal inlay designed for correcting presbyopia is the Presbia Flexivue Microlens. This inlay resembles a small intraocular lens like the ones used in cataract surgery. With only a 3.2 mm diameter, the Presbia Flexivue Microlens is available in a range of different powers. When implanted, a small pocket is created in the stroma of the cornea with a femtosecond laser. The inlay is placed into the pocket and self sealed. The Presbia Flexivue Microlens can be removed and replaced with a higher or lower power lens if that is the case.
Corneal Onlays
With much similarity to corneal inlays, corneal onlays are different in that they are placed closer to the surface of the cornea, under the epithelium. The epithelium of the cornea acts as a protective barrier keeping bacteria, dust, and foreign substances from penetration into the eye. Through research, corneal inlays have become the preferred technology for corneal implants regarding vision correction.
