People with extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness may not be suitable candidates for LASIK, but may benefit from an Implantable Contact Lens, or intraocular lens. These lenses are placed inside the eye in a brief, outpatient procedure. They provide a permanent correction without the need for removal or cleaning. Some of these lenses can correct for reading vision too, an advantage for patients over 45 years old.

Dr. Robert Maloney was an authorized FDA principal investigator for the Implantable Contact Lens and had been performing the procedure in Los Angeles for over 20 years.

The Visian Implantable Collamer Lens is one type of Phakic Intraocular Lens which is manufactured from a soft foldable polymeric material called Collamer. The cornea is actually comprised of collagen and so this material provides excellent biocompatibility and superior optical capability. It is readily implanted in your eye behind the iris, or colored part of the eye, by gently folding it and injecting into the anterior chamber through a tiny incision only 3.0mm in length placed by the eye surgeon at the clear edge of the cornea.

Advantages of the Visian ICL

The Visian ICL and its unique Collamer composition offer numerous advantages including:

• Quality of Vision - The Visian ICL produces not only improved visual acuity (20/20 vision is considered normal visual acuity), but also excellent visual quality. Many patients experience the "Wow" factor when they experience the immediate improvement in the quality of their vision.
• Biocompatibility - Collamer, the 100 percent pure collagen copolymer lens material of the Visian ICL, is not viewed as a foreign object by the body's immune system.
• Versatility - The Visian ICL offers a wider treatment range for myopia than LASIK and PRK procedures.
• Simplicity - Unlike traditional contact lenses, once the Visian ICL is implanted in the eye, there is no additional maintenance needed.
• Safety - After implantation in over 55,000 eyes worldwide, the Visian ICL has established a proven track record of safety.
• Lens Placement - The placement of the Visian ICL makes the lens invisible to the patient and any observer.
• Removable - The Visian ICL was designed to be permanently placed in the eye. However, the lens can be removed if a patient's vision changes or if it otherwise needs to be removed or replaced.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Visian ICL™

The Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) has been gaining recognition as phakic intraocular lens that produces exceptional quality of vision. It is revolutionizing the refractive correction industry. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about STAAR Surgical Company's implantable Collamer lens.

Q: Am I a candidate for the Visian ICL?

A. The implantable Collamer lens works best for patients who suffer from moderate to severe myopia, but have not had other ophthalmic surgeries. Those between the ages of 21 and 45 without a history of ophthalmic diseases such as glaucoma, iritis, or diabetic retinopathy make the best candidates for the Visian ICL.

Q. What are the advantages of the Visian ICL?

A. The Visian ICL can correct a wide range of myopia without removing or destroying the cornea's delicate tissue. During this surgical eye correction procedure, the doctor makes a tiny incision about 3 mm long. This incision will not require sutures. It is just large enough to insert the Visian ICL, a small, foldable, injectable lens. The lens is made of an advanced biocompatible material called Collamer. Because the Visian ICL is placed inside the eye, refractive outcomes and optical performance are consistent. The result is excellent quality of vision.

Q. What if a patient's vision changes?

A. The Visian ICL may be removed or replaced if eyesight changes. Another surgical eye correction can be done to correct the discrepancy. Eyeglasses and contact lenses may also be worn if correction becomes necessary. The phakic IOL cannot be used to treat presbyopia, the need for reading glasses due to age.

Q. Can the lenses dry out or get dirty like a contact lens?

A. No. The Visian ICL is designed to be a maintenance-free eye correction treatment. We recommend you continue to have annual ophthalmology exams to ensure that your eyes stay healthy.

Q. Can the Visian ICL be seen by the naked eye?

A. No. Your vision correction lens will be completely invisible to you and all observers. The Visian ICL is hidden behind the iris, resulting in a perfect cosmetic appearance. Only medical professionals will be able to determine that there is a lens in place.

Q. What is the Visian ICL made of?

A. The Visian ICL uses a collagen co-polymer material called Collamer, which is proprietary to STAAR Surgical Company. It contains a small amount of purified collagen and is very stable and biocompatible, which means it will not cause a reaction in your eye. Additionally, it contains an ultraviolet light filter.

Q. How long will the Visian ICL stay in the eye?

A. The Visian ICL is intended to remain in place without maintenance. If for any reason removal of the lens becomes necessary, it can be easily taken out by a trained ophthalmic surgeon.

Q. Can the Visian ICL be felt once it is in place?

A. Because the Visian ICL does not attach to any eye structures or move around in the eye, most patients do not feel it or notice that it is there.

VIEW A VISIAN ICL PROCEDURE

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IMPLANTABLE LENSES

For some patients who are extremely nearsighted, those that have thin corneas, or those that have other conditions that might predispose them to complications with LASIK, another alternative might be to find out if they are good candidates for Implantable Lenses to correct their vision. One such lens is the Verisyse Phakic Intraocular Lens and another is the Visian™ Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL).

Verisyse™ Phakic IOL for Extreme Myopia
The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is used to treat moderate to severe myopia, the medical term for nearsightedness. With over 18 years of use and 150,000 procedures performed worldwide, results prove that the Verisyse™ design is safe and effective for very nearsighted people who are tired of thick glasses and are not candidates for Custom LASIK.

How Verisyse™ works
The procedure involves placing the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL behind your cornea and on top of your iris. This gives your eye another focusing lens that provides high-quality, high-definition vision like a normal eye. Although the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is intended to be permanent, the procedure is reversible if desired.

The word "phakic" means that your natural crystalline lens is left in the eye. This is important because your natural lens plays an important role in helping your eye adjust between seeing objects that are near and far.

About the Verisyse™ procedure
Implanting the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is an outpatient procedure that takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Usually, one eye is treated at a time.

1. Drops will be placed in your eyes in order to reduce the pupil size.
2. For better access to your eye, your doctor will use an instrument to comfortably hold your eyelids open during the procedure.
3. A local anesthetic is given to numb the eye, so the procedure is virtually painless.
4. A small incision is made in the cornea for the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL to be placed in the space between the iris and the cornea.
5. The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is centered in front of the pupil (the black part in the center of your eye), and is gently attached to the iris (the colored part of your eye) to hold the lens in place.
6. The small incision is closed with microscopic stitches that dissolve over time.
7. A temporary shield will be placed over your eye to protect it during the time just after the procedure.

How Verisyse™ looks in your eye

Frequently Asked Questions About the Verisyse™ Phakic Lens Implant

Will I be able to see or feel the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL in my eye?

Once the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is placed inside your eye, it is virtually undetectable; however, you and others may be able to see the lens in your eye if you look very closely. Because the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is placed inside your eye, you will not be able to feel it.

Is Verisyse™ safe?

Yes. The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) -- an extremely well proven biocompatible material that has been widely used in and on eyes for over 50 years.

Can I see well near and at a distance with the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL?

Most people who have the Verisyse™ procedure see well near and at a distance because their natural lens is left in place. This lens (the crystalline lens) naturally adjusts to focus on near and distant objects. As you age, this natural lens function may diminish and you may need reading glasses to see objects that are near.

Can I go swimming with the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL in my eye?

You can swim and participate in virtually any other activity with the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL because unlike contact lenses, the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is implanted in the eye, in front of the crystalline lens. Therefore, it is not affected by external elements such as water.

Is the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL affected by elements like rain or steam?

The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is not affected by external elements like rain or steam because it is implanted behind the cornea of your eye.

How long does the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL last?

Clinical evaluations have proven that PMMA can remain in the eye for decades without changing its properties or losing stability; however, the procedure is completely reversible. If, in the future, your surgeon determines that there is a better procedure, the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL can be surgically removed at any time. Only your doctor can determine if this measure may be necessary.

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