{"id":12291,"date":"2021-04-07T14:26:47","date_gmt":"2021-04-07T14:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyecliniclondon.com\/?page_id=12291"},"modified":"2022-02-17T11:41:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T11:41:31","slug":"icl-faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.eyecliniclondon.com\/blog\/icl-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"ICL FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"

ICL FAQs<\/h1>\n

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IMPLANTABLE CONTACT LENSES<\/h5>\n<\/div>
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Call 0800 197 8808<\/span><\/a><\/div>
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Book a consultation<\/span><\/a><\/div>
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What are the best ICL surgery questions to ask your doctor?<\/h2>\n

IN THESE TOGGLES YOU WILL FIND THE ANSWERS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR<\/h5>\n<\/div>
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<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the ICL lens made of?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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The ICL lens<\/a> is made of collamer. Collamer is collagen that the body tolerates well. This is what makes ICL unique among other lenses. The collagen or the collamer itself doesn’t build up any deposits, which means it remains clear throughout your life as long as it’s inside the eye. It is also made from a flexible material, making it easy to fold and inject into the eye through a very tiny incision.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What are the side-effects of ICL?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
With the new generation of ICLs, side effects have dropped significantly. Previously, the main side-effect was a raised eye pressure, development of cataract or cloudiness of the natural lens. However, in the fourth generation, which is the latest generation of ICL, this is hardly ever the case. I have not seen any patient in our clinic with a cataract or raised eye pressure.<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What are the success rates?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
ICL results are excellent. Almost 100% of patients achieve the target and beyond.<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is ICL surgery?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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ICL surgery has been in practice for over 20 years. It’s gone through several modifications to achieve better quality outcomes in terms of safety and efficacy. We are now dealing with the fourth generation of ICL. For the last five to six years, I have been providing the fourth generation lens, which has proved to be amazingly effective and safe.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What does the procedure involve?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
The ICL procedure is not really different from laser vision correction. For example, it takes the same amount of time, and we can do both eyes simultaneously. We perform the surgery itself through a very small incision at the edge of the cornea. No more than a 3.2-millimetre incision. The lens is very soft; we inject it inside the eye, behind the pupil, where we can centre and align it. If it’s a toric lens implant, then I bring the pupil down and seal the eye. It’s a really quick and comfortable procedure taking six to seven minutes to perform.<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>How long does the procedure take?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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The surgery itself takes no longer than 20 minutes. In fact, each eye takes around six to seven minutes to implant ICL in the eye. Of those seven minutes, there are a couple of minutes where the lens is prepared, folded, put it in the injector and then inject it inside the eye. And this is not really different from laser vision correction, which takes again, another seven, eight minutes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Where does the ICL go inside the eye?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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Behind the pupil, we have the natural crystalline lens. The ICL sits in that space, between the crystalline lens and the pupil, making it undetectable.<\/p>\n

What makes ICL so unique compared to phakic implants is that it sits in a very nice anatomical position and is stable throughout life.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the potential of needing repeat prescriptions?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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One of the main advantages of ICL is that you still can have a top-up treatment afterwards. If we don’t achieve the target and you still have a small prescription after the surgery, we can exchange the lens for one with a different power, or we can do a top-up laser procedure. Laser is often possible since the residual prescription will be much less than before.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>How long do ICL results last?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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ICLs are designed to last a lifetime.<\/p>\n

However, when you get to the age of 45-50, you develop presbyopia which is the need for reading glasses. There are various options to counteract presbyopia, such as exchanging your current ICL with a new one.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the recovery time after ICL?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
Recovery after ICL is pretty quick. Within the first day, 70% to 80% of patients have restored vision and even achieve the driving standard. The vision will continue to mature and sharpen gradually. Within three to four weeks, you should have the final outcomes.<\/p>\n

Initially, the eye feels a little bit gritty and uncomfortable. After two to three days, things get better and better, and the eye feels comfortable.<\/p>\n

By the fourth week, I expect patients to finish the drops I prescribe and return to their normal life.<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the recovery rate after ICL?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
Patients are fully recovered from ICL surgery once the eye is comfortable and they have achieved the vision they were hoping for.<\/p>\n

Patients typically feel comfortable within two or three days.<\/p>\n

Visual restoration is pretty quick after ICL. The majority of patients will have 70% to 80% of restored vision by day one after the operation.<\/p>\n

The vision will continue to mature and sharpen for three to four weeks after the procedure.<\/p>\n

Patients may experience a gritty, dry eye which could last for three to four weeks. The eye should settle nicely by the end of the month.<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What are long term effects of ICL?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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The ICL does not cause any damage or harm to the eye. It is an add-on lens.<\/p>\n

I will ask you to come back to the clinic for an eye health check every year. Here I will check the health of the cornea and eye pressure. The ICL is unlikely to cause any harm in the long term to the eye.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What are the success rates?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
ICL implants are among the most successful lens implants among all the other surgeries I do to correct vision. ICL results are outstanding. Almost 100% of our patients achieve the target and beyond.<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Advantages of ICL <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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One of the main advantages of the ICL is that it can be exchanged and removed should your prescription change.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Benefits of ICL<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
A key benefit of ICL is that it is an implantable lens that we add to the eye. We are not changing the eye itself by taking any tissue from the cornea, like with laser vision correction. If the ICL has to be removed or exchanged for any reason, that’s possible, and the eye will be back to its normal status.<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What do patients tell you about ICL? <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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Patients love ICL. They are among the happiest patients in our practice. Vision improves very quickly after ICL surgery which creates a wow factor. Especially for those with very high prescriptions.<\/p>\n

ICL patients hardly ever come back with any complications. I offer patients a safe and effective option that always meets their expectations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>How does ICL help you do your job?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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I love seeing patients the next day when they return, very happy and pleased with the results.<\/p>\n

Even 20 minutes after the surgery, when we check the patients, they already have amazing vision. Some patients even cry with happiness. It’s just amazing. It’s life-changing, and that’s what makes the surgeon’s job so satisfying.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>How do you assess patients for ICL <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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When patients come for an ICL assessment, we look at the surface of the eye. It’s very important that we perform investigations and diagnostics to check for any dry eye.<\/p>\n

We look to see;<\/p>\n