IMPLANTABLE CONTACT LENSES – (ICL’s)

A relatively new surgical procedure to correct most errors of vision errors without using Laser techniques.

A miniature Contact Lens is inserted behind the cornea, the front surface of the eye, by making a cut in the cornea. A smaller version of a rigid Contact Lens is then placed behind the corneal surface inside the eye.

The procedure is very new with no long term studies to validate it. If the sight changes, as it can do regularly, then the implanted lens will no longer give the best vision. A replacement implant, if technically possible, conventional Contact Lenses or glasses will then be required to maintain the best vision.

The few Clinics that offer this treatment are ‘hard selling’  ICL’s with claims of 95% success but to our knowledge, no independent studies are yet available to support these claims.

Our current advice with regard to Implantable Contacts is to treat this new surgery with the greatest caution until many more operations have been performed and a World Wide data base of scientific results emerges. Cosmetic eye surgery does not have to be medically approved as safe in the UK nor are success rates independently scrutinised!

It is our belief that law should require this, as is the case in the USA.  So, as with the claims for success of Laser Treatment, don’t put too much reliance on the figures quoted in ‘glossy sales brochures’

In the mean time the best advice of ALL unbiased but informed Medical opinion is that Contact Lenses, especially 30 Day Continuous Wear Sleep in Lenses, are still far safer than ANY invasive surgery – AND safer than Daily Inserted Contact Lenses!

http://www.lasik-center.com/laser/andere_ops.html