Phakic IOLs / Verisyse and Visian ICL for Myopia

The term ‘phakic’ refers to an eye which has an IOL implanted to supplement – not replace – the existing natural lens. A phakic IOL is implanted through a small incision in the peripheral cornea, similar to the IOL insertion during standard cataract surgery. But unlike cataract surgery and natural lens replacement (NLR), the natural lens of the eye is not removed during the surgery.

Phakic IOLs are like embedded contact lenses. Phakic IOL implantation at our Monmouth County eye center differs from laser refractive procedures such as LASEK and LASIK because it involves implanting an IOL in the eye, not reshaping the cornea. Advantages of phakic IOLs  include high levels of correction, excellent quality of vision and preservation of accommodation.

Dr Goldberg provides phakic IOLs for the correction of high degrees of nearsightedness with the Verisyse lens and the Visian ICL.  Both the Verisyse and the Visian ICL are FDA approved for treating nearsightedness in eyes which otherwise are not candidates for laser vision correction such as eyes with thin corneas and very high degrees of nearsightedness.

The Verisyse phakic IOL is inserted and attached to the colored portion of the eye (iris). Tiny, dissolvable stitches are used to close the wound. An eye shield will need to be worn for a short time after the procedure, which lasts about 15-30 minutes. The Verisyse IOL isn’t noticeable in the eye, though you may see it if you look very closely in the mirror.

 

The folded Visian ICL is inserted just behind the eye’s iris and in front of the natural lens.  After being placed through the microincision, the artificial lens unfolds to its full width after implantation, which required no sutures.  After the six-minute procedure, the Visian ICL is invisible to the naked eye because of its location behind the iris. It can be seen only with a microscope during eye exams..

 

  

          

Myopia Correction with the Visian ICL

The Visian ICL is a Collamer lens placed into the eye between the iris and the eye’s natural crystalline lens. By combining its focusing power with the eye’s natural lens (similar to the theory behind a traditional prescription contact lens), the Visian ICL is able to correct for a wide range of myopia.

An improved quality of vision is noticed with the Visian ICL. The Collamer lens produces sharper vision than other refractive surgical procedures. Also, the unique Collamer material makes the Visian ICL “invisible” to the body. (It is not seen as a foreign object by the immune system.)

Unlike other myopia (nearsightedness) correction surgical procedures like LASIK or PRK, the implantation of the Visian ICL does not remove or alter the eye’s tissue. Instead, during the refractive surgical procedure, a small incision is made and the foldable Collamer lens is inserted into the eye to supplement the eye’s natural lens.

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.

In  keeping with his ground breaking accomplishments as a refractive surgeon, Dr. Goldberg has been a leader in bringing these technologies to New Jersey.  In 1990, Dr. Goldberg was the first NJ eye surgeon to implant the ICL while visiting Dr. Juan Batille in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic.  Dr. Batille helped develop the ICL overseas prior to receiving FDA approval in the United States.  Similarly, Dr. Goldberg was amongst the first of the NJ eye surgeons to certify and implant a Verisyse lens.