Why is ICL surgery required? What are its benefits?

Ophthalmology | Posted on 07/14/2022 by Dr. Shubhnav Jain

Implantable Collamer lenses or ICLs are extremely soft and flexible implants that can be placed surgically behind the pupil and in front of the natural lens. Patients suffering from Myopia, Hyperopia, and astigmatism are the ones who can be treated with ICL. The function of the lens is to bend light onto the retina, thereby processing clearer vision. The primary purpose of ICL is to correct the vision problem and to reduce or remove the patient’s dependency on glasses or contact lenses. This procedure is incorporated to treat younger patients and also patients who are not suitable for laser eye surgery. ICL is mostly used to correct a wider range of spectacle prescriptions. ICL is predominantly used in cases where the patients have preexisting cornea or eye surface problems.

Benefits of ICL

There is a wide range of benefits that the patient undergoing the surgery experiences post the completion of the recovery. Some of them include:

• ICL is the only surgery that can very easily help to correct severe nearsightedness.
• The vision of the patient post-surgery is similar to vision in the contact lenses but without the discomfort of the contact lens.
• Post ICL the night vision of the patient improves significantly.
• The recovery post the ICL is very quick as the surgery does not require any tissue removal.
• The patients who cannot get laser eye surgery, ICL acts as an impressive alternative for them.
• Post ICL, the changes that the patient experiences are life-changing, as they are free to perform any activities of their daily life without any restrictions.

Risks involved:

Though ICL is extremely safe, there are a few risk factors that cannot be ignored. Some of the complications are:

• If the ICL is not correctly positioned, it can cause immense pressure on the eye, which can lead to glaucoma.
• Post-surgery, if the patient experiences excessive eye pressure for a prolonged period of time then the person might experience vision loss.
• If the lens isn’t of the right size then the patient might have blurry vision, glare, or double vision.
• Eye infection is extremely rare and if any patient experiences an eye infection then that can lead to permanent vision loss.
• If the size of the lens is incorrect or the position of the lens is incorrect, the patient is needed to undergo another surgery to remove the lens and correct the related issue.

Precautions

There are certain precautionary measures that can be undertaken to reduce the chances of any complications. Some of them include:

• Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should not go for ICL
• Young kids and older adults above 45 years of age are not advised ICL
• If the person has any hormonal issues, then the person should not opt for ICL

Rukmani Birla Hospital is one of the top 10 hospitals in Jaipur. We have a few of the best Ophthalmologists in Jaipur who have performed hundreds of eye surgeries. If you are looking for an Ophthalmologist in Jaipur then contact RBH for expert assistance and care.