Intraocular Contact Lens

Intraocular Contact Lens (ICL), Phakic IOL or Phakic Refractive Lens (PRL) is a microsurgical procedure without laser primarily for the correction of extreme shortsightedness and longsightedness, where other methods such as LASIK, are insufficient. The procedure involves the placement of an extra, very thin, plastic lens in the eye. The lens is placed in the posterior chamber, behind the iris and in front of the eye's own lens thereby correcting the eye's refractive capability so that normal visual acuity can be achieved. ICL provides a permanent solution, but the method is reversible, i.e. the lens can be changed if necessary. The operation is performed under local anaesthetic without undue discomfort to the patient, and the procedure takes less than 30 minutes.

Advantages and disadvantages

Placement of the intraocular contact lens

Two advantages with the ICL method is that it can reduce major visual errors, and that it is not dependant on the condition of the cornea, since the actual treatment is performed within the eye. In traditional excimer laser treatment it is the cornea itself that is subjected to the procedure. An additional advantage is the swift results the treatment achieves. As early as the day after the operation the patient usually notices a marked improvement in eyesight.

A disadvantage with ICL (as compared to for instance LASIK) is that only one eye can be treated at a time. A waiting period of at least 1-2 weeks should be observed before treating the other eye.