The Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) procedure is a refractive surgery that is primarily used to help patients with very strong minus prescriptions gain independence from glasses and contact lenses. ICL surgery can be an excellent alternative for patients who are not candidates for LASIK surgery.

About the ICL Procedure

ICL surgery is an outpatient procedure that takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and has minimal recovery time. The surgery is done with a local anesthetic, eyedrops, to numb the eyes.

During ICL surgery, your surgeon will place a corrective lens (similar to a contact lens) inside your eye between your iris and your eye’s natural lens. Working with your eye’s natural lens, the ICL bends or refracts light onto your retina and makes your vision clearer, essentially correcting your prescription and reducing or eliminating the need for prescription glasses. 

Candidates for ICL Surgery

ICL surgery is generally performed on patients between the ages of 21 and 45 and is an especially strong option for patients that have strong minus or negative power prescriptions. Many patients who are not good candidates for LASIK surgery are good candidates for ICL surgery–-and ICL patients can obtain a similar degree of freedom from glasses/contacts as LASIK patients.