EVO Visian ICL ©
EVO Visian ICL (Implantable Contact Lens) surgery is a better vision correction solution for patients with high prescription, dry eyes and unusual cornea.
EVO Visian ICL is a well-established alternative to laser eye surgery, with over 1.000.000 lenses implanted, and is not only for patients with very high prescriptions.
What is EVO Visian ICL?
A number of different implantable contact lenses have been developed but the EVO Visian Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) produced by STAAR (FDA approved and CE marked) is the safest. EVO ICL surgery is intended to safely and effectively correct myopia (up to -18 dioptres -D-), reduce myopia in patients with up to -20 D of myopia, treatment of astigmatisms up to 6D and treatment of hyperopia up to 10D.
Mr Maurino is a world renowned expert implantable contact lens surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and uses only the safest and most advanced technology for your surgery.
ICL surgery can therefore correct vision beyond Laser Vision Correction. Unlike Laser Vision Correction that permanently changes the corneal shape, Visian ICL can correct the vision, but can also be easily removed or replaced in the unlikely event that an ICL patient experiences side effects after surgery. The surgery is therefore reversible.
Vincenzo Maurino clinic is based at Moorfields Eye Hospital Private Patient Unit and offers the most advanced and comprehensive approach to vision correction surgery, incorporating the latest techniques of laser eye surgery, EVO Visian ICL surgery for treatment of patients with high levels of short sight or unsuitable for laser surgery (thin corneas, keratoconus, dry eyes, etc.) as well as refractive lens exchange for the presbyopic patients.
The following videos below provide more information about Visian ICL.
EVO Visian ICL surgery
Visian Implantable contact lens (ICL) is the most popular treatment for patients unsuitable for laser vision correction (for example myopia beyond the laser capabilities or thin/unusually shaped corneas). The ICL procedure implants a permanent miniature contact lenses inside the eye to correct the vision and eliminate glasses . The Visian ICL lens is undetectable and cosmetically invisible.
Professional athletes, celebrities and elite military personnel have chosen the Visian ICL to correct their vision. If you are between the ages of 18-20 and 45 you could be an excellent candidate for Visian ICL surgery. This surgery is best suited to treat patients with high prescriptions, thin corneas and dry eyes. Learn more about this advanced implantable lens technology from the official website of Visian ICL.
The only way to establish whether EVO Visian ICL surgery is appropriate for you is at consultation, where we perform a series of comprehensive eye tests to assess suitability for treatment. We also ensure your eyes are healthy, and advise you fully on the benefits and risks of EVO Visian ICL surgery along with any other options available to you.
EVO Visian ICL Surgery can be performed in appropriately selected patients and does produce excellent visual results. Surgery cab be performed od both eyes in the same sessions if preferable. There is no overnight stay and all surgical procedures are always performed at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
EVO Visian ICL surgery is safe and predictable, but like any eye surgery carries a small risk of problems and complications. The risk of a damaging eye infection is small and certainly less than refractive lens exchange surgery or cataract surgery. In some cases, the EVO Visian ICL may need to be exchanged if it does not fit well once it is in the eye. A small percentage of patients may also develop cataract or high pressure after surgery. As with any surgical procedure these risks are reduced by picking an experienced consultant surgeon and choosing the right patients.
For more information visit the EVO Visian ICL help centre
The surgical procedure
The Surgery takes place at Moorfields Eye Hospital and within the private operation theatres. You will lie flat, with your head on a specially designed rest. A sterile plastic adhesive sheet is placed over the operated eye to minimise risk of infection. This sheet has a non-adhesive section, which covers the other eye, your face, head and neck. The sheet is lifted well clear of your mouth and nose and will not make you feel too enclosed or claustrophobic. A speculum (eyelid retainer) is placed to help keep the eye open during the procedure. Blinking is no problem, but it is helpful if you can keep the facial muscles relaxed and avoid squeezing the eyes shut during the procedure. The anaesthetic eye drops help you to do this comfortably. Light sedation is usually administered by the attending Consultant Anaesthetist (Dr Gallagher or Dr Catteruccia) to help you to relax during the surgery. A microscope light will be switched on, which may be very dazzling at first, so it is often helpful to look away for 30 seconds before looking straight up into the light. Mr Maurino will talk you through the surgery and you feel at ease. You should stare straight up at the light throughout the procedure. This will keep the eye in the ideal position for the surgery. Closing the other eye will tend to cause the operated eye to move, so it is best to stare straight ahead with both eyes open. Some movement is normal, and will not be a problem, although excessive movement will tend to slow the procedure down. Mr Maurino may occasionally choose to freeze the muscles around the eye, in addition to numbing the eye’s surface, in order to complete the operation. This is achieved with an injection of anaesthetic around the eye. Although this may sound unpleasant, it is usually straightforward and pain-free. Many surgeons and anaesthetists administer these eye muscle blocks routinely in their patients. Although you will feel the surgeon touching around the eye, and sensations such as mild pressure in the eye and fluid running over the surface of the eye, the operation is not painful. You will not see any formed images of surgical instruments. Patients usually report seeing brightly coloured lights at various stages during the surgery, but you may see little, particularly if local anaesthetic injection techniques are used. Watch the animation of VIsian ICL Surgery
After the operation
At the end of the procedure, the Mr Maurino will remove the adhesive sheet, and place a plastic shield over the eye. Visual recovery after ICL surgery is quick and patients can see driving standard or better within just 1-2 days. Mild, gritty discomfort is normal, and the eyes may be relatively light-sensitive in the first few days after surgery. Beyond this, any postoperative discomfort should be minimal. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are normally instilled four times a day for the first week after surgery and then tailed off. Eye rubbing should be avoided for the first weeks after surgery, and an eye shield is normally worn to protect the eye at nights for the first few days. Restrictions on activity are minimal after surgery. Swimming is not recommended in the first 3 weeks after surgery (because of a theoretical risk of infection), but other forms of exercise and flying are no problem. Try not to open your eyes under the shower, and avoid eye bathing – just use the prescribed drops to clean the eye itself and clear any mucous build up from the eyelids using a cotton wool bud moistened in cooled, boiled water.
You should allow approximately 90 minutes for your consultation, since it entails a detailed vision assessment.
- Full ophthalmic assessment, including dilation of the pupils, eye pressure check and examination of the back of the eye (the retina).
- Comprehensive eye test (known as refraction).
- Corneal tomography scanning (pentacam and more).
- Pupil Measurements
- Corneal endothelial cells scanning.
- Laser Biometric tests.
The above diagnostic tests are carried out by Mr. Maurino’s team (doctors and optometrists) after which you will be seen by Mr Maurino, who will explain the results of the eye tests and discuss the best treatment to eliminate your glasses.
You should attend your initial consultation wearing an up-to-date spectacle prescription. If you wear contact lenses, you should remove them for a minimum of 3 days before your consultation, if daily soft contact lenses. If you wear gas permeable lenses, you should discontinue those for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to your appointment with us. This will enable an accurate measurement of the eyes. Temporary changes in corneal shape are commonly associated with contact lens wear. Read the information provided as carefully as possible and prepare any questions you may have for us and we will address them at the consultation. Once we have all measurements taken at the time of your consultation, and you are happy then ICLs can be ordered and we can set the dates for your surgery.
Typically ICL surgery takes 10 minutes per eye in efficient and experienced surgical hands. Mr Maurino is a recognised authority in implantable contact lens surgery and has performed a vast amount of ICL implantation surgeries. He has published on ICL (click here to view most recent scientific ICL publication) surgery and is an EVO Vision ICL expert trainer and has lectured on ICL surgery worldwide.
Do not wear any eye or facial make-up on the day of surgery. Ordinary non-prescription sunglasses are useful whilst your eyes are mildly light sensitive in the early recovery period, and are ideal for travelling home after surgery, so bring a pair with you. For patients having the procedure under general anaesthetic, a period of six hours without food and drink is usually required prior to surgery.
Visual recovery after ICL surgery is rapid. Patients can commonly see driving standard or better within just 2 days of surgery. Mild, gritty discomfort is normal, and eyes may be relatively light-sensitive in the first few days after surgery. Beyond this, any postoperative discomfort should be minimal. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are normally instilled four times a day for the first week after surgery. Eye rubbing should be avoided for the first few weeks after surgery, and an eye shield is normally worn to protect the eye at nights for the first few days. Restrictions on activity are few. Swimming is not recommended in the first 3 weeks after surgery (because of risk of infection), but other forms of exercise and flying are no problem. Try not to open your eyes under the shower, and avoid eye bathing – just use the prescribed drops to clean the eye itself and clear any mucous build up from the eyelids using a cotton wool bud moistened in cooled, boiled water.
For most patients, the vision should become clear very quickly within 24 hours following ICL surgery. The vast majority of our patients achieve spectacles independence. Like in laser vision correction over or under correction can rarely happen and can be dealt with if necessary.
Review visits are usually required at 2 weeks and 6 weeks for each eye after surgery. Thereafter, annual review visits are performed to check for the ICL but the latter will be subject to usual follow-up consultation charges.
ICL surgery is safe and predictable, but like any sort of surgery carries a small risk of complications. The risk of a serious infection within the eye is small and less than refractive lens exchange surgery. In some cases, the ICL may need to be exchanged if it does not fit well once it is in the eye. A small percentage of patients may also develop cataract or high pressure after surgery. As with any surgical procedure choosing an experienced consultant surgeon reduces these risks. Please click to read more detailed information on EVO Visian ICL risks.
Vincenzo Maurino is a world renowned implantable contact lens surgeon and has published on ophthalmic journal on ICL surgery and he was one of the first surgeon in the world to pioneer the use of toric implantable lenses to correct high astigmatism after corneal transplant surgery (Click here to see his original work on Toric -ICL). He is an official trainer for EVO Visian ICL surgery and has been teaching ICL surgery for many years worldwide. He uses the EVO Visian ICL because it is the best choice for a lens that is going to safely stay in your eye.
EVO Visian ICL is a well-established alternative to laser eye surgery, with over 1.000.000 lenses implanted, and is not only for patients with very high prescriptions. The procedure is also reversible. In comparative studies in patients with myopia of more than 6 D, the Visian ICL has been shown safe, more predictable and give better outcomes than laser vision correction surgery . In addition Visian ICL is not associated with dry eyes after surgery and may be better suited to patients with pre-existent dry eyes. Visual recovery is fast, with near normal vision just 1 day after surgery for most patients.
The Visian ICL is made of a natural collagen material similar to the material used in hearth valve replacement surgery. The material is known as “Collamer” and this is a technologically advanced lens material which is 100% compatible with the human body’s natural chemistry. Among Collamer’s advantages are that it is anti-reflectivity and UV protection.
Mr Maurino’s EVO Visian ICL surgery is always performed at Moorfields Eye Hospital and takes about 10 minutes per eye. The Visian ICL is simply injected through a small incision and rests inside the eye in front of your natural lens. The ICL is invisible to the human eye and does not cause any feeling of grittiness.
Visian ICL surgery is safe and predictable, but like any surgery carries a very small risk of complications (please click here for EVO Visian ICL risks) . Choosing a reputable and experienced consultant eye surgeon significantly reduces risks. Vincenzo Maurino has been performing Visian ICL Surgery since 2006 and his outcomes are second to none.
For patients with higher prescriptions or unsuitable for laser vision correction surgery (such as thin cornea, abnormal corneal shape or some forms of keratoconus), alternative techniques based on lens implantation are more appropriate. A number of different lens implants have been developed for correcting high refractive errors but the EVO Visian Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) produced by STAAR has had FDA approval and CE mark and has been proven to be the safest. Unlike Femto LASIK that permanently changes the eye wall shape, one of the important advantages of the Visian ICL is that while it can permanently correct the vision, the ICL lens can be removed and/or replaced if necessary.
During surgery, the flexible ICL is folded and inserted into the eye through a 2.0 mm corneal incision. Specialised instruments are used to unfold the lens and position it correctly between the natural lens and the iris. The Visian ICL effectively builds your contact lens or spectacle correction in the eye. The ICL is made from a soft gel material, based on natural and artificial collagen. Because the lens is implanted within the eye, no cleaning is required. There is no need of a peripheral iridectomy (little hole in the iris) to allow normal movement of fluids in the front of the eye since the latest ICL myopic model (EVO Visian Aquaport) does have a built in hole that allows free fluid movements in the eye.
For higher astigmatism (>1.00D) toric ICL (TICL), which incorporate an optical correction for astigmatism are readily available. The angle at which these lenses are implanted determines the accuracy of correction, and minor revision procedures to rotate the lenses may be required in some patients for the best results.
Patients previously ineligible for laser eye surgery prior to ICL implantation may find that any residual short- or long-sight after ICL implantation would normally be within the safe range for laser treatment. Surface laser treatments such as No Touch LASEK or Femto-LASIK can be performed safely, if further correction is desired, from 2 months after ICL surgery.
