The Implantable Contact Lens, also known as the Implantable Collamer® Lens (ICL), offers an advanced solution for patients with higher refractive errors, thinner corneas, or dry eyes. Available at our London clinic, this procedure provides a highly precise, lens-based alternative to laser eye surgery, helping patients achieve exceptional visual clarity when other treatments may not be suitable.
When laser procedures such as LASIK or SMILE are not the most suitable option, Implantable Collamer® Lens (ICL) surgery offers a highly effective and often preferred alternative. Rather than reshaping the cornea, ICL works by placing a bespoke lens inside the eye, making it ideal for patients with higher prescriptions. One of the key advantages is that the natural structure of the cornea is preserved, which can be beneficial for long-term eye health and visual quality. Patients often experience sharp, high-definition vision with reduced glare and halos, particularly in low-light conditions. For those who may have been told they are not suitable for laser eye surgery, ICL opens the door to premium vision correction with predictable, stable outcomes.
This outpatient procedure typically lasts 10 minutes per eye. Eye drop anesthetics create a pain free procedure. The eye is opened with a key-hole incision in the corneal periphery that heals without a suture.
With ICL, each patient receives a tailor-made artificial biopolymer lens implant that has lifetime durability. The ICL lens is flexible and foldable like a contact lens and is inserted into the eye in a matter of seconds with an injector through the small corneal incision.
Unlike a contact lens, ICL is positioned in the posterior chamber of the eye between the iris and natural lens. It remains there permanently and is neither visible nor perceptible. The custom made ICL collamer® lens together with the natural lens redirect the light to focus on the retina with optical precision. After the treatment the patient can see clearly again.
The awards took place at the ESCRS meeting in Amsterdam and at our flagship clinic in Hamburg.
We are pleased and proud of this beautiful success!
Their extensive experience sets a global standard in ICL implantations. (Staar Surgical, Ceo Tom Frinzi hand ower award to Dr Joergensen)
People with extreme near-sightedness, far-sightedness, astigmatism or a thin cornea are typically not suitable for a laser eye treatment. Surrender to fate and accept glasses? Not with EuroEyes!
With the ICL, a phakic intraocular lens, EuroEyes can offer an excellent alternative treatment for near-sighted patients with a dioptre higher than -8 and for farsighted patients with a dioptre higher than +3 – even if the refractive error is combined with astigmatism. Contrary to a contact lens, the ICL will remain permanently in the eye but can be replaced at any time.
It is positioned between the iris and the natural lens. In cooperation with your natural lens, the ICL thereby ensures that the light is correctly focused on the retina, making it possible for you to see clearly once again.
And you can be sure that EuroEyes has implanted the most ICL contact lenses in Europe for the fourth year in a row.
Refractive errors like nearsightedness and astigmatism make your vision blurry. If you would prefer not to wear glasses or contact lenses to overcome this blurriness, you may be a great candidate for refractive surgery. While LASIK and SMILE are the best-known refractive procedures, they are not your only option. You may be excited to learn about EVO Visian ICL, a highly effective alternative to the traditional procedures. Below, our team of eye doctors review the advantages of Visian ICL.
LASIK involves removing some tissue from the cornea. Therefore, if you are someone who has a thin cornea, you may be deemed a weak candidate for Lasik since removing corneal tissue may be risky. EVO ICL does not remove any corneal tissue. Not only does this allow more people to safely undergo refractive surgery, it also makes any subsequent eye surgeries that may become necessary later in life easier to perform since the cornea is still intact.
If your eyes are regularly itchy and uncomfortable, you may have chronic dry eye. Eye doctors often discourage patients with dry eye from having LASIK/Smile since it can worsen their symptoms. Even patients without dry eye develop temporary dry eye for several weeks after their surgery. Fortunately, EVO Visian ICL does not seem to significantly elevate your risk for having dry eye, and you should still be a great candidate for this refractive surgery even if you have been diagnosed with dry eye.
Ultraviolet light isn’t just bad for your skin, it can also damage your eyes. Research has linked unprotected sun exposure to retinal disorders, cataracts, and even tumors. Sunglasses remain the best way to protect your eyes from UV rays, but the collamer in EVO Visian ICL provides additional protection to further minimize your risks and block the sun when you leave the house without sunglasses.
The benefits of EVO Visian ICL are intended to last throughout your life. However, if for some reason in the future you would like to undo this refractive surgery, you have that option. It may seem like an appropriate decision if your vision prescription changes dramatically, or if you experience a traumatic eye injury. Whereas LASIK and SMILE make permanent changes to your eye, you should experience no complications if you remove your ICLs.
If you have moderate to severe myopia (with or without astigmatism) and would like to limit your dependence on prescription eyewear, you may be an ideal candidate for EVO Visian ICL. To learn more about this procedure and all your refractive surgery options, please schedule a consultation with EuroEyes London.
The doctors of the EuroEyes Group have implanted more than 30,000 ICL lenses since 1998 and have the most experience in implanting ICL lenses in Europe and are also among the most experienced worldwide.
When a laser treatment is no longer a sufficient treatment, for example, for refractive errors of more than -10 or +4 diopters, or if the cornea is too thin, implants are a good alternative. ICL is mainly used in young patients up to the age of 45, as the ability of the body’s own lens to accommodate is not impaired. Thus, it is even possible for people with extremely high refractive errors to live without glasses or contact lenses until the onset of presbyopia from approx. 45 years of age.
No, you will neither feel it, nor be able to see the intraocular lens.
There are two different types of Phakic Intraocular lenses: anterior chamber lenses and posterior chamber lenses.
The anterior chamber lens is implanted in front of the iris in the anterior chamber.
The posterior chamber intraocular lens is placed behind the iris and in front of the natural lens. It consists of Collamer, which is a biocompatible polymer.
Yes. The ICL sits behind the iris and in front of your natural lens, and it can be removed or exchanged if your prescription changes or if you later choose a different treatment.
Complications are uncommon, but can include glare/haloes at night, raised eye pressure, inflammation, infection, or cataract formation over time. We check your eye pressure and lens health at each follow-up to keep risks low.
Most people return to desk work in 1-2 days. Avoid swimming and eye make-up for about a week, and heavy gym work for 1-2 weeks. You won’t need contact lenses after ICL, but if you ever trial lenses again, wait until your surgeon confirms it’s safe.
