Phakic IOLs

Phakic IOLs are some of the most exciting additions in the refractive surgery armamentarium.  This has a tremendous advantage for patients that are young and have the ability to accommodate.  There are two types of Phakic IOL's currently approved by the FDA, the Verisyse and the Visian ICL.

The word "phakic" means that your natural crystalline lens is left in the eye. This is important because your natural lens plays an important role in helping your eye adjust between seeing objects that are near and far.

Many patients in past that had been denied refractive surgery because of too high of a correction or too thin of a cornea or mild corneal ectasia, may now be candidates for this revolutionary surgery.


Visian ICL Phakic IOL

Phakic IOL - Visian ICL lens implanted by Dr. Ash in Modesto, CA

The Visian Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) is an intraocular lens that is implanted through a small incision and placed inside the eye behind the iris (colored part of the eye) but in front of the natural lens. This procedure is very comfortable and has a very easy recovery.  The Visian ICL also has a Toric version that can be used in patients with astigmatism. 

Patient usually have both eyes operated on at the same time.  The procedure takes about 30 minutes for both eyes.  Since the Visian ICL is behind the iris, it is not visible to other people.

 Phakic IOL - Visian ICL lens implanted by Dr. Ash in Modesto, CA

 


 

Artisan OPHTEC or Verisyse™ Phakic IOL

Image of a Verisyse phakic intra-ocular lens implanted by Dr. Ash


The Artisan Phakic IOL by OPHTEC was first distributed in the USA under the name Verisyse.  The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is used to treat moderate to severe myopia, the medical term for nearsightedness. With over 20 years of use and 150,000 procedures performed worldwide, results prove that the Verisyse™ design is safe and effective for very nearsighted people who are tired of thick glasses and are not candidates for Custom LASIK.

How Verisyse™ works

The procedure involves placing the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL behind your cornea and on top of your iris. This gives your eye another focusing lens that provides high-quality, high-definition vision like a normal eye. Although the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is intended to be permanent, the procedure is reversible if desired.

Implanting the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is an outpatient procedure that takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Usually, one eye is treated at a time.

One of the most important considerations in the evaluation of a patient for Verisyse intra-ocular lens, is proper sizing and safety distances.  Current calculators provide a fair "best guess" measurement.  The Visante Anterior Segment OCT has demonstrated how invaluable it is in pre-operative and post-operative evaluations.  One can properly evaluate the safe distance of the Verisyse from the inner lining of the cornea (endothelium) and the lens itself.  These proper measurements are essential in avoiding future complications.  The following is an Visante image of a prospective patient being evaluated for Verisyse.

Pre-op Modeling using the Visante Anterior Segment OCT

The above patient had Verisyse implantation with Dr. Ash with successful results.  The image below is a confirmation that the above model is Visante Anterior Segment Imaging is in fact accurate and more predictive that the VeriCalc calculator that most surgeons rely upon.  The lens-endothelial clearance measured by VeriCalc was 1.92 mm.

Post-operative results of Verisyse implantation with Dr. Ash in Modesto

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The physicians of Modesto Eye Center and the Northern California Laser Center are renowned Stockton and Modesto lasik eye surgeons. They are also considered Stockton and Modesto cataract surgery specialists. These physicians treat LASIK Stockton and cataracts patients from their Modesto offices

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