Find Out Which Vision Correction Surgery Can Improve Your Eyesight
People seeking eye surgery to correct vision may feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. For common refractive errors, options can include refractive lens exchange, SBK LASIK, or implantable contact lenses (ICLs).
Although vision correction procedures seem similar to the untrained person, they are very different and ideal for different ages and severity of refractive errors.
Find out where you can make an appointment for a no-obligation consultation to determine whether you qualify for eye surgery to correct your vision, such as implantable contact lenses.
What Are Implantable Contact Lenses?
Implantable contact lenses correct certain refractive errors in your vision. ICLs are surgically placed in the eye between your iris – the colored part of your eye – and your natural lens, without damaging the cornea. ICLs are made of Collamer, a biocompatible material composed of collagen and polymer. With this procedure, you keep your natural lens.
Implantable contact lenses are invisible – only an eye doctor can tell that it’s there – not even you! Because they are implanted in your eyes, you do not need to remove and clean ICLs every day or at all. You can simply wake up and enjoy being able to see right away.
Who Can Wear Implantable Contact Lenses?
Implantable contact lenses are for adults between the ages of 18 and 50. In people younger than 18, their vision is still changing, so laser vision correction of any type is not ideal. In people older than age 50, your natural lenses begin to become dysfunctional and develop cataracts at this point in your life, which ICLs cannot prevent or cure. Refractive cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange may be more appropriate procedures for you.
People with thin corneas, dry eyes, or a high prescription may benefit from implantable contact lenses because the eye surgery does not affect the cornea, like SBK LASIK does, for example. ICLs are ideal for people who do not qualify for LASIK for these reasons.
Do Implantable Contact Lenses Require Vision Correction Surgery?
Yes, ICLs require vision correction surgery. Implantable contact lenses are placed during laser eye surgery and permanently correct a patient’s vision.
The laser-assisted procedure takes only about 15 minutes total. Recovery and healing time are fast, with most patients reporting they’re able to resume their normal activities the next day. This is similar to most refractive vision surgeries, including SBK LASIK, refractive lens exchange, SMILE, and more.
How Much Does This Type of Vision Correction Cost?
The cost of laser vision correction depends on numerous factors and will vary slightly from person to person. Cost may also vary depending on the refractive surgeon you partner with and where their office is located.
Beware signing up for discount vision correction surgery! When it comes to your vision, choosing the cheapest possible option is unlikely to give you the outcome you desire. For best results, choose a refractive surgeon who carefully examines your eye health and has participated in clinical research in vision. You shouldn’t put a price tag on your vision, so only work with a refractive surgeon who makes you feel comfortable.
Request a Consultation for ICLs
If you live in or near the Kansas City metro, you can request an implantable contact lens consultation with a refractive surgeon at Durrie Vision, the area’s leaders in refractive surgery for more than 30 years.
In fact, our practice has pioneered eye surgery to correct vision, including serving as a clinical research site for photoreactive keratectomy (PRK), LASIK, SBK Advanced LASIK, refractive lens exchange, phakic intraocular lenses, corneal inlays, corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL), ICLs, and topography-guided LASIK. We are uniquely positioned to determine which procedure is right for you, thanks to our in-depth advanced intraocular analysis that we perform on all surgery candidates, to get an overall picture of eye health to better predict optimal outcomes. In fact, our multi-step exam is one of the most in-depth in the area, so you can rest assured that we’ve carefully determined your candidacy for each vision correction procedure.
To make an appointment for a consultation, you can request one online, or call our practice directly at (913) 491-3330. You can even send us a message on our website. As you wait for your appointment date, take our online self-candidacy test to learn more about the refractive surgeries we offer and which ones may be right for you. But remember: only a refractive surgeon from Durrie Vision can approve you for a procedure.