Implantable Collamer Lens

The implantable Collamer lens or ICL has been recently approved by the FDA for the correction of myopia or nearsightedness. It also may be used in farsighted patients enrolled in an ongoing clinical trial. The surgeons at Shepard Eye Center were some of the first in the nation to implant the ICL.

The ICL artificial lens is implanted in the eye behind the pupil and in front of the natural lens. It is similar to a contact lens but placed inside the eye by your surgeon in the operating room. The painless surgery takes about 10 minutes. After surgery, the eye never feels the lens and it doesn’t need to be replaced or removed. The lens corrects the vision, reducing or eliminating the patient’s need for glasses.
​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​The ICL may especially be a great option for patients who are not good candidates for LASIK laser surgery but who want to be less dependent on glasses. Shepard Eye Center was at the forefront in developing this lens and participated in the original FDA trials that led to its approval.