During vacation season and school breaks, many young people choose vision correction surgery instead of traveling.
However, after detailed examinations, many are told that laser procedures such as SMILE Pro, LASIK, or LASEK are not possible because the cornea is too thin or because their myopia and astigmatism are too severe. That can be discouraging news for patients with high myopia who struggle to get through daily life without glasses. Fortunately, there is a safe and effective alternative that can restore vision without removing corneal tissue: ICL lens implantation surgery.
ICL, or implantable collamer lens, is a procedure that corrects myopia and astigmatism by inserting a custom-made lens between the iris and the natural lens. The lens is made of Collamer, a biocompatible material known for causing little inflammatory reaction inside the eye while allowing metabolic substances to pass through smoothly, which makes it highly safe.
After following patients for 10 years after surgery, our medical team became the first in Korea to confirm that vision remained stable over time and that side effects were rare. The findings were also published in the Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society. More recently, an upgraded method that uses balanced saline solution instead of conventional viscoelastic material has been introduced. It reduces concerns about increased intraocular pressure and shortens surgery time, and its effectiveness has also been demonstrated in an international journal.
For patients with high myopia accompanied by astigmatism, the independently developed Super Save lens implantation surgery (SSVC ICL) has emerged as a useful option.
In general, toric lenses used to correct astigmatism can rotate slightly inside the eye, sharply reducing their corrective effect and even worsening vision. The Super Save approach first addresses astigmatism with corneal relaxing incisions and then corrects myopia with standard lens implantation surgery. This reduces the risk of vision loss from lens rotation, and because the lens is thinner, it also offers advantages in terms of space inside the eye and cost.
However, combined surgery is not the best choice for every patient. A customized plan is needed after analyzing the eye’s structure, the astigmatic axis, and lifestyle habits. To improve accuracy, the navigation system Callisto Eye may also be used. If the anterior chamber is too shallow, lens implantation itself may be difficult, so preoperative testing is essential. Because it is an expensive and invasive procedure, careful decision-making is necessary.
Postoperative care is also important after ICL surgery. For about a week, patients should avoid activities that strain the eyes for long periods. For four weeks, they should refrain from lifting heavy objects and from vigorous exercise. Washing the face is allowed after three days, while showering and shampooing can resume after one week. Hair dyeing and eye makeup should be postponed for about a month and three weeks, respectively. To prevent infection, patients should avoid touching their eyes with their hands. Wearing a protective eye shield for two weeks after surgery can also help prevent unconscious rubbing during sleep. A diagnosis that laser surgery is not possible does not mean vision correction must be abandoned. Since there are good alternatives that do not involve cutting the cornea, such as ICL lens implantation, it is advisable to consult thoroughly with medical staff who have extensive clinical experience and strong long-term follow-up research, and then choose the method that best suits the individual.
Courtesy of Kim Ji-seon, director of Onnuri Smile Ophthalmic Clinic
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
