Phakic Intraocular Lens Verisyse IoL
Phakic Intraocular Lenses (IOLs) are lenses that can be surgically placed inside your eye. They are very similar to the IOLs that are implanted during cataract surgery, but instead of replacing the original lens of the eye, they are placed in the eye to correct nearsightedness due to refractive errors.
Essentially with this procedure, it’s like wearing a contact lens inside the eye instead of on the surface of the eye, but the best part is that you can’t feel the lens and never have to worry about removing it or cleaning it. Even if you aren’t a good candidate for LASIK surgery, you may still be a great candidate for Phakic lenses.
The procedure is performed in an operating room and lasts about 45 minutes. Your eyes will likely be operated separately several weeks apart because the recovery period does take a few weeks. However, the results will likely be even better than traditional LASIK surgery. If you have a very thin cornea, or moderate to severe nearsightedness, Phakic IOLs may be your solution.
These are two variations on Phakic IOL implantation. Dr. Schultze was the first surgeon in Northeastern New York to perform both of these surgeries. The Verisyse Phakic IOL lens surgery and Visian Implantable Collamer Lens surgery are very similar, but have some important differences.
Verisyse Phakic IOL:
- Inserted between the cornea and the iris
- Sutures are needed to close the incision site, and these will need to be removed by a surgeon
- FDA approved in 2004 for the USA, however it has been used for 15 years in other countries with an excellent safety record
Visian Implantable Collamer Lens:
- Implanted behind the iris
- The lens is foldable, meaning that the incision site can be much smaller
- Sutures are not needed making the recovery process quicker
- FDA approved in 2005, it has not been as well tested as the Verisyse option
