Medically Reviewed by Tom Tooma, M.D., Founder/Medical Director
Is EVO ICL Right for You?
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Medically Reviewed by Tom Tooma, M.D., Founder/Medical Director
EVO is short for Evolution in Visual Freedom, and it is an implantable collamer lens (ICL). The EVO ICL is designed to replace the need for prescription eyeglasses or contacts by implanting a specialized lens directly into your eye.
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The EVO ICL is made to correct vision errors related to myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism. Candidates for EVO ICL are healthy, nearsighted young adults.
If you are not eligible for LASIK, you can still get an EVO ICL. However, if you have hyperopia (farsightedness), an EVO ICL is not for you.
The Purpose of EVO ICL
The EVO Visian ICL is an alternative to prescription eyewear, like glasses and contacts, and corrective refractive surgery, including LASIK. It is an implantable lens that is placed behind the iris of the eye, in front of the lens. The EVO ICL is designed to work with your eye naturally.
The EVO ICL is meant to correct both myopia and myopia with astigmatism. It offers an alternative vision correction method to wearing glasses or contacts.
The EVO ICL can be removed, so unlike LASIK, it is a reversible procedure. It is designed to stay in place for as long as the correction is necessary.
Best Candidates for EVO ICL
To determine if you are a good candidate for an EVO ICL, your ophthalmologist will need to do a complete and comprehensive eye exam. They will measure your anterior chamber depth to make sure it is deep enough and check the health of your cornea.
These are other considerations for the EVO ICL procedure.
Degree of Myopia
Between -3D and -20D can be treated.
Age
It is best suited for adults between the ages of 21 and 45.
Stable Prescription
There should be no changes beyond 0.5D in a year.
No Underlying Issues
Candidates should not be pregnant or have any allergies to the medications used during surgery.
Your ophthalmologist will talk to you about your medical and vision history to determine if the EVO ICL surgery is safe and ideal for you.
Deciding on EVO ICL
If you are not a candidate for LASIK due to dry eyes, a thin cornea, or a severe degree of myopia, you may still be able to get the EVO ICL.
The EVO ICL does not have to be a permanent decision. If it doesn’t work well for you, it can be taken out.
It is not designed to correct hyperopia (farsightedness). It is not an option if you are older or suffer from underlying eye or health conditions.
Since it is most often not covered by insurance, it can be costly out of pocket.
The EVO ICL is a new and advanced technology that can provide you with an additional option outside of laser eye surgery or prescription eyewear. Talk to your eye doctor about the specific benefits and risks for you.
References
- EVO Visian ICL. (2020). Staar Surgical.
- Multicenter Clinical Trial of a Phakic Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL). (October 2020). U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
- Comparison of Visual Quality After EVO-ICL Implantation and SMILE to Select the Appropriate Surgical Method for High Myopia. (February 2019). BMC Ophthalmology.
- STAAR Surgical Announces Completion of Patient Enrollment of EVO Implantable Lens US Clinical Trial. (September 2020). Business Wire.
- STAAR Surgical Announces the EVO Implantable Lens US Clinical Trial is Underway. (February 2020). Eyewire.
- Are You a Candidate for Visian ICL? (October 2015). Staar Surgical.
Dr. Tooma, the founder of NVISION® Eye Centers, has performed well over 130,000 LASIK surgeries, making him the most experienced LASIK surgeon in the Western United States.
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