ICL Lens Implantation: Understanding Costs, Procedures, and Considerations
Hello.
I'm Dr. Kim Joong-hoon, head director of Gangnam ID Eye Clinic.
As the harsh winter approaches, interest in vision correction surgery is growing.
During this time, the desire to enjoy clear and sharp vision without lenses or glasses naturally increases.
Moreover, if you usually suffer from severe dry eye, the cold, windy winter weather can exacerbate the discomfort of wearing lenses, and the fogging of glasses due to temperature differences can lead many to consider vision correction surgery.
When considering vision correction surgery, it's crucial to accurately assess your eye condition rather than focusing solely on the latest trends or quick recovery methods.
In particular, if you have severe myopia or astigmatism that makes typical laser vision correction difficult, ICL lens implantation may be an option.
Today, if you're considering this lens implantation, we'll explore why myopia and astigmatism occur, when correction might not be possible, and the key aspects to consider regarding ICL lens implantation, a widely used alternative.
"How do myopia and astigmatism start?"
Our eyes have a structure that refracts light from objects to focus on a clear point. The cornea and lens properly adjust light to focus clearly on the center of the retina, allowing us to obtain clear vision.
If any part of this process is unbalanced, light cannot focus properly, resulting in blurred vision.
A common refractive error is myopia, where you can see objects at close range well but have difficulty seeing distant objects clearly.
This naturally leads to squinting or straining to focus when looking at a distance.
Astigmatism, on the other hand, occurs when light focuses on two or more points simultaneously, causing blurred vision at all distances and leading to headaches or eye fatigue.
It often accompanies myopia or hyperopia, further degrading vision quality. If these refractive errors are left uncorrected for a long time, eye fatigue increases, and daily discomfort worsens.
"Why is laser vision correction difficult for myopia and astigmatism?"
LASIK and LASEK correct vision by cutting the cornea. However, they may not be suitable if the cornea is not thick enough, if there are corneal diseases, or in cases of high myopia or astigmatism.
This is because if the cornea is thin or vision is severely impaired by myopia or astigmatism, the amount of cornea to be cut increases, which can cause side effects.
Excessive corneal ablation can lead to light scattering or increase the risk of keratoconus, where the cornea gradually protrudes. Therefore, laser vision correction is not possible for everyone, and it is important to compensate for these limitations.
ICL lens implantation is an alternative. It's best to learn about the procedure and its characteristics before deciding on the most suitable method for you.
"ICL lens implantation cost and procedure?"
The average cost of ICL lens implantation generally ranges from 4 million to 6 million won, but prices may vary depending on the hospital.
ICL lens implantation costs may vary depending on individual eye conditions and characteristics, as well as the specific procedure used.
The procedure involves making a small incision of about 3mm in the cornea and inserting a lens tailored to the individual's eye condition to correct vision.
Because ICL lens implantation corrects vision by inserting a special lens, it allows for vision correction without corneal ablation. It is a popular choice for those with thin or irregular corneas, or high myopia or astigmatism.
"What are the unique features of lens implantation?"
Lens implantation preserves the cornea, making it a viable option for those with corneal diseases or thin corneas.
It has a significantly lower probability of myopia, astigmatism, or hyperopia recurrence, causes minimal pain, offers quick recovery, and allows for lens removal and restoration if the results are unsatisfactory or problems arise.
It is considered a vision correction surgery with excellent convenience and safety.
The lenses are made of FDA-certified Collamer, a patented material that is safe from inflammatory reactions and has virtually no risk of dry eye, glare, or myopic regression.
Additionally, its semi-permanent usability is a major advantage, and it offers excellent vision quality and satisfactory results.
"How does the insertion location affect the outcome?"
ICL lens implantation is divided into anterior and posterior lenses depending on the insertion location. The posterior lens implantation, which involves inserting the lens between the iris and the crystalline lens, is the more common method recently.
Anterior lenses are excellent for astigmatism correction, reduce light scattering, and have good fixation, but they are close to the cornea, which can increase the risk of cell loss or interfere with aqueous humor flow, making iridotomy inevitable.
Posterior lenses do not require iridotomy and are characterized by high stability, excellent vision quality, and virtually no risk of dry eye, glare, or myopic regression.
Same-day bilateral surgery is possible, resulting in a faster visual recovery.
However, posterior lenses also have disadvantages. If the medical staff does not carefully measure the space, the lens size may not be correct, which can reduce vision quality or cause the lens to rotate. Therefore, it is important to approach the examination stage with meticulous care.
"Check these points before proceeding with ICL lens implantation."
Lens implantation is a vision correction surgery that relies heavily on the skills of the medical staff. When choosing a hospital, it is advisable to check the clinical experience and know-how of the medical staff rather than focusing solely on the ICL lens implantation cost.
Since the appropriate lens varies depending on individual eye structure and astigmatism correction, it is wise to undergo a thorough eye examination and choose a facility that has a variety of intraocular lenses and a systematic aftercare program.
Vision correction surgery determines your lifelong vision, so it is most important to choose a suitable vision correction surgery that matches your corneal condition, rather than following trends or focusing solely on ICL lens implantation cost.
Thank you for reading this long article. This has been Kim Joong-hoon, head director of Gangnam ID Eye Clinic.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/tkatlrltkatl/224079721597
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