(ICL) Implantable contact lenses, known as phakic intraocular lenses,
in that the thin intraocular lens implant is placed in the eye without removing the natural
lens of the eye. At present, phakic IOLs, which are implanted both in front of and just
behind the iris of the eye, Given that the natural lens of the eye is not removed, the
patient retains the natural focusing capability (accommodation) of the eye for near focusing
tasks.
The phakic IOL must be shown to be as accurate in correcting high power refractive errors as
other refractive procedures (e.g., LASIK, PRK, and Intacs) and has a comparable safety
profile. It is proven to be a powerful addition to the present refractive armamentarium,
especially for those individuals whose refractive errors presently fall out of the range for
LASIK.
