But not everyone can have LASIK...and not everyone WANTS LASIK surgery. So what can a person do to reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses.

Enter the permanent contact lens, also called the implantable contact lens. Made by Staar, the ICL is a tiny, soft lens that is inserted in the eye to correct nearsightedness.  It is intended to be permanent, but may be removed at any time if a change is needed.

There are definite advantages to this lens. It is soft, tiny and removable. Contrast this to LASIK where a permanent change is made to the eye. For better or worse, whatever you get with LASIK, that is what you have for life!!

ICL surgery can be done on an outpatient basis, with little or no pain. Light sedation is used to keep patients calm. A 3 millimeter (1/8th inch) incision is made for the lens insertion. The lens is injected through the incision, and it gently unfolds in the eye. Sutures are almost never needed to close the incision. Both eyes may be done on the same day, then the patient goes to the postop recovery room. When they are stable, they are sent home to relax for the rest of the day.

Patients can generally drive themselves to the office the next day for their postop visit, and usually see at least 20/30 vision without glasses or contacts.

Even patients who have a prescription of -16.00 can often obtain 20/20 vision. These are patients who literally cannot see past the tip of their nose.

ICL surgery is truly miraculous for patients who have been told that they are not candidates for LASIK surgery.