How the Latest in Refractive Technology at ICON Eyecare Can Correct Common Vision Problems

March 27th, 2022
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Common vision problems occur because of refractive errors in the eye, preventing light from focusing correctly when it hits the retina. Special cells in the retina, called photoreceptors, send electrical signals through the optic nerve to the brain, which interprets those signals into the images that we call sight. The shape of the front of the eye, the cornea, and the power of the lens inside the eye can determine what types of refractive errors occur. The process of aging also contributes to these eye structure errors.

4 Common Refractive Errors

  • Farsightedness (hyperopia). Sight is best focused on objects far away. Objects up close are blurred. The eye is too short or the cornea is too flat, and images focus behind the retina, causing the problem.
  • Nearsightedness (myopia). Objects up close can be seen clearly. The farther away the person is from the object, the blurrier it becomes. The eye is elongated or the cornea is curved too much, which focuses the images in front of the retina, causing the problem.
  • Astigmatism. Objects seem distorted at any distance. The cornea or lens, or both, are misshapen and not able to focus light correctly.
  • Presbyopia (aging eyes). The natural aging process that progressively degrades the eye’s ability to focus on objects that are up close.

Importance of Refractive Technology in Vision Correction Surgery

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ICON Eyecare offers expert eye surgeons and medical teams who specialize in advanced surgical techniques to repair specific structural eye problems and refractive errors. These highly technical, precision surgeries are extremely effective and can dramatically improve the vision experience.

The surgeons at ICON Eyecare use leading technology and the latest advancements in equipment to yield more accurate results, decrease the risk of complications, and reduce recovery times. These state-of-the-art technologies allow the physician to diagnose problems earlier, produce more predictable outcomes, and result in patients enjoying clear eyesight longer as they age.

It’s important for any patient seeking a surgical solution to poor eyesight caused by a refractive error to consider the education, training, and expertise of their surgeon, as well as the type of technology being used. ICON Eyecare surgeons have deep experience in diagnosing and treating conditions specific to each patient’s needs, using the most advanced surgical equipment. Patients are confident in ICON Eyecare as the best choice for refractive eye surgery and vision correction.

LASIK and PRK Surgery Techniques

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  • LASIK (Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) and PRK (Photorefractive keratectomy) are surgical techniques used to reshape the cornea using an excimer laser to correct hyperopia, myopia, or astigmatism. LASIK is approved for anyone who qualifies over the age of 18.
  • Wavelight® Laser Suite offers the most advanced techniques available for surgical eye care and is a completely bladeless laser vision correction solution. The Wavelight® Suite includes the femtosecond laser for the corneal flap creation and excimer laser for vision correction. It’s personalized to each patient, highly accurate, and reduces the surgical time for the patient.
  • Wavelight® technology integrates the most advanced system for optical mapping with precision laser equipment, allowing the surgeon to use the information in real-time while performing surgery. This increases the speed, precision, and comfort of the patient during the correction surgery.
  • PRK is a bladeless solution that offers an alternative to LASIK for some who have less corneal tissue or mild dry eye. PRK is also an alternative option for athletes or others who engage in a physical lifestyle that might result in an impact to the head, which can damage the corneal flap created during LASIK repair. The surgeon will collaborate with each patient on the best solution for their unique situation.

We Offer Highly Advanced Testing to Confirm Candidacy

Prior to surgery and to confirm candidacy, we perform a VARIO® optical scan, using the most advanced eye mapping technology available with 22,000 points of reference to create a 3-D topographical view of the eye. Think of a topographical map that details mountains, ridges, valleys and streams. This is the same idea, but with extreme precision providing a highly detailed view of the unique surface contours of the cornea.

CONTOURA® is the digital platform that takes the VARIO© scan measurements and creates the LASIK treatment plan for the patient. The information is then loaded into the Wavelight Laser Suite for surgery so we can customize the LASIK procedure for the unique topography of the patient’s cornea.

EVO® ICL Surgery Corrects Nearsightedness

Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) is a tiny, highly stable, and flexible lens which is inserted into the cornea to correct myopia and astigmatism. The lens is soft and pliable, made of biocompatible collagen copolymer, and offers UV protection. This procedure offers a minimally invasive solution for immediate vision correction and is seen as an alternative to LASIK or PRK.

How does ICL Compare to LASIK & PRK?

For those with higher levels of vision correction prescriptions, ICL is a good alternative to LASIK, which has a limit on how much correction the laser surgery can deliver. Unlike LASIK and PRK, the ICL procedure doesn’t have a minimum corneal thickness requirement. That means that even if the cornea is too thin for LASIK or PRK procedures, the patient can still be a candidate for ICL.

Dry eye conditions are not as affected by ICL, compared to LASIK, which can be disruptive to the corneal nerves due to the impact of the laser on the cornea. And, with ICL, the lenses can be removed if the patient desires.

Who is a Candidate for ICL Surgery

ICL is FDA approved for patients whose age is between 21 and 45.

Prior to surgery and to confirm candidacy for this treatment, ICON Eyecare takes measurements of the inside of the eye using the ArcScan Insight® 100 high-frequency ultrasound imaging system. This high-resolution imaging uses micron precision to allow for perfect measurements of the eye to ensure accuracy in surgery.

The surgeons will take the information from the imaging scan to select the right size ICL for each individual. The appropriate sizing of the ICL is of utmost importance to the health of the eye and correcting the vision.

The imaging technology offered by the Insight® 100 stands alone in its ability to accurately map the human eye, which is crucial to finding the perfect fitting ICL. The technology has been in development for 20 years and is now only available in Colorado at ICON Eyecare.

CLE (Clear Lens Exchange) Eliminates the Need for Cataract Surgery

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CLE, or Clear Lens Exchange (also known as refractive lens exchange), is a surgical procedure that corrects age-related vision problems and eliminates the need for cataract surgery later in life. It’s the same process as cataract surgery except the natural lens of the eye is completely removed and replaced with an advanced intraocular lens (IOL) that corrects vision. Patients with high levels of myopia, hyperopia, and/or astigmatism, as well as presbyopia may be good candidates for CLE.

ICON Eyecare offers Clear Lens ExchangeLenSx® laser assisted surgery which creates a smaller incision and reduces recovery times. ICON surgeons utilize the Optiwave Refractive Analysis System® (ORA) with intraoperative wavefront aberrometry data to measure and analyze the refractive state of the eye and provide the best prescription for the replacement lens.

The laser assisted CLE is more advanced than traditional surgical lens exchange and offers clear advantages for the patient. The mapping and imaging customization allows for greater precision in the lens extraction and replacement. Reduced time in surgery decreases the chance for complications. New precision techniques offer a more accurate prescription and better vision correction.

We offer a wide variety of IOL solutions, including Alcon’s PanOptix® lens, Vivity® lens, and RxSight Light® Adjustable Lens. These and other lenses available to our patients are designed to ensure the best correction for individual prescriptions.

ICON Eyecare is the Clear Choice for Corrective Vision Surgery

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With so many surgical corrective choices and specialized expertise, ICON Eyecare offers the best solution for corrective vision surgery with the most experienced surgeons and advanced technology available anywhere.

Learn more about our eye surgeons and make a consultation at ICON Eyecare today.