①Permanent vision improvement

ICL is a surgical procedure that implants an intraocular contact lens into the eye, which can permanently improve vision as long as myopia does not progress.

②Convenience

Contact lenses require daily maintenance such as putting on and taking off, and cleaning, but ICL once implanted into the eye, ICL does not need to be taken out unless it is necessary and is maintenance-free.
Therefore, even in the unlikely event that a disaster occurs, you can live with the naked eye.

③Comfort

Because after ICL, people can live with the naked eye, many people find them more comfortable than contact lenses. It is especially beneficial for people who have difficulty adapting contact lenses to their eyes or who experience discomfort from wearing contact lenses.
Also, in the case of ICL, when doing sports or activities, you don’t have to worry about them slipping or coming off like contact lenses.

①Restrictions on wearing contact lenses before surgery

To get accurate data for vision restoration, it is necessary to limit contact lens wear before coming to the clinic for examination. You will need to wear glasses for a few days before the examination, but you can wear contact lenses from the end of the examination until the day before surgery.

②Life restrictions after surgery

To prevent infections, you will be required to use eye drops for a certain period of time after surgery. You will be asked to stop wearing makeup, exercising, traveling, etc. for a certain period of time, but once the eye drop period has passed, there are no lifestyle restrictions.
Also, you will be able to drive a car with the naked eye, but if your driver’s license has a requirement that you wear glasses, you may be in violation of the law if you continue to drive even if your eyesight has recovered. Therefore, please go to a driver’s license center, police station, etc. to cancel the condition as soon as possible.

①Non-invasive

Contact lenses don’t require surgery and can be corrected by wearing the lenses on the eyes, making it a non-invasive way to correct vision.

②Flexibility

Contact lenses are easy to put on and take off, so you can choose flexibly depending on the situation, such as wearing them during the day when you want to use them, and taking them off when you don’t need them, such as when sleeping.

①Lens management

Contact lenses require proper management when used, and it is important to keep the lenses and lens cases clean. If proper care is not taken, such as improper care or cleaning, wearing lenses for an excessively long time, or sleeping with the lenses in, eye problems may occur.

②Effects when not worn

Your vision will return to normal when you do not wear contact lenses.
Therefore, in the unlikely event that a disaster occurs, contact lenses cannot be put on instantly, so you must deal with the situation with the naked eye, and if you live in a place where you cannot see well or have difficulty seeing, the impact of this is big.

①Pain during surgery

The sensation of pain varies from person to person, we can’t say that the surgery is absolutely painless, but we use the eye drop as anesthesia to numb your eyes, there is almost no pain. However, when the lenses are implanted into the eye, it feels like your eye is being pushed and you may feel pressure. It is said that you will feel less pain if you relax your body during the surgery.

②Postoperative infection

The risk of ICL infection is very low at about 1/6000. But it is not zero. Because it is an intraocular surgery, it is necessary to use eye drops before and after surgery and follow restrictions firmly which can reduce the risk of infection.

③Halos and glare

A halo is an optical phenomenon produced by light. Glare is the difficulty of seeing the presence of bright light such as direct or reflected sunlight or artificial light at night. It is said that ICL causes less halos and glare than LASIK. But it varies from person to person, and some patients say they don’t notice it at all. It often takes 1 to 3 months after surgery for your brain to adapt and you won’t notice it anymore.

①Corneal scarring

Wearing contact lenses can make your eyes dry easily, and cause eye strain if you wear them for a long time, and dirty contact lenses can also scratch the corneal epithelium. You need to pay attention to subjective symptoms such as pain.

②Infection

If there are scratches on corneal epithelium, bacteria or Acanthamoeba may invade through the wound in the corneal epithelium, causing infection and ulcers which are difficult to cure, and even if it does heal, clouding vision and visual impairment may still remain.
So please take care of contact lenses correctly. Such as cleaning your lenses daily, it is important to regularly disinfect and replace your lenses’ case.

③Allergies

Because of allergies caused by dirt or irritation of the lenses, the conjunctiva on the back of the upper eyelid will become inflamed and congested, and may cause conjunctival papillae.

～Contact lenses～

The cost of daily disposable contact lenses, two-week di daily disposable contact lenses and ICL.
If you use contact lenses that the cost is about 3,000 yen per box・・
1 month 3, 000 yen × 2 boxes (for both eyes) = 6,000 yen
1 year 6, 000 yen (1 month for both eyes) x 12 months = 72, 000 yen
10 years 72,000 yen (1 year for both eyes) × 10 years = 720,000 yen

Comparing the calculated costs, the cost of contact lenses for 10 years is almost the same as the cost of ICL surgery at our clinic.
However, only the cost of contact lenses is calculated this time. If the cost of contact lens solution and examination fees are also included, the cost will be higher.
If the lens is with astigmatism or colored contact lenses, the cost will be higher.
Comparing the costs of ICL and contact lenses, we found that there is basically no difference between the cost of contact lenses for about 10 years and the operation cost of ICL.
Many people think that ICL requires a high one-time surgical fee, which is a huge financial burden. However, in the long run, ICL costs less, and postoperative vision loss is rare, and corrected vision can be maintained.

Which vision correction method you choose depends on personal lifestyle and need.
It is very important to take doctors’ advice and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each correction method to make the best choice.
If you are interested in ICL, please come to our clinic to take an initial examination!
Our clinic also holds free briefing sessions regularly, please feel free to consult.