Each year thousands of patients come to Dr. Jason P. Brinton seeking what we call visual freedom, or crisp, clear vision free of glasses and contact lenses. We accomplish this through LASIK and its six variations – SMILE, EVO ICL, PRK, Raindrop inlay, Kamra inlay, and RLE.

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. But what if you still want to improve your vision while reducing or eliminating the need for glasses or contacts?

A popular alternative to LASIK surgery is ICL, or Implantable Contact Lens, also sometimes referred to as a permanent contact lens. An ICL is a soft lens that is attached to the eye for correcting nearsightedness. An Implanted Contact Lens is intended to be permanent, but it can be replaced if changes are needed in the future. Unlike LASIK eye surgery, the ICL procedure is completely reversible.

There are certain advantages to ICL over LASIK. For example, with LASIK, permanent changes are made to your eye and those changes are something you'll have to live with. If the LASIK procedure worked out you're OK, but if it didn't, you're stuck with it. In stark contrast, Implantable Contact Lenses can be changed out at any time if corrections are needed.

If you've previously worn contact lenses, you already know the hassles of normal contacts - cleaning, soaking, removing and replacing, etc. But with implantable contact lenses, all those frustrations immediately disappear. The implants are permanent and should never require any attention unless your vision changes as you age. Implantable contact lenses provide the same vision improvements as normal temporary contact lenses, but they require none of the attention and maintenance of normal contact lenses.

The ICL procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis and you'll experience little or no pain. A mild sedative is administered to provide a calming effect and a 1/8 inch incision is made for insertion of the lens. Once inserted, the lens is properly positioned. In almost all cases, sutures are not required to close the incision point. If you're having the procedure performed on both eyes, they'll both be completed in a single session. The entire procedure is usually completed within about 30 minutes.

The primary benefit of ICLs isn't that they're ideal, as no method may be 100% efficient or secure. No, the main benefit is merely that it provides individuals who do not wish to put on glasses an additional choice to think about than laser eye procedures.

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. But what if you still want to improve your vision while reducing or eliminating the need for glasses or contacts?

A popular alternative to LASIK surgery is ICL, or Implantable Contact Lens, also sometimes referred to as a permanent contact lens. An ICL is a soft lens that is attached to the eye for correcting nearsightedness. An Implanted Contact Lens is intended to be permanent, but it can be replaced if changes are needed in the future. Unlike LASIK eye surgery, the ICL procedure is completely reversible.

There are certain advantages to ICL over LASIK. For example, with LASIK, permanent changes are made to your eye and those changes are something you'll have to live with. If the LASIK procedure worked out you're OK, but if it didn't, you're stuck with it. In stark contrast, Implantable Contact Lenses can be changed out at any time if corrections are needed.

If you've previously worn contact lenses, you already know the hassles of normal contacts - cleaning, soaking, removing and replacing, etc. But with implantable contact lenses, all those frustrations immediately disappear. The implants are permanent and should never require any attention unless your vision changes as you age. Implantable contact lenses provide the same vision improvements as normal temporary contact lenses, but they require none of the attention and maintenance of normal contact lenses.

The ICL procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis and you'll experience little or no pain. A mild sedative is administered to provide a calming effect and a 1/8 inch incision is made for insertion of the lens. Once inserted, the lens is properly positioned. In almost all cases, sutures are not required to close the incision point. If you're having the procedure performed on both eyes, they'll both be completed in a single session. The entire procedure is usually completed within about 30 minutes.

It is reasonable for parents to question whether the physicians are right when it comes to their children's health problems. Children are always the key concern in the mind of the parents. Eye problems in children deserve more careful consideration both by parents and doctors. Unfortunately, some children suffer severe conditions at an early age. As a result, these young children are supposed to receive an eye surgery.

The EVO Toric ICL provides a safe, proven treatment for people with severe myopia and steep astigmatism. This permanent implant is an effective solution for people with thin corneas, large pupils and/or a history of dry eyes, and it can help patients who have a relatively common degenerative eye disease called keratoconus without removing any delicate corneal tissue, as is required by other corrective approaches. The implanted lens, made from collamer, a collagen copolymer, is a removable option that offers lifelong vision correction.

The FDA spent 14 years investigating EVO Toric ICL before its approval in September 2018, making the United States the 64th country to authorize its use. In 2018, Dr. Brinton was cited by STAAR Surgical as the #1 implanter of EVO ICL technology in the U.S.

On Oct. 22, 2018, Brinton Vision became the first provider in the United States to use EVO Toric ICL. It’s part of the Brinton Vision mission to help as many people as possible improve their lives through the priceless gift of vision.

EVO Toric ICL can correct or reduce myopia from as low as -3.0 diopters to -20.0 diopters with or without astigmatism. What that means is that EVO Toric ICL can correct severe myopia and steep astigmatism, even for those who weren’t eligible for vision correction in the past.

To find out if you are a candidate, schedule your comprehensive Brinton Vision Ocular Analysis today!

Following your procedure, our experienced surgical technicians will provide you with instructions as well as eye shields to wear at night for the first week so you don’t accidentally rub your eyes while you sleep. We’ll schedule follow-up examinations for a few hours after your procedure and the morning after surgery so Dr. Poore, Dr. Chesnut, Dr. Lant or Dr. Brinton can personally ensure that your new vision is progressing well.

EVO ICL patients typically experience little if any discomfort during or after the procedure. Most patients are able to resume regular activities, including returning to work, the day after surgery.

Patients tell us they do not feel the new lens or notice it’s there, and it’s not noticeable to others. Unless you share it with others (and we hope you do), only your surgeon will be aware that vision correction has taken place.

Although the EVO ICL is intended to remain in place permanently, a qualified ophthalmologist can remove or update the lens to meet changes in your vision needs or health circumstances.

LASIK performs well in vision correction, therefore, most patients would choose it when they want to have a clear vision. However, the point is that not everyone is a qualified candidate for LASIK eye surgery. Then are there any other alternatives when you do hope to get free from glasses and contact lenses?

In the past three decades, LASIK laser eye surgery has grown to become the most popular refractive surgery and most popular elective surgery worldwide, with more than 10,000,000 procedures performed. LASIK can improve visual acuity, the acuteness or sharpness of vision, with nearly all patients enjoying at least 20/40 acuity after surgery and many enjoying 20/20 vision or better.

However, don't take LASIK for granted and think that it's always successful. LASIK and its relatives (PRK, LASEK, Epi-LASIK) are safe, fast and easy ONLY IF you are a suitable candidate for them and ONLY IF you put your eyes in the hands of a competent, well-trained refractive surgeon with the right technology.

If you are nearsighted (myopic), implantable contact lenses (ICLs) may make it possible for you to get better visual acuity AND quality. This procedure could help you avoid the risk of getting poor results from traditional LASIK surgery and potentially ruin your vision forever.

Vision Acuity

First, what does visual acuity mean? If your visual acuity is 20/20, you are able to see at a distance of 20 feet what the average person with normal vision sees at 20 feet. If your acuity is 20/40, you are able to see at 20 feet what someone with 20/20 vision can see at a distance of 40 feet. And, if you're really lucky and have something like 20/15 acuity, you are able to see at 20 feet what other people must move closer (to 15 feet) to see.

In general, people with visual acuity problems are nearsighted, farsighted, and/or have astigmatism. The goal of LASIK and other laser vision correction procedures is to correct these acuity problems so that you don't have to rely on glasses or contact lenses. However, there is more to good vision than 20/20 acuity. It is possible to have great visual acuity but poor visual quality. The reverse is also true.

Vision Quality

Visual quality refers to vision problems that are most common in low-light situations or at night, such as diplopia (double vision), glare, halos, blurriness, starburst patterns, ghosts or loss of contrast sensitivity. The ability of the eye to distinguish contrast (tell the difference between different shades of white and grey) is a very important factor because many of the things we do routinely, such as recognize people's faces, rely on our sensitivity to contrast. These problems are called higher-order aberrations and they cannot be corrected by traditional LASIK procedures.

These quality problems are also very common risks and complications of LASIK surgery. Many patients who undergo LASIK surgery in the hands of under-qualified LASIK surgeons are left with serious declines in the quality of their vision because they had higher-order aberrations that were not properly diagnosed. Just when they thought their vision would improve after LASIK, the opposite occurred.

What's an Implantable Contact Lens?

Implantable contact lenses, also known as phakic intraocular lenses, are an alternative to traditional LASIK surgery for nearsighted patients and, in many cases, may provide them with better vision than LASIK ever would. Phakic refers to an eye which still has its natural lens, compared with cataract surgery where the natural lens is removed and replaced. One of the best parts about implantable contact lenses is that they are permanent and work just like conventional contact lenses without the hassle.

Your Brinton Vision Ocular Analysis will provide the information needed to develop a customized, personalized plan to help you obtain visual freedom.

LASIK performs well in vision correction, therefore, most patients would choose it when they want to have a clear vision. However, the point is that not everyone is a qualified candidate for LASIK eye surgery. Then are there any other alternatives when you do hope to get free from glasses and contact lenses?

An alternative is the ICL, whose full name is Implantable Contact Lenses. The ICL works similar with regular contacts, however ICL corrects vision by putting lenses directly on the retina. It is a permanent contact lens. That is to say, once wearing it on, it is no need for you to take it off, but it can be also replaced if changes are needed. Compared with LASIK, ICL bears the merit that it allows any changes at any circumstances while LASIK indicates a permanent change to eyes. ICL procedure is completely reversible. Nevertheless, if you eye condition keep stable, no change is required.

Compared with regular contact lenses, ICL eliminates those hassles, cleaning, soaking, removing and replacing. What's more, for the possible contact with the outer environment, regular contacts are likely to bring bacilli into eyes, and then eye infection will be caused. As ICL is directly positioned on the retina, it performs better in eye protection.

Usually, only 30 minutes are needed to have the procedure done. During the procedure, 1/8 inch incision will be made so that the surgeon can insert the lenses, which will be then positioned properly. One is not suggested to go home immediately after the surgery. He/she has to be sent to a 'post-op' for recovery. The nurse will ask you to close your eyes for a break, and when she finds that your eye condition is stable, you can go home. To use eyes for too long time, for example, reading, watching TV and working before a computer, is not advisable. Enough rest should be guaranteed. The next day, you will have to go to the doctor's for countercheck. If no accident happens, you are able to allow yourself back to your normal daily life.

Eye infection is a frequent complication during the first several days after the surgery. Therefore, it is a necessity for you to ask the eye doctor what you are not recommended to do in case of eye infection. As long as you follow them, you are believed to recover as soon as possible.