How implantable contact lens surgery changed the outlook of a long-term glasses wearer
Optegra Eye Health Care’s flagship hospital on Queen Anne Street is using an effective, safe procedure to permanently correct eyesight problems for people who might not be suitable for laser eye surgery but want an alternative to the expense and hassle of wearing glasses or contact lenses.
Implantable contact lens (ICL) surgery is a form of refractive treatment that can correct many visual problems including myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, and works in harmony with the eye. It is a treatment which can tackle even the strongest of prescriptions – from severe myopia (up to 20D) to severe hyperopia (up to +10D).
The lens provides UV protection and is an excellent alternative to LASIK and other vision correction treatments as it does not require the removal of corneal tissue or cause dry eye. It is like wearing a contact lens inside your eye instead of on the surface and is practically invisible.
Dominque Highfield is the chief operating officer at the property company Purple Bricks. Now 39, she has worn glasses since the age of six and has a very high prescription of -10. This strong prescription has meant a life dependent on glasses and contact lenses, needed from the moment of waking up. Ten years ago she was told her sight was too poor to have vision correction surgery.
However, a recent optician visit informed her of the extent to which technology has advanced – and while she was still not suitable for laser eye surgery, experts at Optegra recommended ICL surgery, and it has freed her from contacts and glasses once and for all.
Dominique explains: “I was bullied at school due to my thick glasses (as well as retainers on my teeth) which really knocked my self-confidence. Recently, it has prevented me from being impromptu with friends, or I would have to leave work events early as my eyes were sore and dry from wearing contact lenses too long. On the days I wore glasses, mainly at home, I would feel very self-conscious because the lenses were so thick that my eyes looked distorted.”
Following ICL surgery, Dominque is absolutely delighted with hew new vision: “I honestly cannot believe how much it has changed my life. I keep going to take my glasses off and they are not there! Returning the frames to the opticians was a proud moment for me. I am amazed to look back and see how constricted and restricted I felt – my whole life was impacted without me really realising the implications of it all. It’s such a liberating feeling to lose that dependency and I have so much more confidence now.”
Amir Hamid, medical director at Optegra Eye Hospital London, says: “While most people are suitable for laser eye surgery, there are some cases where the patient’s prescription is outside the applicable range or too complex to guarantee excellent outcomes. But the great news is that we have other options here at Optegra – and for Dominique, that was implantable contact lenses.
ICL is, he continues, a delicate but highly effective procedure. “We insert a high-quality, individually tailored lens, similar to the contact lenses which Dominique has been used to using for so many years, and place this within the eye on top of her natural lens. This provides the focusing power she needs at all distances. The results have been fantastic and have liberated her from all the visual supports which were needed.”
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