DLV Vision Soon to Offer New Treatment for Myopia & Astigmatism

Dr. Paul Dougherty and his team at DLV Vision are happy to announce the highly anticipated launch of a new permanent implantable contact lens (ICL) for the treatment of myopia with astigmatism. Introducing the Visian Toric ICL by STAAR Surgical. A variant of existing Visian ICL technology, the Toric ICL has recently gained FDA approval and will allow ophthalmologists the ability to correct refractive error (nearsightedness) and astigmatism (different curvatures in the front of the eye that blurs vision) at the same time.  Dr. Dougherty has been implanting these lenses internationally for years and is the first surgeon on the West Coast to implant the Toric ICL.

FDA approval represents an important extension of the Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) and for patients struggling with myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism, which are very prevalent conditions in the United States. Approximately 30% of Americans are affected by astigmatism.

The Visian ICL technology is intended for long-term vision correction.

What is the Visian Toric ICL?

A Visian ICL is exactly what the name implies, an implantable contact lens. The ICL is made up of a collagen copolymer, not unlike the collagen found naturally throughout our bodies, making them biocompatible. This ICL is a refractive phakic implant (meaning a patient’s natural lens is left intact) that is positioned within the posterior chamber of the eye, right between the iris and the natural lens.

The Toric ICL has the same unique design as the original ICL that will allow it to be implanted using Dr. Dougherty’s own personally developed implantation technique. This technique benefits patients by reducing surgery time while speeding up vision recovery. The Toric ICL will be virtually undetectable, self-cleaning, and requires no maintenance.

A Toric ICL is a long-term solution but it is not a permanent one, it is in fact reversible. This reversibility is an important factor to consider for both surgeons and their patients, especially because other refractive corneal surgeries can alter the structure of the cornea permanently.

Are you a Candidate for the Toric ICL?

A Toric ICL procedure is safe and highly effective in the treatment of moderate to high myopia and astigmatism. Before now, a patient had the option of either traditional contact lenses and glasses or a laser eye surgery procedure like LASIK and PRK.

The problem being that in spite of the advancements in laser eye surgery technology, not all patients are good candidates for laser vision correction. Patients with very high prescriptions, severe dry eye, thin or irregularly shaped corneas, or any combination of these conditions are excluded from laser eye surgery but may very well be ideal candidates for the Toric ICL procedure.

A comprehensive vision examination is required to determine a patient’s candidacy for a Toric ICL implant. Dougherty Laser Vision offers free consultations to all potential patients considering vision correction surgery.

The New Toric ICL at Dougherty Laser Vision

Dr. Dougherty has been utilizing the original Visian ICL with much success for many since 1999.  Dr. Dougherty was involved as a Principal Investigator in the original FDA trials of the ICL for nearsightedness and farsightedness and has been published extensively in peer-reviewed literature on the technology.  Dr. Dougherty is a world-renowned Visian ICL expert. He first-authored the seminal paper on sizing the ICL with ultrasound technology, which is used by surgeons around the world. Patients suffering from nearsightedness that was too severe to undergo LASIK surgery were able to achieve visual clarity and now Dr. Dougherty is pleased to be able to offer the same life-changing results to patients with astigmatism.

Call or contact Dougherty Laser Vision today to learn more about this exciting new procedure for the treatment of myopia and astigmatism. The procedure has helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and will help even more when the Visian Toric ICL is offered at Dougherty Laser Vision in late October of 2018.