Price Vision Group Blog

THE LATEST NEWS FROM PRICE VISION GROUP

27/May/2022



THIS LITTLE HOLE by Dr. Francis Price


Why is this little hole such a big deal?

EVO Visian ICL Lens arrow port

The little hole is only 360 microns (.36 mm) in diameter but it makes a world of difference for safety and visual quality.  The little hole is the small central port placed in the middle of an ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) from STAAR Surgical.  This lens implant is called the EVO.  The small hole eliminates the need to make an opening in the colored part of the eye (the iris). During implantation of the original ICL, an opening in the colored part of the eye (known as an iridotomy/iridectomy) was needed to prevent a type of glaucoma.  Creating the opening during surgery in the iris could cause initial bleeding in some cases and, for some patients, could lead to visual distortions from the light passing through that opening.  With the EVO lens, this is no longer the case.

Over 1 million EVO lenses have been implanted outside the US prior to the recent FDA approval of the EVO lens in the US. An added feature is that it appears to be more physiologic having the fluid that is made behind the iris come through this middle hole instead of one made in the peripheral part of the iris.  This appears safer for both the cornea (the window of the eye) and the natural crystalline lens.  The development of cataracts is less likely to occur earlier than normal in eyes with EVO lenses based on what doctors tell me from outside the US.

We are excited to be one of the first practices offering the EVO Visian ICL in the US.  The EVO is easily removed later in life when cataracts naturally occur, and the EVO does not make changes to the corneal surface or increase the risk of dry eye symptoms.  It is a great breakthrough.


22/Jan/2020

Join the EVO USA Study

Break free from Glasses & Contact Lenses

Ready to Experience Visual Freedom?

If you suffer from nearsightedness or astigmatism, EVO may improve your distance vision without glasses or contact lenses. Your eyeglass prescription can usually tell you how much nearsightedness and/or astigmatism you have. Consult with your eye doctor, who will conduct a thorough examination to find out whether you’re a candidate for the EVO USA Study and the EVO procedure.

It’s time to experience the EVO difference

The EVO procedure is designed to improve sight by treating a wide range of eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions. Made from Collamer®, a unique implantable material, the replaceable lens works naturally with your eye to improve vision-without changing your cornea. As a result, over 1 million lenses have been implanted outside of the US and 99.4% of patients would do the procedure again.

How EVO Works

The EVO biocompatible lens is placed behind your iris (colored part of your eye) and in front of the natural lens. The EVO lens focuses light on the back surface of your eye to improve your vision. Unlike other procedures, the EVO procedure does not remove corneal tissue, but is additive, and works in harmony with your natural eye.

Join the EVO USA Study

To learn more about this study, and to see if you qualify, please call (317) 814-2820 and ask to speak with Sam Ven. If you are eligible and participate in this research study, you will be asked to return for examinations to evaluate your vision.
Sam Ven
(317) 814-2820
Price Vision Group
9002 N. Meridian Street
Suite 106
Indianapolis, IN 46260


19/Dec/2018

Indianapolis, IN, November 8, 2018 – Price Vision Group is the first practice in Indiana to implant the new FDA-approved Visian Toric ICL from STAAR Surgical. This new implantable collamer lens (ICL) provides a new solution for patients with moderate to high levels of myopia and astigmatism ‒ in one simple procedure. Previously, ICL patients with astigmatism would need a separate LASIK procedure to correct astigmatism.

Matt, a resident from Lafayette, will become the first patient in Indiana to receive the Visian Toric ICL. “I’ve been in glasses since kindergarten and hard contacts since fifth grade… so I’m excited,” stated Matt just before his surgery. The procedure to insert the Visian Toric ICL  takes about 20-30 minutes and consists of placing the ICL between the iris (the colored part of the eye) and the eye’s natural, crystalline lens to correct vision. For patients with high levels of nearsightedness, an improvement in vision should be noticed almost immediately after the procedure.

As one of the most experienced Visian ICL surgeons in the country, Dr. Francis Price is happy to provide another option for patients looking to be free from glasses or contacts. When asked what he’s looking forward to most after his surgery, Matt replied, “Waking up to see the alarm clock every morning.”


20/Sep/2018

On September 13, 2018, STAAR Surgical announced the approval by the FDA of the Visian Toric ICL (TICL) for the correction of myopia with astigmatism. Before the announcement, the Visian ICL (implantable collamer lens) product line in the United States only consisted of lenses that offer correction for patients with myopia (nearsightedness). Visian ICL patients with astigmatism would require an additional LASIK procedure to correct that refractive error. Price Vision Group has been performing procedures with the standard Visian ICL since 2004. This announcement is incredible news for our patients with high myopia and astigmatism who were not candidates for LASIK or PRK. “FDA’s approval of STAAR’s Visian Toric ICL in the U.S. provides an exciting treatment option for myopic patients with astigmatism in search of visual freedom. We are thrilled to be able to offer this lens in the United States and look forward to officially making the Visian Toric ICL available to U.S. surgeons for their patients on November 1st, 2018,” said Caren Mason, President & CEO. Offering our patients the best vision correction options is our top priority and we will update our patients on the availability of the Visian Toric ICL when we receive them. To learn more about the Visian ICL and to see if it’s right for you, please click here. *Update* The Visian Toric ICL is now available and we’re proud to be the first clinic in Indiana to implant the ICL.


07/Mar/2016

Yes!  The Visian ICL can often help those who are very nearsighted as a result of keratoconus. For young people with keratoconus, we often recommend corneal cross-linking to make sure the cornea becomes stable and the keratoconus does not progress. In many cases, we place small reinforcing rings in the cornea called either intracorneal ring segments or Intacs. The plastic ring segments help stabilize the distorted surface of the cornea to improve vision and decrease astigmatism. Once all is stable, we can use a Visian ICL to correct the leftover nearsightedness or myopia. We are lucky to live at a time when we have a number of options to treat keratoconus such as corneal cross-linking, intracorneal ring segments (Intacs), and the Visian ICL.


29/Feb/2016

The UBM is an ultrasound that allows the doctor to see inside the eye, behind the iris (the colored part of the eye). Just like an ultrasound allows doctors to see inside our bodies for things like evaluating a pregnant woman to make sure a baby is OK, these ultrasounds allow us to look into an eye and make sure there are no abnormalities in the area of the eye where the Visian ICL is placed. It also allows us to accurately measure the space where the Visian ICL is positioned so the correct size can be determined. In my opinion, this has been more accurate than just measuring the width of the cornea. The width of the cornea is variable depending on how the white part of the eye and the cornea developed, or if there has been scarring from contact lens wear, infections, or other inflammatory problems on the surface of the eye. Although it takes a little longer to do the UBM measurements, I feel that it has greatly improved the outcomes with Visian ICL surgery.


Cross-Section-2-Visian-ICL-in-Position.jpg
30/Jul/2015

There are other refractive procedures that can eliminate your need for glasses even if your corneas are too thin for LASIK. During a refractive exam at Price Vision Group, many special tests are performed to ensure you are indeed a good candidate for LASIK, including corneal thickness. The average corneal thickness is between 520 microns and 540 microns, however, the normal range for cornea thickness can range from as thin as 470 to as thick as 630 microns. In order to be a candidate for LASIK there needs to be enough corneal tissue to make a flap, take away the tissue in order to correct the refractive error, and still have enough corneal tissue to ensure that corneal ectasia, a progressive bulging of the cornea, does not occur. To learn more about cornea thickness and how it affects LASIK candidacy, please click here. If the cornea is not thick enough to result in a corneal bed, the remaining cornea beneath the flap, of approximately 300 microns then LASIK is likely not the best refractive procedure for you. During a refractive exam at Price Vision Group, the doctor runs calculations to ensure that the cornea is thick enough for LASIK.

Cross Section Visian ICL in eye

A phakic IOL may be a better refractive option to eliminate your need for glasses or contact lens visual correction if the cornea is not thick enough. The Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) is FDA approved to correct myopia ranging from -3.00 D to -15.00 D. This small lens implant is implanted behind the iris (colored part of the eye) and in front of the natural lens inside the eye to correct the refractive error. The lens is designed to stay in position in the eye and requires no special care and the corneal thickness is not altered as in LASIK. The best candidates for this refractive surgery option are those under the age of 50.
If you are above the age of 50 and not a candidate for LASIK because of a thin cornea, then a refractive lensectomy or refractive lens extraction may be a better refractive surgery option. The natural lens is removed, as in cataract surgery and an IOL is implanted. The IOL is calculated to correct your refractive error. There are implants to correct astigmatism and even multifocal IOLs that allow patients to see well at both distance and near. This refractive surgery allows for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism without altering the cornea thickness.
If you have been told you are not a candidate for LASIK there are other safe surgical options that can eliminate your need for glasses or contact lenses.


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Price Vision Group is a global leader in corneal transplant, cataract surgery, keratoconus treatment, PRK and LASIK. At our center in Indianapolis, we see patients from Indiana cities including Zionsville, Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Avon, and Greenwood, as well as people who travel from across the U.S. and even abroad for treatment by our renowned physicians.

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