What is an ICL / IPCL?
An ICL or IPCL is an implantable contact lens that is placed inside the eye – behind the iris and in front of your natural lens. Your own lens stays completely in place.
Explore the eye
Tap each of the five numbered points in the diagram to see exactly where the ICL sits and which structures surround it. All five points must be viewed.
From the outside, the implant is invisible and is usually not felt by the patient. A key advantage: nothing is removed from the eye. Unlike LASIK, where corneal tissue is reshaped or removed, or cataract surgery, where the natural lens is replaced, ICL/IPCL surgery simply adds a corrective lens inside the eye. The procedure has been used successfully for decades and is generally very well tolerated.
How does the ICL differ from other procedures?
Click each of the three cards to learn more. All three must be opened.
ICL / IPCL Additive
An additional lens is implanted – nothing is removed.
Your natural lens is fully preserved. The procedure is in principle reversible: the ICL can be exchanged or removed if ever necessary. It has been used successfully for decades and is generally very well tolerated.
LASIK / Laser Subtractive
Corneal tissue is reshaped or removed with a laser.
Very well established for low to moderate prescriptions. However, with very high prescriptions, thin corneas, or certain corneal findings, laser correction reaches its limits – this is where the ICL is often the better choice.
Cataract surgery Replacing
The natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens.
The standard treatment for cataract. In younger patients without lens opacity, however, the natural ability to focus (accommodation) would be lost – one reason the ICL is preferred in younger patients.
Who is the ICL particularly suitable for?
The ICL/IPCL is a very valuable option when laser vision correction is not ideal – for example in patients with:
Toric ICL / IPCL
Additionally corrects astigmatism – within the same lens, in the same procedure.
Multifocal ICL / IPCL
May be considered in selected patients from the mid-forties onwards, when reading vision becomes weaker (presbyopia).
For reading at home: print or download the general information about the ICL / IPCL implantable contact lens as a PDF and take it with you. The risk checklist, the comprehension check, and the declaration of consent are completed together in the clinic.
Possible complications
Serious complications are uncommon – but you must be aware of them. Open every single item and confirm it with the button inside. Your consent is only valid once all items have been confirmed as read.
Follow-up – what we monitor regularly
Regular postoperative follow-up examinations are necessary. In particular, we monitor:
Did you understand everything? – Quick check
Three short questions – all three must be answered before the consent section unlocks.
1. What happens to your natural lens during ICL surgery?
2. Where exactly is the ICL positioned in the eye?
3. Why are regular follow-up visits important?
Your declaration of consent
Before you can sign, the following must be completed:
- Eye diagram: all 5 points viewed (0/5)
- Procedure comparison: all 3 cards opened (0/3)
- Complications: all items opened and confirmed (0/0)
- Comprehension check: all 3 questions answered (0/3)
The informed consent is not valid until every item above has been clicked and confirmed.