The Verisyse™ phakic intraocular lens (IOL) is a lens that is permanently implanted in the eye and attached to the iris to correct moderate to severe nearsightedness (myopia). It is called a phakic IOL because the eye still has its natural lens. With years of use and procedures performed worldwide, results prove that the Verisyse™ design is safe and effective for very nearsighted people who are tired of thick glasses and are not candidates for Custom LASIK.
The word "phakic" means that your natural crystalline lens is left in the eye. This is important because your natural lens plays an important role in helping your eye adjust between seeing objects that are near and far. The procedure involves placing the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL behind your cornea and on top of your iris. This gives your eye another focusing lens that provides high-quality, high-definition vision like a normal eye. Although the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is intended to be permanent, the procedure is reversible if desired.
Implanting the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is an outpatient procedure that takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Usually, one eye is treated at a time.
Drops will be placed in your eyes in order to reduce the pupil size. For better access to your eye, we will use an instrument to comfortably hold your eyelids open during the procedure. A local anesthetic is given to numb the eye, so the procedure is virtually painless. A small incision is made in the cornea for the Verisyse™ Phakic IOL to be placed in the space between the iris and the cornea. The Verisyse™ Phakic IOL is centered in front of the pupil (the black part in the center of your eye), and is gently attached to the iris (the colored part of your eye) to hold the lens in place. The small incision is closed with microscopic stitches that dissolve over time. A temporary shield will be placed over your eye to protect it during the time just after the procedure.
