Blog: My ICL Experience

Don't worry - you're in the right place. I just decided to change the template of this blog. I never really liked the older design -- this one is more clear. I know this blog would benefit from more photos, but I don't really have any to post! Scroll down for a chronological account of my ICL experience going back in time and look out for more updates in the future! [Hello from NYC!]

Saw an Ophthalmologist on March 5, 2015 and forgot to update this blog! Somehow my eyes have improved: 20/20 R (as usual) and 20/25 L (was 20/30 before)! I attribute this to having a different doctor down in the US...  in any case, great news! :)

I nearly forgot that it has been two years since I had the ICL procedure performed. Everything is the same - going very well. No regrets. I still get the white line glare -- but I rarely notice it. All is the same as previously reported. I'm scheduled to see an Ophthalmologist next week -- I don't imagine any earth shattering news. Seeing new doctors since I left my home city - so we'll see what they have to say! I guess one thing I've learned is that I want to find an optometrist - or preferably an Ophthalmologist - who knows something about ICLs. That is proving to be a challenge due to lack of information available in the search process (Zoc Doc, etc. usually says if the Dr. is a LASIK or PRK doc, but not if they know ICLs...we're still a rare breed I guess!).

Just had my eyes checked with my regular annual optometrist. Despite still having 20/20 right eye and a 20/30 left eye, she is recommending reading glasses. I'm not sure if this is a money making tactic, but I'm refusing at this point... I see fine, but I do notice the difference (improvement) with the sample glasses she provided to help me understand the difference. It's a minute one, but it's definitely there as someone who reads a lot. So no glasses for now - I'm holding out! It's too soon. haha. I'm not looking forward to bifocals, which will likely happen within the next 10+ years of my life! The weather has been beautiful & sunny - and I love putting on my Ray Bans everyday, instead of some terrible pre-ICL alternative (when I had glasses)!

Today marks exactly 1 year since I - and 2 others I met in the pre-surgery "green room" - signed our eyes away and let ourselves go under the knife. What a journey it has been - and one that I do not regret - despite the few tiny bumps & issues along the way. Though I will always fear early onset cataracts, the potential contraction of distance between the ICL and natural lens, [insert other risks] - these are worries that only time will tell. Thanks for the questions. Hope you all find your answers!

Went in for my final follow-up yesterday. I'm seeing 20/20 in my right eye still and 20/30 in my left eye. Again, I was offered corrective laser surgery to make it all 20/20, but together, I'm already seeing 20/20! Obviously I declined. I am still thinking about getting a second corneal tattoo - but the chances of actually following through are very minimal. My vision isn't perfect, but it's good. And compared to glasses: the full life experience has been fantastic. I continue to travel the world, live abroad and relish every moment being glasses free. Things are good - I just need to keep following up with my regular optometrist and hope none of the risks identified actually happen to me in the long-term. They measured the pressure in my eye (good) and also measured the distance between the ICL and my natural lens one final time - if anything doesn't look good (not enough space), they will give me a call. Otherwise, I'm done! That's all folks. Thanks for ...

Hello all. Thanks for all of your questions and comments. It has been inspiring to hear from you and to see my blog web analytics climb higher from visitors around the world! I continue to enjoy glasses-free life - I often forget that I have bionic eyeballs! I chose not to go through a second corneal tattoo and to just live with the glare I have - and continue to experience. I did notice my brain adjusted a TINY bit. Now I only notice the glare every few days... I have to really look for it. However, dark restaurants with bright light sources can create a lot of glare/halo-ing. But only indoors. Never a problem on the street (though I had bad streaking pre-ICL...so it's there, just not worse than before). My severe dry eye also exacerbates the problem. Nothing unfixable with some eye-moisturizing solution drops. In 2-3 months, I will hit the 1 year mark - and the end of free follow-up treatment period. A reminder that the "life-long guarantee" is not really the case...