Post-operative monitoring following ICL surgery is not a formality – it is a clinical requirement with a defined minimum structure. ¹ Intraocular pressure elevation and pupil block can occur in the early post-operative period, typically within the first 24 to 72 hours, and require prompt clinical review when they do. Vault measurement at one week allows early identification of sizing anomalies that may necessitate intervention before they produce lens contact or significant pressure changes. These appointments are not optional. ²
At Blue Fin Vision®, the minimum follow-up pathway for patients travelling from outside London includes a video consultation one week prior to surgery, a face-to-face pre-operative assessment and scans on the day, the procedure itself, a day-one review, and a one-week in-person follow-up. One week is the shortest period we would accept for a patient travelling for ICL surgery. Patients who cannot stay for a minimum of seven days near the surgical centre should not proceed with surgery until that arrangement can be made.
This is not a restrictive policy – it is a responsible one. Patients who leave the area before completing the minimum early post-operative pathway are exposed to a clinical risk that cannot be mitigated at distance. Elevated pressure and early vault problems require in-person assessment, not a telephone consultation. ³
After the one-week follow-up, responsibility transitions to a named local ophthalmologist who has been identified before surgery, introduced to the patient by name, and copied into all clinical correspondence from the pre-operative stage.
References
- Gonvers M, Bornet C, Othenin-Girard P. Implantable contact lens for moderate to high myopia: relationship of vaulting to cataract formation. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2003;29(5):918–924. PMID: 12765773.
- Kohnen T, Maxwell WA, Holland S, Tetz M. Intraocular collamer lens for high myopia: results from the ICL in Treatment of Myopia (ITM) study. Ophthalmology. 2008;115(8):1392–1400. PMID: 18359068.
- Packer M. Meta-analysis and review: effectiveness, safety, and central port design of the intraocular collamer lens. Clin Ophthalmol. 2016;10:1059–1077. PMID: 27390517.
Related Topics
- ICL Surgery Checklist
- Are You on the GMC Specialist Register for Ophthalmology?
- Does Your Surgeon Hold the CertLRS Qualification?
- How Many ICL Procedures Has Your Surgeon Performed?
- Can You Show Me Your Refractive Outcome Data?
- Is Surgery Performed in a Proper Hospital Theatre with Laminar Airflow?
- What Is My Pre-Operative Endothelial Cell Count?
- How Often Will ECC and Vault Be Monitored, and Is This Included?
- What Vault Are You Targeting?
- Does the Clinic Have Access to Laser Eye Surgery for Enhancement?
- Which ICL System and Calculator Do You Use?
- What Happens If I Develop a Cataract Within Two Years?
- What Is the Arrangement If Cataract Develops Between Two and Ten Years?
- Have You Performed Cataract Surgery in an Eye with an Existing ICL?
- How Do You Manage Biometry Calculations in Post-ICL Eyes?
- What Happens If My Myopia Continues to Progress?
- At What Level Would Enhancement Be Considered?
- When After Surgery Would Enhancement Be Performed?
- Who Performs the Enhancement – the Same Consultant?
- Is Laser Enhancement Included in the Price?
- Is Sedation Available, and What Does It Cost?
- Is Oral Diazepam Available for Anxious Patients?
- What Is the Minimum Stay Required Near the Clinic?
- Will You Identify a Named Local Ophthalmologist Before Surgery?
- How Will Annual Vault and ECC Monitoring Be Arranged If I Live Far Away?
