Life-Changing Clarity: A Hyperopic ICL Patient’s Journey at Blue Fin Vision®
- Posted
- Medically Reviewed by: Mr Mfazo Hove, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
- Author: Mr Mfazo Hove
- Published: November 24, 2025
- Last Updated: January 7, 2026
How surgeon-led care, complimentary safety steps, and advanced ICL planning transformed one patient’s vision and confidence
For patients living with significant long-sightedness and astigmatism, the world can feel permanently blurred. Everyday tasks – reading, working, recognising faces, driving – often depend on thick glasses or contact lenses, and even then, vision may never feel naturally sharp. For many, implantable collamer lens (ICL) surgery offers a way out of this cycle. Yet hyperopic ICL surgery is more technically demanding than its myopic counterpart, requiring meticulous planning, surgeon experience, and advanced safety protocols.
A recent review from one of our patients provides a detailed, honest, and powerful insight into what this journey feels like from the patient perspective. It is one of the most comprehensive ICL testimonials we have received, capturing not just the surgical outcome, but the full emotional experience from anxiety to clarity.
This is her story.
A Patient’s Beginning: Fear, Uncertainty and Hope
Like many long-sighted patients, she had explored options for years without feeling ready to take the step. Hyperopic refractive errors can feel particularly limiting: the constant dependency on glasses, the discomfort of contact lenses, and the frustration of blurred near and intermediate vision all contribute to a sense of visual fatigue.
When she reached out to Blue Fin Vision®, she described feeling nervous but hopeful. Her assessment confirmed she was a suitable candidate for Staar Surgical EVO ICL for hyperopia with astigmatism, a procedure designed to offer long-lasting clarity without removing corneal tissue.
From her very first consultation, she emphasised that the experience felt “reassuring, thorough, and supportive,” highlighting that she saw her surgeon – Mr Mfazo Hove – multiple times throughout her pathway.
Hyperopic ICL: A More Complex Procedure
Most public information on ICL surgery focuses on myopic (short-sighted) correction, which is typically straightforward. Hyperopic ICL surgery is very different:
- The eyes are usually shallower, giving the surgeon less space to work safely.
- Vault planning is more precise and more sensitive to small variations.
- Intraoperative manoeuvres are tighter and require refined surgical control.
- Operating times are naturally longer than for myopic ICL cases.
The patient did not know these details at the time, but she did not need to.
The entire point of surgeon-led care is that the surgeon carries the risk, not the patient.
From her review:
“The surgery felt calm and controlled. I felt fully supported throughout.”
For a hyperopic case, especially one requiring longer operating time, this feedback is exceptionally meaningful.
Complimentary Laser Peripheral Iridotomies: A Safety-First Approach
Before hyperopic ICL surgery, most patients require laser peripheral iridotomies (LPIs) to prevent pupillary block and ensure fluid flow inside the eye.
Many clinics charge separately for these procedures.
At Blue Fin Vision®, LPIs are always performed free of charge.
For this patient, both LPIs were carried out in advance at no cost. She later wrote:
“Everything was explained clearly, and nothing felt rushed. I felt very safe throughout.”
Providing LPIs without additional fees is part of our commitment to all-inclusive, premium refractive care, where mandatory safety steps are included, not monetised.
Sedation Options: Patient-Led Comfort
We offer IV sedation for patients who want deeper relaxation during ICL surgery, something that is not routinely available in many refractive centres.
This patient was offered sedation but chose to proceed with oral diazepam only.
Despite that, she consistently described the experience as calm and supportive, noting:
“Everyone made sure I felt relaxed. I never felt pressured or overwhelmed.”
The goal is always the same: the patient decides, we support.
The Surgery: Precision, Experience and Calm
Her surgery took longer than a typical myopic ICL case due to the anatomical characteristics of hyperopic eyes, a normal and expected aspect of this procedure.
However, what matters most is not duration, but control.
“The whole process felt incredibly professional and calm.”
Even in complex cases, consistency and control define surgical quality. Her feedback reflects exactly that.
Postoperative Care: The Blue Fin Vision® Standard
Her aftercare pathway included:
- Review 1 week after surgery
- Review 1 month after surgery
- Ongoing scheduled appointments
- Direct access to her surgeon throughout
She described her follow-up as:
“Thorough, reassuring and exactly what I needed.”
Our postoperative care philosophy is simple:
Premium refractive surgery doesn’t end at the operating microscope – it extends into every touchpoint of aftercare.
The Result: “Genuinely Life-Changing”
The patient had lived with significant hyperopia and astigmatism for years.
One to two days after surgery, she began experiencing the clarity she had long hoped for.
Her review concluded:
“I can now see clearly without glasses or contacts for the first time in years. It is genuinely life-changing.”
This outcome is exactly what we strive for:
- crisp distance vision
- comfortable intermediate function
- confidence without visual aids
- freedom from long-standing dependency
Her journey encapsulates the transformative potential of the Staar Surgical EVO ICL for hyperopic patients.
What Makes This Review So Significant?
Beyond the positivity, there are deeper insights:
- It reflects excellence in a complex refractive procedure
Hyperopic ICL is technically demanding. Clear, calm, reassuring patient experience is the hallmark of expert-level surgery.
- It highlights the benefits of surgeon-led care
Multiple face-to-face interactions, clear explanations, personal reassurance, and continuity from consultation through surgery and aftercare.
- It reinforces Blue Fin Vision®’s premium, patient-first model
Free LPIs.
Sedation options.
Calm, unhurried theatre.
Structured aftercare.
Direct access to the surgeon.
- It acts as authentic social proof for future patients
Many hyperopes hesitate longer than myopes, this review speaks directly to their fears and concerns.
- It shows the value of advanced planning and technology
Vaulting, lens sizing, anatomical assessment, safety protocols, all critical elements unique to hyperopic ICL care.
Why Reviews Like This Matter to Hyperopic Patients
Most online narratives focus on myopic ICLs. Hyperopes often feel overlooked or worry that outcomes won’t match those widely advertised results.
This testimonial changes that.
It shows:
- Hyperopic ICL can be life-changing
- Complex cases can feel smooth and calm
- Safety steps are integrated, not optional extras
- Surgeon experience makes a measurable difference
- Support does not end when the surgery does
- Long-standing refractive errors can be corrected effectively
It gives future patients a relatable, evidence-based reference point for their own decision-making.
A Message from Mr Mfazo Hove
“Hyperopic ICL is one of the most rewarding procedures we perform. These cases require meticulous planning and precise surgical technique, but the outcomes, especially for patients who have struggled with long-sightedness for years, can be truly transformative. We are honoured by this patient’s generous words and proud to have played a part in her visual journey.”
Conclusion: More Than Just Clear Vision
This patient’s experience reflects everything Blue Fin Vision® stands for:
- Safety
- Precision
- Transparency
- Personalised care
- Advanced refractive surgery
- Life-changing results
Her story is a powerful reminder that hyperopic ICL is not only feasible, it can be one of the most liberating refractive procedures available today when performed in the right hands and with the right level of support.
For anyone living with high long-sightedness or long-standing astigmatism, her words offer a message of reassurance and possibility.
