An ICL is an indefinite implant. It remains inside the eye, in contact with the aqueous humour, in close proximity to the natural crystalline lens and the corneal endothelium, for potentially several decades. The clinical relationship that begins at the pre-operative consultation does not end at the post-operative check. It continues for the life of the implant.
Annual surveillance of endothelial cell count and vault measurement is the clinical standard for long-term ICL management. ¹ ECC monitoring allows early detection of endothelial cell loss before it reaches clinically actionable thresholds. Vault monitoring detects changes in anatomical configuration, including the gradual reduction in vault that accompanies natural lens growth with age, that may require clinical intervention. ² ³
What patients are rarely told before surgery is whether this monitoring is included in their care package or billed at each visit. Annual appointments for vault and ECC over a twenty-year period represent a significant cost if charged separately. The question of financial structure for long-term follow-up is as important as the question of clinical content.
At Blue Fin Vision®, annual ECC and vault measurement scans are included in post-operative follow-up at no additional charge for the lifetime of the implant. This is a deliberate element of the Blue Fin Vision® Advantage: long-term surveillance should not create a financial disincentive to attend.
References
- Igarashi A, Shimizu K, Kato S, Kamiya K. Posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens and corneal endothelium: 5-year follow-up. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2009;35(3):488–492. PMID: 19251139.
- 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.
- Kamiya K, Shimizu K, Igarashi A, Komatsu M. Four-year follow-up of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation for moderate to high myopia. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(7):845–850. PMID: 19597104.
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?
