ICL surgery is performed under topical anaesthesia on an awake, cooperative patient. The procedure takes under fifteen minutes per eye. By the objective standards of ophthalmic surgery, it is brief, gentle, and well-tolerated by the majority of patients. ¹ By the subjective standards of a patient who has never experienced a surgical environment, it is a significant and potentially anxiety-provoking experience: bright operating lights, an eyelid speculum, awareness of instruments in the eye, and the requirement to remain still throughout.
Anxiety management in this context is not a patient welfare supplement – it is a surgical safety consideration. A patient who moves unexpectedly during lens insertion risks precisely the intraoperative complication the procedure is otherwise designed to prevent. ² The best patient experience and the best surgical outcome are the same objective.
At Blue Fin Vision®, intravenous sedation administered by an anaesthetist in the operating theatre is available at a cost of £500. It does not produce general anaesthesia. It significantly reduces patient awareness and movement risk and, in our experience, produces the best overall outcome for anxious patients. For patients who do not wish IV sedation but want pharmacological support, oral diazepam can be prescribed prior to surgery and is provided without additional charge. ³
Sedation preference and anxiety management must be discussed at the pre-operative consultation – not on the day of surgery. Oral diazepam cannot be arranged on the day. IV sedation requires advance anaesthetic assessment. Patients who are nervous about their procedure should raise this early.
References
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
