ICL surgery is an intraocular procedure. The lens is introduced through a small corneal incision into the anterior chamber of the eye – a sterile space that, under normal conditions, has no contact with the external environment. Any breach of the infection-control standards applicable to intraocular surgery creates a risk of endophthalmitis: a rare but potentially devastating infection that can result in permanent, severe visual loss. ¹
The appropriate environment for ICL surgery is a fully equipped hospital theatre with positive-pressure laminar airflow ventilation and a minimum of 20 air exchanges per hour – the same standards required for cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. ² ³ Performing ICL implantation in a laser treatment room, a minor procedures suite, or any environment not designed for sterile intraocular surgery represents a compromise that patients should not be expected to accept.
At Blue Fin Vision®, all ICL surgery is performed in regulated hospital theatres, across Harley Street, Essex, and Hertfordshire, operating to full laminar airflow standards. The choice of partner hospitals is a deliberate one: Phoenix Hospital Group, Weymouth Street Hospital, and One Hatfield Hospital all maintain theatre environments appropriate for the infection-control requirements of intraocular surgery. Patients should ask this question directly and expect a specific answer, not a reassurance.
References
- Fernandes P, González-Méijome JM, Madrid-Costa D, Ferrer-Blasco T, Jorge J, Montés-Micó R. Implantable collamer posterior chamber intraocular lenses: a review of potential complications. J Refract Surg. 2011;27(10):765–776. PMID: 21610721.
- 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.
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?
