SHARPEVISION has performed more EVO ICL™ procedures than anyone in WA and the PNW. And because we believe so strongly in the benefits, we offer the EVO ICL at the lowest price you will find anywhere! Come in and see how this 15 minute procedure will improve your vision for the rest of your life. (And that is Dr. Sharpe’s son, Max, getting his EVO ICL in the video!)
ICL stands for implantable collamer lens (although it is also referred to as implantable contact lens). The EVO ICL is made of collamer which works in harmony with your natural eye and is implanted into the eye to correct moderate to severe nearsightedness, with or without astigmatism. It doesn’t change the shape of the cornea like LASIK or PRK and can be removed it needed. The EVO ICL is an advanced vision correction option that is growing in popularity with more than 2 million lenses implanted worldwide since it was approved in 2022, with a 99.4% satisfaction rate!
If you are 18 or older and nearsighted, you may be a candidate for the EVO ICL. This procedure is able to treat a range of patients from moderate to extremely high refractive errors (-3 to -16 diopters) and is especially beneficial to those with thin corneas or who do not think they are a candidate for LASIK. It is preferable that the patient has not undergone any previous ophthalmic surgery and does not have a history of eye disease such as iritis, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy. We always perform a complete vision correction examination as part of our free consultation to determine the best treatment option for you.
The EVO ICL is made of 100% biocompatible collagen copolymer that provides UV protection and permanent vision correction. Additionally, the EVO ICL procedure does not permanently alter the shape of your cornea, like LASIK or PRK. There is no maintenance associated with the lens, and it is intended to remain in place as long as you are satisfied with your vision. If for any reason it needed to be removed, it easily can be.
The EVO ICL is positioned behind the iris (the colored part of the eye) where it is invisible to both you and others. It stays in position by itself and does not interact with any of the structures of your eye, so you are not aware that it’s there except that you see clearly without glasses or contacts! Although the lens is intended to remain in place permanently, a surgeon can remove it, if needed, and because your cornea is in its natural state, you’re able to pursue other vision correction options in the future.
If you are 18 years of age or older and nearsighted you may be a candidate for the EVO ICL. Take our quiz to see if EVO ICL is right for you!
A comprehensive examination is the only way to know which vision correction procedure is best for you. We do this at no charge because we believe so strongly in giving patients all the information necessary to make the right treatment choice. Our highly trained technicians will use a variety of specialized equipment to measure just about every part of your eye. While your exam involves comprehensive diagnostic testing, it is also our opportunity to learn more about you, your expectations, and your lifestyle. All of these factors play an important role in recommending the best procedure for you.
The complete exam can take up to 90 minutes. After all the data is collected by your technician, your doctor will examine your eyes, get an accurate measurement of your vision, review your diagnostic results, discuss your treatment recommendation, and answer any questions you have. The surgical coordinator will then meet with you in your exam room and go over any questions you have about scheduling and payment options. Your visit may include dilation of your pupils, which will affect your eyesight for about 4-6 hours, as you may have experienced with a routine eye exam.
Most patients will achieve perfect measurements at their initial consultation, but in special cases, a separate appointment may be scheduled to accomplish two main objectives: to repeat the refraction, or measurements, of your prescription after your contacts have been out of your eyes for the prescribed amount of time and to measure the diameter of your cornea with a highly sensitive machine.
On the day of your procedure, we will instill many medicated drops in your eyes to prepare you for the EVO ICL. There is also numbing medicine that will sting for about ten seconds until it takes effect. The procedure itself takes less than 15 minutes per eye, with about 20 minutes between eyes to prep the operating room. The procedure is painless, although most people are initially uncomfortable with the bright light of the microscope. Your surgeon will talk with you during the procedure and let you know what you’ll see and feel. Your vision will be very blurry and foggy after the procedure due to the many drops, the surgery itself, and the bright lights.
We will need to check the pressure in your eyes about two hours after completion. You are welcome to stay in the office or leave and return after two hours. We will then review the medications and plan on seeing you the following day. You may experience some mild grittiness, but not pain. The following day, your vision will be much better but still somewhat foggy and mildly scratchy.
No, the laser can’t burn a hole in your eye. But it’s a good question. Find the answers to our most frequently asked questions at SHARPEVISION. Some of them may surprise you!
No, not just by looking at your prescription. Your general optometrist measures your prescription and level of astigmatism for glasses and contacts and can refer you to a LASIK provider, but they cannot confirm if you will be a candidate for laser eye surgery. To know if you are a candidate, you need to have a complete eye exam at a LASIK provider. At SharpeVision, we use highly specific equipment to topographically map the surface of your eyes and get multiple prescription measurements, among other things. Our refractive surgeon-trained optometrists will then discuss all the results with you and determine if you are a candidate for LASIK.
Most insurance/vision plans do not pay towards LASIK or PRK, but we do honor the discount from EyeMed, VSP, and Davis, so that if you’re a member, your out of pocket expense will be the same. Always check with your insurance carrier or health benefits administrator before coming in for your exam. A few forward-thinking companies are currently paying for some or all of their employees’ LASIK, PRK, and ICL including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Adaptive Biotech, and Zillow in Seattle.
If your vision is worse after LASIK or PRK than it was before with glasses or contacts, it’s almost always due to dry eyes or residual prescription. Both of these are fixable with time (for dry eyes which is almost always the cause of foggy vision for a month or more after LASIK) or with additional laser to touch it up (which is necessary approximately 1% of the time and free for the first year after surgery).
With all the options we have for vision correction, the answer is probably “Yes!” The only way to know for sure which procedure(s) is right for you is by coming in for a complete eye exam at SHARPEVISION or another LASIK provider. We perform the entire exam completely free of charge. During your 90 minute exam, we will dilate and scan your eyes with specialized machines to obtain a variety of data, including your corneal shape and thickness, your precise prescription, and the health of your eyes. There are many factors that help us determine not only if you’re a candidate, but to set expectations and educate you as much as possible to help you make the best decision.
