Can't see?

Can't see?

Jun 12, 2008
The New Paper

HER thick spectacles got in the way when she practised taekwondo.

But there was little choice for Shermain Pea, 19.

She couldn't wear contact lenses because the shape of her left eye is not suitable for them.

And she couldn't opt for Lasik because of her 1,200 deg myopia.

So the polytechnic student turned to implantable contact lenses (ICL).

ICL, touted as an alternative to Lasik surgery due to its reversibility factor, used to be restricted to those with high myopia.

Not anymore.

Now, even those with 300deg myopia, which is considered low myopia, can choose ICLs over Lasik.

Said consultant eye surgeon Dr Lynn Yeo from Asia Health Partners: 'ICLs have worked so well for those with high myopia that now we are also offering them to those with low myopia.'

ICL offers perfect eyesight to a patient without changing the shape of the patient's corneas, as is the case with Lasik surgery.

It does this by implanting a contact lens into the eye.

That lens can be removed by an eye surgeon anytime and the eye will revert to its state of myopia.

In that sense, it is a less invasive procedure than Lasik, even though it involves a small 3mm cut at the base of the cornea.

With Lasik, the eye cannot go back to its myopic state.

But ICLs cost much more than Lasik.

Available in the West since 1993, ICLs cost $3,000 to $3,500 per eye. Lasik for both eyes now costs just over $2,000.

FOR SPORTS' SAKE

The cost did not deter Mr Ng Soon Sing and his wife, Madam Chan Yok Tin, from going for ICLs.

Both were short-sighted at about 300deg in both eyes. Although low, their myopia was getting in the way of their active lifestyles.

Said Mr Ng, 35, a design engineer: 'When I stand in the hot sun, I sweat a lot and the sweat gets into my eyes and irritates them, especially when I have contact lenses on.

'I also like playing badminton, but I can't wear spectacles when I play.

'And when I wear contact lenses, I get the same problem with sweat.'

They did not want to have Lasik done on their eyes because they were frightened by the thought of 'having a laser burn our eyes'.

So they chose ICLs. Dr Yeo operated on them on the same day last November.

It took about 10 minutes for each of them to get the lenses implanted.

'It was a bit blurry for the first few hours and our eyes felt dry,' said Mr Ng.

Eye drops helped with the dryness, which disappeared after a few days.

Mr Ng and Madam Chan could see well enough to take the MRT home after their operations.

Said Mr Ng: 'Since then, we can see perfectly. We feel comforted that we can reverse the procedure if we want to.

'And we don't suffer from the haloes and glares at night, which many people who have had Lasik complain about.

'It's just like having contact lenses in your eyes except that they're permanent and I don't have to worry about cleaning them, or taking them out after they've been in my eyes for too long,' he said.

Doctors say the safety rates for both Lasik and ICLs are very good. Infection and complication rates arelow.

Said Dr Yeo, who does about two ICL procedures a month: 'ICL gives those patients who cannot have Lasik a choice.

'Everyone knows about Lasik so they ask about that, but many don't realise that with Lasik there are also limitations,' she said.

PERMANENT CHANGE WITH LASIK

In Lasik surgery, a laser is used to cut and reshape the cornea. Reshaping it changes its focusing power.

The cornea is the transparent part of the eye, acting as an overcoat for the iris and the pupil.

Those with corneas that are too thin or are oddly shaped are not suitable for such a procedure.

But there is a downside to ICL.

Parkway Eye Centre medical director Dr Lee Hung Ming said: 'ICL involves putting something into the eye, which can result in a higher risk of cataract formation.'

He said that the US Food and Drug Administration's data shows that there is a 1.4 per cent chance of cataract formation with ICL.

But, he added: 'Those with high myopia are already more at risk of cataract, so the 1.4 per cent is not all due to ICL.'

There is no such risk for Lasik.

Both Dr Yeo and Dr Lee said that the quality of vision with ICL is very good.

Said Dr Lee: 'Much of it is what is best for the patient.'

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Implantable lenses a 10-minute procedure

IN the implantable contact lenses (ICL) procedure, the eye's own lens is left intact and another lens is inserted to correct the myopia. It is placed behind the iris (the coloured part) of the eye.

By Ng Wan Ching

It cannot be seen or felt. The lens is inserted through a tiny 3mm cut at the base of the cornea. Stitches are not needed.

Before it is inserted, the lens is folded and loaded into a small cartridge. As it is injected and unfolds into place, the four corners of the lens are tucked behind the iris.

Should the patient's vision alter with age, the ICL can be removed, replaced or fine-tuned using Lasik.

As with Lasik, the ICL procedure is an outpatient procedure that takes just 10 minutes per eye.

This story was first published in The New Paper on June 10, 2008.