is the trade-off worth it for you? would you still do it again?

My prescription is -6 and I'm considering the surgery.

I don't qualify for laser eye surgery, so my only real option is ICL. I have a prescription of -6 in both eyes. My measurements and parameters are actually a great fit for it, but when I asked the doctor about the risk of cataracts and if they’d ever had it happen - they admitted it happened once about two years ago. The patient developed a cataract right after the surgery.

Now, I’m absolutely terrified that I’ll end up being that unlucky ~1% who gets an immediate complication. On top of that, knowing there's about a 1.5% risk of developing a late-onset cataract down the road makes the anxiety even worse. I'm scared of being the rare statistic sooner or later.

Sticking to glasses for work and contacts for sports and going out is definitely the safest route, but it’s just not the most convenient.

Has anyone else struggled with this kind of anxiety before the procedure? How did you weigh the risks versus the benefits, and are you happy with your decision?

I went to top NYC place for lasik, they said I did NOT qualify.

So I asked: Should I look into ICL surgery?

The doctor was like: You should try contact lens first... I guess because it requires cutting the eye and all procedures/surgeries have risk?

I saw plenty of posts in this subreddit from people who had ICL surgery and their information helped me a lot when I was doing research, so I thought that I would also share my experience now that I have completed the procedure.

TLDR: it was one of the best decisions of my life and at the end of day 6 post-op here, I have 20/15 vision, better than expected and I am enjoying my new glasses-free experience.

Surgery Date
June 26, 2026

Background

I've worn glasses since I was in 3rd grade and never wore contacts, and growing up my eyes got progressively more nearsighted every year until they stabilized in my late twenties. I hadn't seriously considered Lasik because my prescription was pretty high at -10 in my right eye and -7.5 in my left, and I had family and friends who got Lasik experienced dry eyes / occasional burning sensation. Earlier this year, I learned about EVO ICL which seemed to be a better option since I heard there was minimal risk of dry eyes. I work at a desk job where I stare at a monitor all day and I'm on my smartphone a lot, so I needed to be careful that the procedure didn't negatively affect my eyes.

Evaluation of Clinics

I am in Northern California around San Jose, and there were several options for doctors with good online reviews. I booked appointments for initial consultations based on their earliest availability and what times would be convenient with my work schedule.

At the first place I went to, I didn't meet the doctor and instead met with one of their consultants & technicians. I learned that the doctor frequently flies between clinics in Southern and Northern California. This made me uncomfortable because I wanted to chat with who would be responsible for performing the surgery. Also, EVO ICL involves follow-up appointments after the surgery at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months after and with his travel schedule I wasn't sure if I would be able to see him directly at these appts. They took my Anterior Chamber Depth (ACD), my prescription, and my eye pressure, and reassured me that I was a good candidate for EVO ICL Toric. However, they required a $200 deposit to move forward and a return trip to get the sizing of the lens using their proprietary ultrasound technology, and they didn't measure my Endothelial Cell Density (ECD) count or my pupil size. Nevertheless, I put down the deposit because the proposed surgery date worked well with when I would be able to take time off of work and I wanted to hold down the date in case I didn't like any of the other 2 places I would visit.

At the second place, the doctor was very professional and thoughtful. All measurements were taken, including the White to White (WTW) sizing for the lens, Pentacam, ECD, ACD. I learned that they don't handle surgeries in-house and that they partner with a local hospital / eye surgery center. They also would put me under semi-conscious sedation. After the appointment, we drove to the surgery center to see what it would look like. Unfortunately, it looked a bit run-down and the staff was unfriendly. I also did a bit more research online and learned that it is unusual for semi-conscious sedation to be used, since patients during surgery need to be able to look directly at the bright lights and sedation can make that hard. It seems the majority of doctors use numbing drops and calming medication like Valium during the procedure.

The third place I went to was Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley and this was where I decided to ultimately get the procedure done. I didn't realize that I scheduled my appt with a doctor that doesn't perform EVO ICL, but they were able to bring me to the doctor that would be ultimately performing the surgery, even though he wasn't scheduled to meet with me. We had a nice long chat where all my questions were answered after I got my measurements taken. He was so kind and patient and shared that 2 years ago he got EVO ICL surgery himself. (Later, after the appt I googled and found the Youtube video where he recorded his experience of getting the surgery at Cleveland Eye Clinic. It was helpful and a little scary to watch him go through the process, but certainly very informative.)

A note about cost: They all quoted prices just below $10K, and where I am located in the US, this is considered elective surgery so it's not covered by insurance.

By the way, I went to cancel my appointment at the first place and get my deposit back, and they tried some high-pressure sales tactics on me to try to get me in for another consultation and to attempt to convince me to go with their clinic. It made me quite irritated to have to repeatedly ask for my deposit back and solidified my decision to avoid going there. Personally I felt that since these are private practices, if the place feels too much like a business instead of a hospital then it's probably not a good fit for me.

Pre-op
Surgery was scheduled for about a month after my consultation. The doctor confirmed that the lenses were in stock with STAAR Surgical (the company that manufactures the lens) so I was able to pick a date where I knew that I could get a week off of work for post-op recovery. I doubted that I would need a whole week, but figured that more time would be good on the safe side.

Leading up to the surgery, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, no fasting restrictions or changes in daily habits, other than avoiding to wear eye makeup / moisturizer / sunscreen around the eye area for 3 days before, at the doctor's advice.

Surgery Day
Before surgery, my vision and eye pressure were checked again. They led me to a dark private room where they applied 3 rounds of eye drops, of 3 drops each. This was uncomfortable since I had trouble keeping my eyes open without flinching. These included dilating eye drops and anesthetic eye drops. Between each round, they checked that my pupils were getting more dilated. They also explained to me the post-op guidelines again (no exercise for 1 week, no eye makeup for 1 week, wear eye patch when sleeping at night for 1 week, no rubbing eyes for 1 month, etc). Then they gave me a 5 mg pill of Valium for relaxation.

During the Surgery
My left eye was done first because the doctor explained it had more astigmatism (I guess he wanted to get the harder one out of the way first?). During the procedure, there was a constant flow of water into my eye. This caused everything to look blurry. The doctor told me to stare at the center of the bright light and it was very bright indeed since I was quite dilated. His voice was comforting and walked me through every step of the procedure. One thing I wasn't prepared for was that the cut and subsequent rotation of the Toric lens actually hurt quite a bit. I understood that there would be pressure but the pain was unexpected (despite all the numbing fluid they put in my eyes). But it was very brief, under 5 minutes and then my left eye was done! I was led out of the operating room and a scan was taken of my vault to confirm the placement looked good. Then I was led back into the operating room for my right eye. This one also hurt but now I knew what to expect and it seemed to take even less time. At the end I was very relieved it was all done and that the worst was over.

Immediately after Surgery
They gave me an orange pill called Diamex to lower my eye pressure and gave me another pill in a bag and told me to take it in exactly 4 hours. I relaxed in the same dark private room as before for about 30 minutes. During this time I kept my eyes mostly closed underneath the sunglasses they gave me, because I was nervous to open and use them. My right eye was still hurting a bit and they both felt swollen. Then the staff checked my eye pressure and one eye was 25 while the other was 27. They told me this was normal post-op and that the orange Diamex pill should help.

They checked my prescription and it was 20/30. I was a bit disappointed because I read the stories on here about how patients were able to see 20/15 quickly after surgery, but my vision was still a lot clearer than it had been before and I was optimistic that it would improve in the coming days. The staff gave me a patient card that has the date of surgery, my prescription, and size of lens (12.6mm) which can be used for reference at any future optometrist appt.

Lastly, my doctor gave me a tip to put the artificial eye drops inside the refrigerator so that they would give a cooling sensation when I use them, because the antibiotic eye drops to use right after would give a stinging sensation so using the colder artificial eye drops first will help with that. I suppose this was a pro tip from when he did EVO ICL himself. The guideline was to use the eye drops 4 times a day: when I got up in the morning, at lunch, at dinner, and before bedtime.

Post-op Days 1-2
When I got home, after eating a snack I slept for about 2.5 hours and when I woke up I would see around my bedroom clearly and it was quite an experience to do that without having to reach for my glasses first. My right eye was uncomfortable though because it felt like there was a huge eyelash in it and I knew from my research that I would feel that for a few days while my eyes were healing. I was still quite dilated so I also kept wearing sunglasses.
Distance vision was sharp, and I could also read nearby text without any issues.
At my first follow-up appointment, my eye pressure returned to normal. My left eye was at 20/30 and my right eye was at 20/20. Together, they were at 20/20 vision.

On the second day after surgery, I was still very sensitive to light. When I tried taking sunglasses off, I would get an immediate headache and have to squint in the light, so I kept them on even indoors and we kept the lights off in the house for most of the day.

Days 3-6

Day 3: I have an eye chart I ordered off of Amazon at home so I was able to self-test. My left eye finally caught up and was able to see 20/20. My right eye was at 20/15. I was also able to stop wearing sunglasses indoors.

Day 4: Both eyes are individually at 20/15 now :) I spent most of the day at the mall doing some shopping. I noticed that there were halo rings from lighting at certain angles in stores, but this was in the minority and if I put on sunglasses, they went away. Also at home, I get halo rings from the recess lights in the ceiling. These aren't very disruptive however and I am able to get around it by not looking too far up at the ceiling.

Day 5: I spent at least 5-6 hours in front of the computer playing a video game and my eyes felt fine.

Day 6: When I woke up, my right eye felt very dry and I immediately put in many drops of artificial tears. Most of the day, it still felt like there was a big eyelash in it due to the dryness. Oops, I should have been more mindful about limiting screen time on Day 5 :) I took a nap later in the day, which helped make the sensation go away.

A couple other notes: when washing, I was extra careful to not get soap or water in my eyes and to have a tissue ready to wipe in case it happened. I also had instructions to use the eye shields at night, but the sticky tape used to hold them in place was so uncomfortable that I would be unable to reach the places to scratch it, so after day 5 I stopped using them at night. I am a heavy, restful sleeper so I was pretty sure I would accidentally rub or touch my eyes at night.

Overall Thoughts
Overall, I am extremely grateful to my doctor and happy about the decision to have EVO Toric ICL. Honestly it feels like a miracle of modern science. Having worn glasses for over 25 years, I'm still getting used to what I look like in the mirror without them. Tomorrow I'm going to watch a 3D movie and it'll be my first time being able to use the 3D glasses without awkwardly laying them over my prescription glasses. I can't wait to venture forth and do sports, go dancing, and ride roller coasters without being hampered by my glasses.

I just had my surgery on Monday, so far so good! Vision is just as good as wearing contacts, except now I have halos, which only show up at night, but pretty easy to dismiss. If you have doubts, just do it. You’ll be happy.

Long story: I recently underwent EVO Toric ICL surgery, and I’d like to share my experience so others can be better prepared and have a better idea of what the process is like.

Surgery Date
June 25, 2026

Initial Examination
My first visit was to determine whether I was a suitable candidate for EVO ICL and to measure my pupil size in the dark.
Dark pupil size:

Left: 6.4 mm
Right: 6.7 mm

Both pupils were slightly larger than average, but my surgeon said they were still completely suitable for EVO ICL.
During my second visit, I underwent an ophthalmic ultrasound (A-scan) to measure my axial length (the front-to-back length of the eye) and the thickness of my natural lens.
After all the examinations, my surgeon confirmed that I was a good candidate for EVO Toric ICL and calculated the appropriate lens power before ordering my lenses.

My Prescription
Left eye: -10.00 with -3.25 astigmatism
Right eye: -10.00 with -3.25 astigmatism
Eye pressure: Left: 14 mmHg. Right: 15 mmHg

Pre-op Day
After waiting about 1 month and 2 weeks for the lenses to arrive, my surgery was scheduled for June 25.
The clinic simply told me to get a good night’s sleep before surgery. There were no fasting restrictions, so I could eat normally.
To be honest, I didn’t sleep very well because I was both nervous and excited, but everything ended up going smoothly.

Surgery Day
Before surgery, my vision and eye pressure were checked again.
Since I was having Toric EVO ICL, the surgeon first performed toric axis marking. This was probably one of the more uncomfortable parts because you can actually see the marker coming toward your eye. My eyes are very sensitive, so the staff had to help keep my eyelids open and prevent my eyes from moving.
After that, my pupils were dilated again, anesthetic eye drops were applied, and I was taken into the operating room. I waited for about 45 minutes to make sure my pupils were fully dilated.

During the surgery
My right eye was done first.
During the procedure, there was a constant flow of water into my eye. Surprisingly, this actually felt kind of cool and relaxing.
I could see many of the surgical instruments during the operation, although everything looked blurry.
The most uncomfortable part was when the lens was inserted and positioned. It felt like someone was pressing very hard on my eye. It wasn’t exactly painful, but definitely uncomfortable.
Because I had the Toric version, the surgeon also had to rotate the lens to align it correctly with my astigmatism. That step was also uncomfortable because of the pressure.
Finally, the surgeon washed out the viscoelastic material inside the eye. This was probably another uncomfortable step, but I found that squeezing something in my hand helped me stay relaxed.
Right eye: about 15 minutes (I was extremely nervous.)
Left eye: about 5 minutes (I already knew what to expect, so I was much more relaxed.)

Immediately After Surgery
I stayed at the clinic for about 2.5 hours.
The staff checked my vault and eye pressure every 30 minutes.
My initial vault measurements were approximately:
Left: 700 μm
Right: 700 μm
Both remained stable throughout the observation period.
My eye pressure increased slightly to around 20 mmHg, which is common after surgery, but it remained stable, so my surgeon allowed me to go home.

Post-op Day 1
After sleeping for about three hours, I woke up with remarkably clear vision.
Distance vision was sharp, and I could also read nearby text without any issues.
At my first follow-up appointment:
Eye pressure returned to normal.
Vault measurements were:
Left: ~400 μm
Right: ~800 μm

My surgeon said everything looked excellent and that my eyes were recovering quickly.
My visual acuity was:
1.5 (20/13) with both eyes together
1.2 (20/16) in each eye individually

Post-op Day 5
Another follow-up examination showed that everything remained stable.
Eye pressure: Normal
Vision: 1.2 (20/16) in each eye
Vault:
Left: 400–500 μm
Right: 600–700 μm

Everything was progressing as expected.

The Only Issue I Experienced
The only problem I’ve had is that my eyes sting quite a bit whenever I use my eye drops.
For about the first week after surgery, each time I used my prescribed eye drops, my eyes would burn for around five minutes.
My surgeon explained that this was caused by dry eyes, which are common after EVO ICL surgery.
To help with this, I was instructed to:
Use preservative-free artificial tears every 2 hours
Continue using the prescribed antibiotic eye drops
Continue using the prescribed steroid eye drops
The discomfort has gradually improved over time.

Night Vision
Night vision has actually been much better than I expected.
I don’t notice many halos. Instead, bright lights spread out slightly, which I actually think looks pretty cool.

Overall Thoughts
Overall, I am extremely happy with my decision to have EVO Toric ICL.
Coming from -10.00 myopia with -3.25 astigmatism in both eyes, the results have honestly exceeded my expectations. My vision became clear almost immediately, my recovery has been smooth, and all of my follow-up examinations have been reassuring.
If you’re considering EVO ICL—or if you have a prescription similar to mine—I hope sharing my experience helps you know what to expect.

I’ll keep updating on how things go, but I’m already very happy that I decided to do this. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences—it really helped me a lot.

After my surgery, I was given these really awkward plastic eye shields to wear while sleeping for about a month. They’re only for nighttime use to protect my eyes from accidentally rubbing them, and they’re supposed to be held in place with tape—which isn’t exactly comfortable.
Has anyone found a better or more comfortable alternative that still provides the same protection?

I recently underwent ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) surgery on June 24th and 25th, and it has truly been a life-changing experience. My doctor recommended performing the procedure on two consecutive days, one eye at a time, to ensure greater safety and minimize any risk of error.

Before the surgery, I had high myopia, with a prescription of -10 in my right eye and -7 in my left eye. Living with such a high power meant I was completely dependent on glasses for even the simplest daily tasks.

Immediate Results After ICL Surgery

Right after the procedure, I was amazed — I could finally see clearly without glasses! However, it truly hit me the next morning. For the first time in my life, I woke up, looked at the clock, and realized I didn’t have to reach for my glasses on the side table. That moment was incredibly emotional and unforgettable.

Recovery Process and Eye Care

Post-surgery, I’ve been prescribed regular eye drops, which I need to continue for about a month to support proper healing. The recovery has been smooth so far, and every day my vision feels clearer and stronger.

Life After Vision Correction Surgery

What excites me the most is the new freedom I now have. After years of limitations due to poor eyesight, I can finally:

• Go swimming without worrying about glasses or lenses
• Enjoy hiking and outdoor adventures
• Step out in the rain without discomfort
• Experience everyday activities with complete ease

Though I had the option to get this done earlier, I’m glad I took the step at 35. As they say, better late than never!

Final Thoughts on ICL Surgery

If you’re struggling with high prescription glasses or contact lenses, ICL surgery can be a transformative solution. My journey so far has been incredibly positive, and I’m excited to fully embrace this new phase of clear vision and freedom.

So im about 5 days post-surgery.

They had some difficulty with my left eye during the surgery. I heard surgeon saying he needed to rotate the lense, im assuming he inserted it at wrong orientation? Toric lense. Maybe he tore it? Then he had difficulty pulling it out. I could feel him yanking and pulling and the pain was excruciating! He then had a back-up lense inserted in its place mid-procedure. He commented that the lense was really thick as the reason why he was having difficulty with it ( it was the highest power they could get for the ICL)

I said i was experiencing a lot of sharp pain during the procedure, he brushed it off as yeah its normal to feel discomfort.. He also said something about not having much nerves deeper in the eye so i shouldn't be feeling anything.

Anyway, when i got home, my family noticed instantly that one of my eyes had grey tint. I usually have brown iris, but my left eye iris has patch of cloudiness / grey over it. I also feel discomfort and strain when trying to focus with my left eye, it fatigues really easily.

I mentioned the pain in the left eye during the one-day post op and i was told i have swelling in my eye and that it will go down with time. Intra-ocular pressure eas witihn normal range.

Im going back to the clinic in a few days but the surgeon is the type who says oh "you are stressing too much, dont worry" when i ask too many questions. The pain and light sensitivity has improved.

Is this cloudiness in iris common? Could it be they damaged an internal structure? Is this a sign of a bad surgeon?

I wanted to get an ICL surgery from a long time but yesterday when I visited a clinic that performs that surgery, I came to know that my ACD is 2.7 mm in both eyes, which is considered borderline and they said they cant perform ICL surgery for me. After some research I found out that doctors are increasingly doing ICL on borderline ACD with good success rates, although PRK is good option for me, I still feel ICL is much safer as it is reversible.

Please share your experience if you have gone ahead with ICL surgery having borderline ACD. If anyone has done it in India, please also let me k iw the surgeon and hospital/clinic.

Hi! I have about -10 vision and (now) moderate MGD/dry eyes. My dry eyes used to be pretty bad, but after several IPL treatments and making some healthier lifestyle changes, they’re mostly manageable now. I still get dryness first thing in the morning, and if there’s air blowing on my face (fans, wind, etc.), and I have the occasional bad day where I just use drops.
I’ve had two ICL consultations and both surgeons said I’m a good candidate and weren’t concerned about my MGD.

I’m specifically looking to hear from people who already had dry eyes or MGD before getting ICL (or eye care professionals who have seen patients like this). Did ICL make your dry eyes worse long term, or did they eventually go back to your baseline?

The reason I’m leaning toward ICL is because my vision is so bad that it’s honestly becoming a safety issue. I can’t see anything without glasses, and I’m always worried about losing them in the ocean or having them knocked off in a crowd. They’re also so thick they’re uncomfortable on my nose. I can’t tolerate contacts anymore either, they just make my dry eyes worse.

I believe will be okay with halos and all the other fun ICL side effects but what I really don’t think I would be able to tolerate is my eyes getting more dry permanately. I understand this will not HELP my dry eye, I just don’t want to make it worse. I know that by continuing to force contacts into my eyes for sports and swimming I’m making it worse so this feels like the lesser of two evils maybe? Every doctor I’ve talked to said ICL is fine for dry eyes but I’ve seen some conflicting posts.

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone with a similar situation!

TLDR: had dry eye before ICL? Please let me know how you’re doing

Right eye -1.25 -1.50 143, pupil 7.11mm mesopic.

Left eye -6.50 -0.75 35, pupil 6.87mm mesopic

I'm 31F with a left eye that's highly myopic and a right eye that's only mildly myopic with astigmatism. Don't ask me why, it's been like that since I started wearing glasses in high school 🤪. My corneas are around 500 um so not super thin but not thick either.

I've received a ton of different opinions from different clinics about what's best. LASIK MD approved me for LASIK, but two other clinics said that because of dryness and thin corneas and recommeded ICLs instead.

After thinking about it I've decided on ICL for my left eye for sure. The two clinics that recommended ICLs to me said to do ICLs for both eyes, but for my right eye I'm not sure if I want to do a toric ICL (TICL) since I've read some cases online about the lens rotating. Since these lenses will stay in my eye for the next few decades, I want to avoid any possible complications. Now I'm wondering if i should

1. Just get a TICL for right eye
2. Ask about limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs) -- I didn't know about this option. One clinic suggested it, the other one didn't mention it at all as a possibility
3. Ask about doing ICL for left eye, LASIK for right eye

Any thoughts? Am I overthinking the risk of rotation which probably won't even be that bad for a case of mild astigmatism?

I am 19 and my eye prescription is -25L, -24.75R. it is really hard to see with this numbers even with glasses or contact lenses.is icl can fix such a big myopia?Am I old enough for icl?

Background

I'm 23 and I've been wearing glasses since I was 4. My power is -16d in the left eye and -17d in the right. Life was completely dependent on them I couldn't see anything without them, literally.

When I was 20 I wanted to get LASIK done but didn't even know ICL existed. When I consulted a doctor they told me LASIK wasn't possible for my power and the only option was ICL and even that was only possible if my ACD was more than 2.8mm and my power was not stabilised. So I waited.

At 23 I decided to go for it.

Pre-surgery

I went to Nethradhama Eye Hospital in Bangalore. They did a lot of scans — more than I expected. Took my eye measurements for the lens. I chose the Toric EVO ICL after a lot of research — they gave me the option between Biotech and EVO and I went with EVO.

After placing the lens order it took about 9-10 days for it to arrive. Then they called me and booked the surgery date.

Also worth mentioning — during the pre-surgery scans they found lattice degeneration in my right eye. They did a prophylactic retinal laser to seal the weak spots before proceeding with ICL. If you have high myopia get your retina checked before surgery, don't skip this.

Surgery Day

Reporting time was 9am. When I arrived they made me sign the consent form very quickly, barely had 20 minutes to read it. They sat me in the patient lounge. There were 10 operations scheduled that day — 3 ICLs and 7 cataracts. Out of the 3 ICL patients I was the youngest by far, the other two were in their 30s.

Before going in they gave me Dolo, Pan D, and anxiety pills. Then they dressed me in a gown and prepped me.

They took us to a waiting room until it was our turn. When my turn came they took my glasses off, I couldn't see anything. Walking into the OT there were about 10 people inside and that spiked my anxiety instantly. But they made me lie on the stretcher, explained everything calmly, and told me exactly what to expect.

How the surgery went

They prepped my right eye first, covered the rest of my face. Numbing drops went in it stung for about 2 seconds and then I felt nothing.

The surgeon put in viscoelastic gel to protect the eye and maintain pressure during the procedure. He told me to look straight at the bright light above — very bright but bearable. Then he made a small incision and I could actually see the blade go in and come out. Zero pain.

Using an injector he inserted the lens — I could briefly see it unfolding inside my eye, it happened in a fraction of a second. He then adjusted the axis of the lens, I could see that happening too. After fixing it he replaced the gel and then removed it — everything went black for a second which scared me a little 😭 but then it was done. Right eye finished.

Same process for the left eye.

Both eyes total — about 5 minutes.

Post-op

When I first opened my eyes after the surgery everything was EXTREMELY bright — like 10 flashlights pointed at your face. They put sunglasses on me immediately.

In the post-op room I could already see things but the halos were insane. Like every light had a massive ring around it.

About an hour after surgery they put some drops in and my vision went foggy. Turns out my eye pressure had spiked to around 50 mmHg (normal is 10-21). They took me down and a doctor released the pressure — honestly after watching 100 ICL videos I wasn't prepared for that part 😅 but they resolved it and the pressure came down to 10-11 immediately.

I think this is why they keep you for a few hours post surgery. We went in at 9, surgery was 10:45-10:55, post-op room 11am-3pm, discharged at 3.

When I walked out of the hospital I was genuinely shocked. Everything was crisp and clear — clearer than I ever saw even with glasses.

One thing I didn't expect — as soon as the surgery started, someone held my hand really tight. And there was music playing in the OT. They told me to focus on the music. That small thing genuinely helped more than I expected.

Day 1 Checkup

Routine next day checkup. They did some scans and then the doctor looked at me and said "your vision is perfect and way more than 6/6 haha."

I was over the moon.

Costing

Cost Breakdown (Bangalore, Nethradhama, June 2026)

Pre-surgery scans: ₹5,000 (~$60)

Retinal laser (right eye only): ₹5,000 (~$60)

ICL surgery (both eyes, Toric EVO): ₹2,20,000 (~$2,640)

Post-op drops: ₹2,000 (~$24)

Total: ₹2,32,000 (~$2,784)

Final thoughts so far

19 years of glasses. -17 power. I was told LASIK was impossible for me. And now I have better than perfect vision.

The halos are still there on day 1 but reducing. The drops routine is 4 times a day.

Will post a 1 month update. But as of now — 100% worth it. If you're on the fence and your power is stable, just do it.

I (31f) had ICL surgery in 2024. I had pretty bad eyesight (-11 range) The surgeon set the expectation of post surgery pretty high so I thought I’d be seeing things without issue.

- At my follow-ups at I think 3 and 6 months I still thought my vision was blurry but surgeon said it would get better.
- 1 year after: I go to the same place for eye exam and mention my vision is still not like crisp and clear. Specifically Words and texts are still blurry when at a distance. Which I should be able to see clearly after surgery. Overall I can function but it’s not like perfect perfect vision. Surgeon said it could be due to dry eye. Could be due to a technology not being advanced enough.
-2 years after: I go to another eye doctor for eye exam and they give me a light prescription that can help me text more clearer.

I don’t know whether to go back to the surgeon or just get glasses at this point? I feel like the surgeon isn’t helpful as I was voicing these concerns several times and he just said he could remove the lens but otherwise couldn’t do anything to correct my vision more.

about a year ago I had ICL surgery.

before ICL power -9 both eyes. using galsses for almost 3 decades starting number was -2 it stabilized at -9 , 5yrs ago.

decided to go for ICL. LASIK wasn't viable.

Daily Life: 10-12 Hrs infront of a screen, early morning & late night driving.

Age: Mid 30s

ICL Implant both eyes : STAAR SURGICAL VICM5

Left eye: Halo, Rings, Glares, Ghost images

Right eye: haze/blurry vision since the moment postoperative eye patch was removed by surgeon.

It was cataract symptom informed by surgeon after 2 months of follow-ups as he wanted to be sure about diagnosis.

ASOCT Vault - after surgery

LE - 204 μm

RE - 107 μm

it has been same for a year.

Since blurry vision is affecting my daily life I have decided to go for Cataract surgery.

given my problem with Left Eye ICL that produces Halo, Glare, starburst & ghost images which IOL do I chose ? I got following options:

Monofocal - Bausch & Lomb (Near vision glasses)

Enhanced Monovision - Rayone EMV (glasses required for small fonts)

EDOF - Bausch & Lomb ( Distant & intermediate vision clear, halos/glare/ring quite possible)

Multifocal - Rayone Galaxy (absolutely clear vision but rings, halo/glare would make night driving a nightmare)

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for some advice regarding eye prescription measurements before vision correction surgery.

I recently had my eyes tested at two different clinics while exploring surgical options, and I received significantly different prescriptions.

The first optometrist started from zero power and gradually increased the lens strength until I could clearly read all the letters. The final prescription was actually lower than the glasses prescription I'm currently wearing.

The second optometrist started with my current prescription and then increased the power further until my vision improved. This resulted in a prescription that was about 1 diopter stronger in one eye.

For example:

First clinic: -7.00 and -7.50

Second clinic: -8.00 and -7.50

The cylinder values were also quite different:

First clinic: around -2.25 in both eyes

Second clinic: around -3.00 and -2.50

Because of these measurements, the first clinic recommended PRK, while the second recommended ICL.

What confuses me is that I understand subjective refraction tests can vary somewhat, and I wouldn't be too concerned if the difference was 0.25 or even 0.50 diopters. But a full 1.00 diopter difference seems quite large.

The first clinic took their time with the examination, carefully confirmed my responses, and gradually increased the power until I could read everything clearly. The second exam felt much quicker (around 5 minutes), the room wasn't very dark, and the vision chart even seemed closer than what I'm used to. Because of that, I currently trust the first clinic's measurements more.

However, I can't really go back to the first clinic because they were quite firm that PRK was the appropriate option and didn't recommend ICL. During my consultation at the second clinic, the doctor explained that for PRK or other laser procedures, the combined spherical and cylindrical correction should generally stay below around 9.5 diopters. Based on their measurements, I'm right at that limit or possibly beyond it.

Even if the first clinic's prescription is the correct one, it feels like PRK would be cutting things very close. My concern is that I could end up with residual prescription and need glasses again relatively soon after surgery, which is exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

That's why I'm currently leaning toward ICL, assuming I'm a suitable candidate. At the same time, the large difference between the two prescriptions is making me nervous because I need to order lenses soon, and I don't want to proceed based on inaccurate measurements.

Has anyone experienced such a large difference between prescriptions from two clinics? Is a 1.00 diopter difference in subjective refraction normal, or should I be seeking another opinion before moving forward with surgery?

Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

im 5 days post op and my right eye is imroving faster than the left eye, even the left eye feels that i see in a minimal wave-like distortion .. the doctor reassured me and told me its fine but i want to know if anyone who underwent the surgery experienced such thing and when did it go away??

I’ve seen both good and bad on here about EVO ICL so I wanted to share my experience in case it helps others.

I’ve had bad vision (-10 both eyes and an astigmatism) for years and wanted to fix it. Originally I thought I would be stuck with a lower quality of living forever but after seeing 2 different specialists I found out I was a candidate for EVO ICL. LASIK and PRK were not as I have thin corneas and PRK isn’t FDA approved for a prescription as high as mine.

Before booking I looked at a lot of resources to see if this was a good idea and decided to go for it even though it’s very expensive. They evaluated my eye pressure and double checked my prescriptions and ordered the lenses then booked my operation for 5 weeks later. Fast forward to last week. I started the eye drops the day before and the procedure itself went pretty quickly. It took about 3 hours from checkin to leaving the building and I barely remember anything after making it into the operation room.

Day 1 I had no closeup vision with more blurriness in my left eye. By the time I had my same day checking though I was less dilated and actually cleared to drive.

Over the last week it’s just gotten better. The worst part has been the light sensitivity for the first few days and sleeping with the protective shields. I’ve been pretty scared to drive at night however because of the halos. I only see them at night or when my eyes are very tired so I’m hoping it will continue to improve further out. Luckily I don’t see them during the day at all. I really only struggle with some eye fatigue after 7-8 hours of rapid eye movements and bright lights. In addition to the eyedrops they prescribed I also use fake tears which have definitely helped when I feel like something is stuck in my eye.

Overall the 11k has been worth it. Anyone who has very bad vision will get the struggle of feeling like there’s a million things you just can’t do because you just can’t see lol. I hope this helps anyone who’s been on the fence about EVO ICL