FAQ | Sanno Eye Center

What is the ICL made of?: Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) are made of a special collagen co-polymer called collamer, which cuts out clear ultraviolet rays. The material is soft and moist, just like soft contact lenses. Many professional athletes also use ICL, and so far there are no reports of the lens breaking while in the eye, even when it is closed. Also, so far we have not seen any cases of the ICL becoming cloudy or dirty, even after being in the eye for a long time. (As of March 2017)

Is there any age limit on who can have ICL surgery?: The basic age range for ICL surgery is 18 to 50 years, but it is also possible for people aged between 50 to 55 years with a suitable prescription range for treating presbyopia (age-related long-sightedness).

What sizes is the ICL available in?: The ICL is shaped so that the rectangular angle of the lens sticks out slightly. The lens comes in four sizes (length of diagonal line) of 12.1mm, 12.6mm, 13.2mm, and 13.7mm, which are shaped to fit the size of your eye. The Sanno Eye Center uses the latest equipment Optical Coherence Tomography, or “OCT”, so that you can select the correct lens size based on your own nomogram.

Can I see what’s happening during the surgery?: You cannot really see what is happening during the surgery because of the light from the microscope used during the procedure.

Is the surgery painful?: You will feel virtually no pain* during the surgery, and we use an topical anesthesia that is also relatively painless.
*How the surgery feels will vary for each person.

Can you feel the ICL in your eye?: You cannot feel the lens in your eye, and it doesn’t feel uncomfortable or strange*. Also, the lens remains in place and doesn’t roll around in the eye.
*How the lens feels will vary for each person.

How long will it take for my vision to become stable again after the surgery?: Generally, your vision will return to normal the day after the surgery, but in some rare instances it may take up to one week.

Does the surgeon really make a hole in the center of my eye lens?: The ICL that is inserted during surgery has a miniscule 0.36mm through hole in its center, which doesn’t affect your vision. The hole keeps the fluid in your eye (aqueous humor) circulating, and maintains your eye’s health. This procedure was developed by Dr. Shimizu, and Dr. Igarashi of the Sanno Eye Center and other doctors at Kitasato University.

How much does ICL surgery cost?: Standard (non-toric) lens (for myopia) costs 770,000 yen for both eyes and 385,000 yen for one eye.
Toric lens (for Myopia and astigmatism) costs 803,000 yen for both eyes and 401,500 yen for one eye.
All prices include tax. (Applicable from April 1, 2022)

Is the surgery cost covered by public health insurance?: ICL surgery is not covered by public health insurance. Some private health insurance policies may cover it, depending on the benefit terms. Please ask your insurance provider if ICL surgery is covered in your policy.

Can I also have ICL surgery if I’ve already had LASIK surgery?: Yes, you can still have ICL surgery even if you’ve had LASIK and other corneal surgery or cataract surgery.

What is the acceptable visual acuity range for ICL surgery?: People with a visual acuity of up to 0.01 can have ICL surgery. We are able to order lenses directly from overseas, so we can treat almost all levels of myopia and astigmatism. Please ask your doctor for more information.
KS-AquaPort lenses approved in Japan and overseas
The Sanno Eye Center also uses lenses that are approved in Japan and overseas

Will I experience any discomfort or complications after the surgery?

Halo & glare: Sometimes the lighting used at night may look a little blurry or glary. For most people, this usually disappears after a few months.
Rotation of lenses: In rare cases, the toric lenses may roll around in your eye a bit.

Very rarely, it may take up to one week for your vision to be fully restored to normal after the surgery.
Any surgery will result in some kind of complications later on, but so far we have not seen any cases of complications after ICL surgery.
Please ask your doctor about more information on the possibility of complications after ICL surgery.

Post-operative results