Techniques and pearls in the insertion of the posterior chamber implantable collamer lens for moderate to high myopia

The current options for surgical correction of moderate to high myopia (≥8 diopters) are somewhat limited. Although keratorefractive procedures are less invasive than intraocular refractive procedures, they generally provide more accurate results for patients with lower amounts of myopia. Clear lens extraction is available for the correction of myopia, but carries an increased risk of retinal detachment and does not preserve accommodation. Phakic intraocular lenses are currently manufactured for both the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye and offer an alternative to keratorefractive procedures and clear lens extraction. The Visian implantable collamer lens (STAAR Surgical, Monrovia, Calif) is a posterior-chamber phakic intraocular lens and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States in 2005. The purpose of this article is to discuss the advantages of implantation, indications for use, and technique of insertion of the Visian implantable collamer lens for moderate to high myopia.