A contact lens that is implanted permanently in the eye is safe and effective for treating nearsightedness. The device is intended to be an alternative for laser operations that correct nearsightedness by reshaping the cornea, the clear outer covering of the eyeball, Dr. John Allan Vukich of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in Madison told.

Vukich and colleagues analyzed the results of a multicenter trial of patients who had received the implantable lens, known as STAAR ICL and made by STAAR Surgical Inc. of Monrovia, California. One-year follow-up data was available for 429 eyes implanted with the contact lens. Vukich reported that 45% of the implanted eyes had visual acuity of 20/20 or better, and 84% had visual acuity of 20/40 or better.

The lens does not correct astigmatism, which is blurry vision caused by an irregular curvature of the cornea. The implantable contact lens corrects a range of nearsightedness for which there is no other alternative. This procedure offers an effective and safe alternative to corneal laser correction. The implanted lens will be more expensive than laser eye surgery.