EVO Visian ICL and EVO Viva ICL

EVO Visian ICL and EVO Viva ICL belong to the same broad family of phakic intraocular lenses. That means the lens is implanted inside the eye without removing your natural lens. This is very different from LASIK, SMILE, and PRK, which reshape the cornea, and also different from lens replacement surgery, which removes the natural lens and replaces it with an artificial one.

For many patients, the appeal is easy to understand. These lenses can treat a wide range of refractive error, are not corneal laser procedures, and are often discussed when a patient is not an ideal candidate for corneal laser surgery. The main questions patients usually ask are simple: What is EVO ICL? What is EVO Viva? How are they different? and Who is the right candidate?

What EVO Visian ICL and EVO Viva ICL Are

EVO Visian ICL is an implantable Collamer lens placed inside the eye to correct refractive error while preserving the natural lens. In plain language, it works like placing a permanent contact lens inside the eye rather than on the surface. Because the cornea is not being reshaped, this option is often discussed for patients who are not ideal candidates for LASIK, PRK, or SMILE, or who prefer a lens-based approach.

EVO Viva ICL comes from the same ICL platform but is designed with an aspheric extended depth-of-focus optic. That means it is intended not only to reduce myopia, but also to broaden the range of vision in suitable patients who are dealing with presbyopia. Patients often ask whether that makes it “the same as a multifocal lens.” Not exactly. The optical concept is different, and the goal is usually to create a broader useful range of vision rather than the exact visual experience of a multifocal intraocular lens.

How EVO Visian ICL and EVO Viva ICL Differ

EVO Visian ICL

This is the more familiar myopia-focused EVO ICL platform. Depending on the model, it can address myopia alone or myopia with astigmatism. In the U.S., official FDA labeling covers specific ranges and indications, and those details matter when surgeons talk about candidacy.

EVO Viva ICL

EVO Viva is positioned by STAAR as a presbyopia-correcting or presbyopia-addressing extension of the ICL platform using an EDOF optic. The main practical message for patients is this: it is discussed for people who want lens-based correction of myopia but also need help with age-related near vision demands. Because this model is not universally available in all regions, candidacy discussions must include the local market and regulatory environment.

What They Still Have in Common

• They are implanted behind the iris and in front of the natural lens.
• They preserve the natural lens, unlike refractive lens exchange.
• They depend on careful sizing and vault planning.
• They are typically considered lens-based refractive solutions for selected patients.
• They require intraocular surgery, so the risk profile is different from corneal laser procedures.

Who May Benefit from EVO Visian ICL or EVO Viva ICL

Patients most often ask about EVO ICL when they have moderate to high myopia, thinner corneas, dry eye concerns, or other reasons that make corneal laser surgery less attractive. Some patients simply prefer not to have their cornea reshaped. In these situations, a phakic lens can be an important alternative.

EVO Viva enters the conversation when a patient has both myopia and presbyopia and wants to explore a lens-based option without removing the natural lens. However, not every presbyopic patient is automatically a good match. Visual goals matter. A patient who wants perfect sharpness at every distance under all lighting conditions may still need careful counseling about the limitations of real-world optics.

Why Screening Matters So Much

ICL surgery is not just about your glasses prescription. The surgeon must also measure the anterior chamber depth, white-to-white size, sulcus-related sizing considerations, corneal health, endothelial status when relevant, eye pressure history, lens clarity, and retinal status. Proper sizing is critical because an ICL that is too large or too small can create problems with vault and intraocular anatomy.

This is especially important with advanced optics and presbyopia-focused expectations. A technically successful surgery can still feel disappointing if the patient’s visual priorities were not discussed properly before surgery. That is why candidacy involves both anatomy and lifestyle.

Typical Questions Screening Tries to Answer

• Is the refractive error within a treatable range for the available model?
• Is the anterior chamber deep enough?
• Is the eye healthy enough for intraocular refractive surgery?
• Would a corneal laser procedure, ICL, or lens replacement make more sense?
• For presbyopic patients, are the expectations for near, intermediate, and distance vision realistic?

Potential Benefits

No corneal tissue removal

One major appeal of ICL surgery is that the cornea is not reshaped or thinned like in LASIK or PRK. That can be attractive in appropriately screened patients.

Useful for higher refractive errors

ICL platforms are often discussed when refractive error is higher than what many surgeons would prefer to treat with corneal laser surgery alone.

Reversibility concept

Patients often like that the implanted lens can, in principle, be exchanged or removed if needed. That does not mean the decision should be taken lightly, but it is different from the permanence of corneal laser tissue removal.

Presbyopia-focused option with EVO Viva

For selected patients, EVO Viva is attractive because it tries to address distance and a broader range of functional vision without removing the natural lens. That said, it still requires highly individualized counseling.

Trade-Offs and Limitations

The most important limitation is that this is still intraocular surgery. That means the discussion is not the same as LASIK. Even though recovery can be relatively quick in many patients, the procedure carries a different category of risk because the surgery happens inside the eye.

Another important issue is that not every patient’s visual goals will match what the optics can realistically deliver. This is especially true in presbyopia discussions. Some people hear “EDOF” and imagine perfect reading vision, perfect computer vision, and perfect distance vision with no trade-offs. Real life is more nuanced. Optical quality, contrast, night symptoms, and patient adaptation all matter.

Safety and Risks

Modern EVO designs include a central port intended to improve aqueous flow compared with older designs that often required peripheral iridotomy. Even so, ICL surgery still requires the same serious respect given to any intraocular procedure. Patients should understand possible risks such as elevated eye pressure, improper vault, cataract formation, inflammation, infection, glare and halos, residual refractive error, lens rotation in toric cases, and the possible need for additional procedures.

EVO Visian ICL vs EVO Viva ICL in Practical Terms

If your main problem is myopia, the standard EVO Visian ICL discussion is usually the more straightforward one. If your problem is myopia plus presbyopia, and your surgeon offers EVO Viva in your market, then EVO Viva may come into the conversation. The right answer depends on your age, reading needs, night driving demands, tolerance for visual trade-offs, and local device availability.

For some patients, the best solution may still be standard EVO ICL with later reading glasses. For others, EVO Viva may be worth exploring. And for still others, lens replacement surgery may eventually make more sense, especially if there are early lens changes or age-related reasons to shift toward a different strategy.

What Patients Should Ask Before Choosing One

• Am I a good anatomical candidate for ICL surgery?
• Is EVO Viva available and appropriate in my country and in my surgeon’s practice?
• Would standard EVO ICL or a presbyopia-focused option fit my lifestyle better?
• What range of vision should I realistically expect after surgery?
• What are my personal risks for pressure problems, vault issues, cataract, or night symptoms?
• If the result is not ideal, what are the next-step options?

FAQ

1) What is the difference between EVO Visian ICL and EVO Viva ICL?

EVO Visian ICL is mainly used for myopia, with some models also addressing astigmatism. EVO Viva ICL uses an EDOF-style optic intended to help suitable patients who have myopia and presbyopia.

2) Is EVO Viva the same as a multifocal lens?

Not exactly. EVO Viva is described as an aspheric EDOF optic rather than a typical multifocal design. The goal is to broaden the useful range of vision, but the visual experience is not identical to every multifocal technology.

3) Do these lenses replace the natural lens?

No. These are phakic lenses, which means the natural lens stays in place. That is one of the main differences from refractive lens exchange or cataract surgery.

4) Can everyone with high myopia get EVO ICL?

No. A high prescription alone does not make someone a good candidate. The eye must still be suitable in terms of chamber depth, sizing, overall health, and retinal safety.

5) Will EVO Viva remove the need for reading glasses forever?

Not necessarily. Presbyopia solutions should be discussed carefully. Some patients may still need glasses for certain tasks, especially in dim light or for small print.

6) Is EVO Viva available everywhere?

No. Availability and regulatory approval can vary by country and market, so patients should ask their surgeon what is actually offered in their region.

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