COVER STORY

What a
Bright World!
My firsthand experience undergoing phakic IOL
implantation under the care of my brother.
BY TAE HEON LEE, MD

efractive error, particularly myopia, is a major

R issue in Asian countries—our population has a

much higher incidence compared with other
ethnic groups. Although LASIK is the favored
procedure to treat low refractive errors, its predictabili-
ty falters when used to correct moderate to high
myopia or high astigmatism. At Saint Mary’s Eye
Hospital in Busan, Korea, we integrated the Visian ICL
(STAAR Surgical, Monrovia, California) into our prac-
tice 12 years ago. This phakic ICL has become a true
breakthrough treatment for our large group of myopic
and myopic astigmatic patients, including myself. I had
a Toric ICL implanted in 2006. Here is my story.

MY MOTIVATI ON Figure 1. Tae Heon Lee,MD (left),after receiving a phakic IOL.His

Before undergoing ICL surgery, I had horrendous eyesight
(-5.50 -4.00 X 5° in the right eye and -6.00 -3.50 X 175° in the
left). I was severely myopic, had high astigmatism, and wore
thick glasses. Whenever I opened my eyes in the morning, I
had to search for my glasses. Whenever I took off my glasses
to wash my hands and face or take a shower, I felt uncom-
fortable.
I gradually developed presbyopia and felt even more
uncomfortable with my glasses. I wanted to take them
off to live a more comfortable daily life. I also wanted to
be able to wear nice sunglasses, like other people. I want-
ed to be elegant and stylish. No doubt, I had to do some-
thing to improve my vision.
WHY THE TOR I C ICL?
Until recently, there had been no suitable refractive
procedure to treat my refractive condition. Corneal
refractive surgery was not a viable option because of my
severe astigmatism. But when I heard about the Toric ICL
brother,Kyung Heon Lee,MD (right),performed the procedure.
in 2003, I knew it was the right option for me. By that
time, I had performed ICL implantation for approximate-
ly 3 years—plenty of time to convince me of the lens’s
safety and accuracy.
As my presbyopia continued to develop, I decided to
undergo ICL implantation aiming for -1.00 D of sphere.
(When I think about it now, monovision would have been
better for me, but I have been happy with my result.) I antic-
ipated that I would have to wear thin glasses after surgery.
I asked my brother, Kyung Heon Lee, MD, to perform
the surgery. I think the main reason it was easy for me to
consider ICL implantation was because I knew my
brother would be on the other side of the microscope.
He is a pioneering member of the Korean Ophthalmol-
ogical Society and has played a leading role in both
phaco and IOL use in Korea since 1980. Additionally, I
had complete confidence in our refractive team. Our

JULY/AUGUST 2009 I CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY TODAY EUROPE I 1

 COVER STORY
Figure 2. Dr. Lee during the procedure.
hospital performs more than 300 ICL cases and more
than 3,000 corneal refractive surgery cases each year.
SURGERY
A few days before the surgery, I was a bit nervous and
apprehensive. However, the day of the operation, I felt
calm and relaxed (Figures 1 and 2). It was a strange feel-
ing not only to be the patient but also to be on the same
bed as my patients are when I perform surgeries.
I believed in my brother’s surgical technique and the
Toric ICL unconditionally. I could feel the lenses being
inserted into my eyes; I had some pain when the carba-
chol was applied. All in all, the procedure lasted only 15
minutes before I hopped off my operating bed to face
the world again. Immediately, I knew my vision was cor-
rected because I could distinctly see the faces of those in
the operating room. It was magical.
RE SULTS
The surgery results indicate that the position of the
lens (ie, vault) is about 1.5 times the corneal thickness.
My refraction is stable, with a UCVA of 0.6 for far and
J1 for near. I do not need glasses when seeing patients
or performing laser refractive surgery. I need glasses
only when I drive at night, watch movies, or perform a
microscopic surgery. With correction, my distance
vision is 1.0. Three years have now passed since the sur-
gery, and there has been no change in my eyesight and,
so far, no complications. I can enjoy a comfortable and
satisfactory quality of life because I no longer need to
wear glasses in my daily life.
Since 1997, our hospital has performed more than
1,500 ICL implantations with excellent outcomes. I am
proud to say that I am one of the successful cases. My
surgical experience with the Visian ICL has made me
2 I CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY TODAY EUROPE I JULY/AUGUST 2009
AFTER 10 YEARS OF IMPLANTING PHAKIC IOLS,
I OPERATED ON MY BROTHER
BY KYUNG HEON LEE, MD
Although by 2006 I had performed ICL surgery in
many patients, I felt a little uneasy when my brother, Tae
Heon Lee, MD, asked me to perform his surgery.
However, I believe in the safety and accuracy of the
Visian ICL (STAAR Surgical, Monrovia, California) and
therefore agreed. In his case, ICL implantation occurred
without any problems, and the results were as good as
we had predicted and remain stable today.
Because my brother is very satisfied with the ICL sur-
gery results, he is now able to recommend the ICL to
patients with more enthusiasm, sharing his own experi-
ence with them. I have been performing ICL surgery for
more than 10 years; I firmly believe that it is an effective
refractive surgery option with a low complication rate.
Kyung Heon Lee, MD, is the Director of St.
Mary’s Eye Hospital, Inc. Busan, Korea. Dr. Lee
states that he has no financial interest in the
products or companies mentioned. He may be
reached at tel: +82 51 743 0775; fax: +82 51
743 0776.
understand my patients’ situations better. I understand
each patient’s reasoning for making the decision to
have ICL surgery, which is an important asset in my
profession. In my case, I felt I needed surgery not only
to get rid of my thick glasses and have the option of
wearing nice sunglasses, but also to achieve a better
quality of life. For me, the more my presbyopia devel-
oped, the more uncomfortable I felt.
I now understand that it is important for patients to
trust and believe in their doctors. I believed in my broth-
er’s surgical technique, so I could proceed to have the
surgery comfortably. I appreciate the work of my brother
and Saint Mary’s refractive team. I am happy with my vision
and lifestyle, especially when compared with my life with
glasses before surgery.
If someone is considering the ICL, I would recommend
having surgery earlier in life than I did. ■
Tae Heon Lee, MD, is the General Manager
of St. Mary’s Eye Hospital, Inc., Busan, Korea.
Dr. Lee states that he has no financial interest
in the products or companies mentioned. He
may be reached at tel: +82 51 743 0775; fax:
+82 51 743 0776; e-mail: eyedear@naver.com.
 COVER STORY

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