Visian ICL - back to diving?

[avlena]

Hi all,

I'm getting Visian ICL eye surgery in a few weeks to correct my horrid vision, and I'm wondering if any other divers out there have gotten this done, and if so, how soon did you return to diving?

My surgeon has given me a few different answers, so I get the impression he's not 100% sure about it, and DAN says they can't find any research on it.

Here's the range of answers I've heard:
-No diving for 3 months then no depth restriction
-No diving for 1 month then no depth restriction
-No diving for 2 weeks, then 40/50ft until 3 months, then no depth restriction

I wanted to take a dry suit class before summer, and it's starting to look like we're not going to make it in time to get it done before the surgery, hence my concern over the timeline. That, and I'm kinda bummed that I might have to miss an entire summer of diving!

My current plan is to kinda mush all the advice together and go with no diving for 1 month, light diving to 40ft until 3 months, then enjoy unlimited depth (well, up to 130ft of course) during our vacation in Hawaii. This of course assumes all goes well with the surgery, and there's no complications.

Anyway, has anyone else gotten ICL, and if so, how long did you wait before diving?

btw, for those who don't know, Visian ICL is an alternative to Lasik, which is based on cataract surgery. While Lasik involves shaving off a portion of your eye, with ICL they implant a lens inside your eye in a less invasive, reversible process. I was borderline ineligible for Lasik, and the amount of eye they would need to remove meant higher chance of side effects. So, this was the better (albeit more expensive) option.

Thanks!
-Avlena

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Avlena,

I also was able to locate no research on this particular inquiry.

It depends upon who one asks, or in your case when one asks the same specialist ; )

The best short answer is, "When the treating ophthalmologist finally clears the patient for return to full physical activity, specifically including SCUBA.”

Worries in returning to diving too soon after implant would include the possibility of infection, increases blood pressure and dislodgement of the lens.

Provided the implant procedure goes well, no complications arise, speed of healing is normal and vision is adequate for safe SCUBA, no diving for 4-6 weeks followed by resumption of recreational diving seems consistent with most expert advice. I highly suspect that divers have gone back to diving in less time, but it cannot be recommended unless okayed by the doctor. BTW, the newly operated diver will want to take great care against mask squeeze(*).

BTW, since the eye is a fluid-filled organ that under normal circumstances contains no gas pockets (and no gas is insufflated into the eye during this procedure), it is not subject to Boyle’s law and therefore recreational depth limits seem to be a non-issue.

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such. Consult with your physician before diving.

(*) See post #4 in the following thread  http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/315210-mask-squeeze.html

 

[fluff_astrid]

Just curious if there’s been any new guidance on this or if this is still considered the go-to advice for divers?. Similar to OP, I have an upcoming ICL surgery but no surgeon I’ve spoken with knows much about diving. The only guidance they’ve given is no swimming for two weeks to prevent infection, but not much information about pressure risks.

Also, just curious how this surgery went for you @avlena

 

[legraefe]

Just curious if there’s been any new guidance on this or if this is still considered the go-to advice for divers?. Similar to OP, I have an upcoming ICL surgery but no surgeon I’ve spoken with knows much about diving. The only guidance they’ve given is no swimming for two weeks to prevent infection, but not much information about pressure risks.

Also, just curious how this surgery went for you @avlena

Continuing on this chain - did you ever find any more info on this topic? I just got ICL a week ago, and similar to OP from 13 years ago, I got three different answers from three different doctors on when/how I can return to diving. I emailed DAN to see what they have to say, but I'm curious what your experience was after your procedure. Thank you!

 

[legraefe]

Continuing on this chain - did you ever find any more info on this topic? I just got ICL a week ago, and similar to OP from 13 years ago, I got three different answers from three different doctors on when/how I can return to diving. I emailed DAN to see what they have to say, but I'm curious what your experience was after your procedure. Thank you!

Update to my own post for any future ICL patients - DAN replied to my message. Note that I am NOT providing medical advice, but rather some discussion points to bring up with your doctor as needed. I sent the question to DAN's research department, so they provided information but emphasized the importance of getting cleared by my doctor before diving.

To paraphrase their answer, they recommend waiting at least two months before returning to diving as a guideline. Getting cleared by your doctor/surgeon to return to all regular physical activity with no restrictions, including depth and exposure to pressure, is really the most important piece. The main concerns after eye surgery revolve around the wound healing completely and any residual gas bubbles in the eye. As mentioned earlier in this thread, DAN also warns to take extra care against mask squeeze, which can apparently rupture unhealed eye wounds (yikes).

They noted also that this answer is not specific to ICL but is standard for any ophthalmic surgical procedure, which I take to mean it would also apply for cataracts or lens replacement procedures, but that is my own interpretation.