Beyond LASIK: Why Lenses Are The Future Of Eye Care
A reversible, safer, and sharper alternative that keeps vision stronger — without burning or cutting your cornea
India is staring at a looming myopia crisis. From children glued to digital screens to young professionals navigating urban lifestyles, poor eyesight is becoming alarmingly common. Global health experts warn that by 2050, nearly half the world’s population will be myopic.
In such a landscape, the call for safe, reversible, and future-proof vision correction has never been stronger.
With over 100,000 successful eye surgeries and a patient-first ethos, Dr A. Siddhartha Reddy, ICL/IPCL surgeons and founder of the Babaji Nethralayya Group of Eye Hospitals, is spearheading the national movement “Chashma Mukt Bharat” — a campaign to reduce India’s unnecessary dependency on spectacles.
Actress Rakul Preet Singh recently underwent a “Staar ICL procedure” for vision correction, which involves implanting a lens to remove the need for glasses or contact lenses, especially for individuals with high myopia or thin corneas.
India’s battle against myopia isn’t just a medical issue — it’s a public health concern. “And while millions rush into LASIK, awareness about lens-based solutions remains critically low. Too many patients are being rushed into LASIK without being given a choice,” warns Dr Reddy. “That’s what we must change.”
“Don’t buy dry eyes”
According to Dr. Reddy, the procedure comes with irreversible trade-offs. “Every LASIK surgery involves cutting away 100–120 microns of your cornea — tissue you will never get back,” he explains. “It’s like carving a sculpture out of something that cannot regrow. Once you’ve cut, you’ve permanently changed one of the most sensitive parts of your eye.”
Many LASIK patients experience side effects such as dry eyes, night glare, and weakened corneal strength.
A Better Alternative
Unlike LASIK, Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL/IPCL) technology does not cut or reshape the cornea. Instead, a soft, biocompatible lens is placed inside the eye, working like a permanent contact lens to restore vision.
Benefits
l Reversible — The lens can be removed or upgraded if vision changes.
l Safe for thin corneas
l No cutting, no burning — The cornea remains untouched.
l Effective for high powers — Particularly beneficial for severe myopia and astigmatism.
l Sharper vision — Often outperforming glasses or traditional contacts.
Why This Matters Now
India’s battle against myopia isn’t just a medical issue — it’s a public health concern. And while millions rush into LASIK, awareness about lens-based solutions remains critically low. “Too many patients are being rushed into LASIK without being given a choice,” warns Dr. Reddy. “That’s what we must change.”