An ICL is an artificial lens implanted in your eye. It works with your eye's natural lens. It helps people who can see near objects clearly, but who have poor distance vision. We call that "nearsightedness." With ICLs, you can have clear distance vision without wearing glasses or contact lenses.
How does it work? The soft, flexible ICL is placed surgically through a tiny opening in your eye. It goes behind your iris (that's the colored part of your eye). It's put in front of your eye's natural lens, which is left in your eye. With the new lens in place, your eye can focus near and far. You may need ICLs placed in both of your eyes.
For some people, implantable collamer lenses can be a good alternative to laser surgery. Talk to your doctor to find out if they are right for you.