Life is better without glasses and contacts
Even if you’re not a candidate for laser eye surgery, you can experience life-changing freedom with ICLs
When you feel confident, amazing things happen
When you feel confident in who you are, it shows through your actions, personal demeanour, and interaction with others. Intraocular phakic implants help you feel ready for life’s experiences and more likely to move forward with new people and opportunities – not back away from them.
Life’s better without glasses
Imagine waking up in the morning and being able to leave the house without having to worry about your glasses or contact lenses. You can walk, swim, shop and travel without anxiety around your glasses and contact lenses getting in your way. Whether it’s a picnic in the park or an interview for your dream job, you’ll feel attractive, relaxed and comfortable.
Free yourself from the barriers that hold you back
After intraocular phakic implants, you’ll have exceptional natural vision and be free from the drawbacks of glasses and contact lenses. You’ll never have to worry about the way glasses make you look or feel, or any contact lens complications. You can finally live your life the way it’s supposed to be – with confidence.
When you feel confident, amazing things happen
When you feel confident in who you are, it shows through your actions, personal demeanour, and interaction with others. Intraocular phakic implants help you feel ready for life’s experiences and more likely to move forward with new people and opportunities – not back away from them.
Life’s better without glasses
Imagine waking up in the morning and being able to leave the house without having to worry about your glasses or contact lenses. You can walk, swim, shop and travel without anxiety around your glasses and contact lenses getting in your way. Whether it’s a picnic in the park or an interview for your dream job, you’ll feel attractive, relaxed and comfortable.
Freedom from glasses and contacts in 3 easy steps
Enjoy exceptional natural vision in Lyon with The Donate Method

GET IN TOUCH
The first step is to find out if laser eye surgery is right for you. That’s why we offer a free first appointment. Give us a call on 04 78 17 27 27 or use our easy online calendar to get an appointment.
WE’LL MEET
Visit our high-quality clinic, where we’ll give you a comprehensive eye examination and discuss your lifestyle. You’ll leave with a clear answer about the best treatment option for your eyes.
ENJOY LIFE
After being treated with The Donate Method, our patients tell us that every day is better and they wish they had done it years earlier! You’ll be ready to enjoy a new freedom without the hassle of glasses and contacts!
Can laser eye surgery help you?
There are many treatment options to suit different ages and lifestyles

You’re 20 – 44 and glasses and contacts get in your way
Glasses and contacts can make you look older or less attractive, get in the way of the activities you enjoy and are a hassle to remember.
Find out how you can become glasses and contact lenses free…

You’re over 45 and your reading glasses make you feel old
Have you started to notice that your reading vision isn’t as crisp as it used to be? Or perhaps you refuse to wear those awful reading glasses because they make you feel old?
Find out how you be free from the hassle of reading glasses…
Happy patients talk about why they chose us
We’ve helped thousands of Lyonnais enjoy exceptional natural vision without glasses and contact lenses
We have replaced the images of real patients who provided these testimonials to protect their privacy.
Gain freedom from glasses even if you’re unsuitable for laser eye surgery
In the toggles below, we have provided everything you need to know about intraocular phakic implants
How they work
Surgery-implanted lenses, also known as intraocular lenses, are a solution for those who seek permanent correction of vision disorders such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. These implants resemble contact lenses, and we can place them behind the iris through a small, self-sealing incision in the line between the white of the eye and the cornea.
Unlike traditional contact lenses, you will not feel an intraocular lens in your eye. In addition, phakic implants require no maintenance. Nor do they require the ablation of your corneal tissue. They function in the same way as glasses or contact lenses except that they become integral parts of your eye by being implanted behind the iris to compensate for your vision defects.
Visual recovery is fast.
Phakic implants
The intraocular lens is small and flexible, allowing it to be folded and injected painlessly in just a few seconds through a small incision in the cornea. Once injected, it unfolds and is positioned effortlessly between the iris and the crystalline lens
The selected implants are made from collamer, a combination of collagen and polymer; a material that is 100% bio-compatible with your eyes. They are one of the latest technological advances in vision correction technology. This FDA-approved technology also corrects large refractions.
The first implants were inserted in 1993 in Europe, so we now have more than twenty years of usage and experience without serious complications.
Advantages
- Excellent vision quality – Due to its unique anti-reflective properties and its high water resistance, the Collamer lens can diffuse light in the same way as a natural crystalline lens. This allows cleaner and clearer vision. There are no halos or glare, no poor night vision, nor effects associated with other types of implants.
- Bio-compatibility – The collagen present in the Collamer lens attracts fibronectin, a substance naturally present in your eye, which means it is perfectly accepted by the body.
- Invisibility – It is invisible. It functions as a conventional contact lens, with the difference that it is placed inside the eye and not on its surface. Other than the fact that it corrects your visual disorder, you cannot see it, or feel it, so you’ll forget it’s even there!
- Reversibility – It is removable. This lens is designed to remain indefinitely in the eye. However, we can remove it if necessary as it does not alter or damage in any way the structures of the eye or the cornea.
- UV protection – Long-term exposure to UV radiation can damage your eyes and increase the risk of blurred vision, and also includes the development of cataracts and retinal problems. Intraocular lenses contain a UV blocker that prevents UVA and UVB rays from entering the eye, so your eye is protected.
Sometimes there is a residual correction (remaining visual error) that requires laser touch-up (about 1% of cases). We have experience with these touch-ups, and they don’t pose a problem.
Sometimes (less than 1% of cases) it is necessary to replace the implant with a different size.
Phakic implants can correct myopia, hyperopia and presbyopia.
Your operation in three steps
Before your operation
The entire procedure for intraocular lens implantation lasts about 30 minutes. The procedure is painless, and we can use either local or general anesthesia.
On the day of your surgery, we will prescribe you an anxiolytic to relax you. You will return to the operating room, and we will give you a sterile operating robe to wear. The procedure can then begin.
During your operation
During your operation, you will be lying on an ophthalmological chair. After following strict antiseptic rules, we will perform your anesthesia of your choice.
The procedure consists of two steps:
- The creation of one or two small openings at the base of the cornea, which we will use to position the lens.
- The insertion of the correction lens, chosen according to your visual impairment.
The procedure is not painful and is perfectly safe. We use the ZEISS OPMI LUMERA 700 Microscope.
After your operation
During the first hours, it is advisable to rest with eyes closed. We recommend you wear transparent goggles while sleeping during the first week. Following your surgeon’s instructions, you will start the antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment on the evening of the procedure as indicated on the prescription.
It is essential not to expose yourself to “at-risk” atmospheres during the first week. Avoid all situations that may expose your eyes to micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi). It is essential to observe strict rules of hygiene, in particular, to wash hands thoroughly before putting in your eye drops. You should also avoid rubbing your eyes, and of course, avoid eye trauma.
Dr. Donate provides post-operative follow-up and will check your eyes the next day, then a week later, and then a month after the surgery.
Have questions about eye surgery?
Watch our patient videos to learn from expert eye surgeon Dr. David Donate
Est-ce que le SMILE fait mal ?
Est-ce que le SMILE fait mal ? [...]
Quels sont les avantages du SMILE ?
Quels sont les avantages du SMILE ? [...]
Comment fonctionne le SMILE ?
Comment fonctionne le SMILE ?
Bringing world-class expertise to patients in Lyon
We’re honoured to be members of these prestigious professional organisations
Links to authoritative resources on intraocular phakic implants
Follow the links below for more information on intraocular phakic implants
Patient reviews
Make the Best Choice
Take this quick quiz to discover if you can be free from glasses and contacts
Not everyone can benefit from laser eye surgery. You have many different options depending on your eyes, age and lifestyle. Take this quick 2-min quiz to find out which type of laser eye surgery (if any) is right for you

Dr. David Donate
Ophthalmologist – Refractive surgery specialist
20 years’ experience and 20000 successful vision correction treatments
With over 20 years of experience performing more than 20000 successful eye procedures, and a repertoire of academic publications and research, Dr. David Donate has earned himself an international reputation.
At his state-of-the-art clinic in Lyon, Dr. Donate follows a specialised method called, The Donate Method, to ensure his patients feel confident about their vision correction journey. Combined with the highest quality pre-op and post-op appointments, expert precision solutions and top technology, Dr. Donate is perfectly positioned to deliver the best possible outcome for his patients.