The ICRS is an old fashioned plastic that is used in a very modern way. I'm talking about twin semi-circles of optically clear PMMA, or polymethylmethacrylate plastic. As you all know by now, the excimer laser procedures remove or ablate tissue near the center of the cornea. The ICRS procedure does not touch the center cornea but rather skirts around the central zone. This pays dividends in regard to speed of recovery.
Visual recovery is rapid and stable.
That may be because there isn't any surgery in the center of the pupil. The PRK laser procedure, in contrast, may result in hazy or blurry vision for up to a week or longer. Adjustability is really the key to it. The ICR device is manufactured by KeraVision, Inc. of Fremont, California. FDA investigational studies are ongoing but the results to date have been quite promising.