Phakic EVO Visian ICL lenses for patients from Warsaw and Mazovia: qualification with MS-39 tomography, lens size selection, surgery, and all follow-ups take place at our clinic at ul. Kolejowa 1 in Warsaw. Surgery performed by Dr. Victor Derhartunian, who has completed approximately 1,500 phakic lens implantations. Price: 11,000 PLN per eye – one rate for every variant, including toric. Qualification examination: 400 PLN.
SwissLaser in numbers: over 25,000 procedures performed by the chief surgeon · clinics in Warsaw, Krakow, Vienna, and Zurich · Google: 4,8 (258 reviews, Warsaw) and 5,0 (171 reviews, Krakow)
ICL lenses in Warsaw – short and concrete
How many years does a phakic lens last? The ICL lens remains in the eye permanently and does not wear out. It is removed only when cataract develops after years – during one operation we remove the ICL together with the natural lens and implant an IOL. For many patients, that moment never comes.
For whom? For people between 21 and 60 years of age (with stable refraction also from 18 years) with high myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, and also when the cornea is too thin for laser. Everything is decided by the qualification examination.
How much does it cost? 11,000 PLN per eye, toric version at no extra charge; qualification examination with MS-39 tomography – 400 PLN. Details and installments: phakic lens price list.
Where? Qualification, surgery, and follow-ups take place at one clinic at ul. Kolejowa 1 in Wola, a few minutes’ walk from Warszawa Zachodnia station. Surgery performed by Dr. Victor Derhartunian.
Laser or ICL lens? Qualification in Warsaw decides
During the qualification at Kolejowa 1, we first check if the eyes are suitable for laser correction – we perform laser vision correction at the same clinic. We propose the ICL lens when laser would be a compromise: with a thin or irregular cornea, with refractive errors up to −20 D and +10 D, and with a tendency for dry eye. The implant lies behind the iris, does not remove corneal tissue, and can be removed if necessary.
We describe the differences between the methods, ranges of refractive errors, and research results in detail on the page phakic ICL lenses – compendium – here we focus on what the treatment looks like in Warsaw.
Safety starts with measurement
In the diagnostic lab at Kolejowa 1, we measure the anterior segment of the eye with a second-generation MS-39 tomograph with axial length measurement and count corneal endothelial cells. From the resulting 3D model, we select the lens size – the vault, i.e., the distance between the ICL and the eye’s natural lens, depends on it, which is the most common cause of complications described in literature.
We determine the size before deciding on the procedure, not during it. The photos below are from our lab in Warsaw.
Do I qualify for ICL lenses?
- Usually yes: age 21–60 years (from 18 years with stable refractive error), stable refractive error for at least one year, sufficiently deep anterior chamber, and normal endothelial cell count.
- To be assessed during qualification: history of glaucoma, previous eye surgeries, shallow anterior chamber, early changes in the natural lens.
- Rather no: active eye inflammation, significantly reduced endothelial cell count, refractive error that is still changing. When presbyopia appears, refractive lens exchange is often better.
The final answer is given by an examination in Warsaw – before you arrive, fill out the online preliminary qualification.
How the procedure works in Warsaw
- 1. Qualification in Warsaw: approx. 90 minutes (400 PLN); tomography, biometry, endothelial assessment, and lens size selection.
- 2. Procedure – 10–20 minutes per eye: under drop anesthesia, through an incision of approximately 3 mm, no sutures. Outpatient – you go home the same day.
- 3. Follow-ups in Warsaw: first the next day, two more in the first month included in the package.
Vision usually stabilizes within the first few days. Return to office work typically after about 3 days, to sports after 2 weeks.
ICL lens implantation step by step
Illustrations: STAAR Surgical.
Why EVO ICL and not older phakic lenses
The EVO ICL lens has a central KS-AquaPORT opening, through which aqueous humor circulates naturally – therefore, we do not perform a laser iridotomy beforehand, as with older phakic lenses. We describe the lens structure, generations, and research data in the phakic ICL lenses – compendium; below is an animation of the flow and STAAR drawings.
Same construction, one difference: hole in the center of the lens. Drawings: STAAR Surgical.
How much does it cost
- 11,000 PLN per eye – one price for all variants: Myopic, Myopic Toric, Hyperopic, Hyperopic Toric. Astigmatism correction requires no extra charge.
- Qualification examination: 400 PLN.
- Included: procedure, EVO/EVO+ lens, and first-month postoperative follow-ups.
- Installment payment available (Santander Consumer Bank).
Does the NFZ reimburse phakic lenses?
No. Phakic lens implantation corrects refractive error, not a disease, so it is not in the basket of guaranteed benefits – regardless of the magnitude of the error. What the NFZ reimburses in ophthalmology and what it does not is summarized on the page ophthalmic procedures and the NFZ in Warsaw.
Risks – honestly
Phakic lens implantation is an intraocular procedure, so risks cannot be reduced to zero: incorrect vault requiring lens exchange, temporary increase in eye pressure, endothelial cell loss, rarely cataract. A full list of complications with their frequency is provided in the phakic ICL lenses – compendium. In Warsaw, we limit them by what we described above – measurement and size selection – and after the procedure, by checking pressure the very next day.
A phakic lens is the only correction method that can be reversed. That argument convinces especially young patients – but it requires precision at the measurement stage. Lens size determines safety for years, not the surgery itself.
Dr. Victor Derhartunian, FEBO, FWCRS
Night vision after ICL lens implantation
Driving after dark is one of the first questions at qualification. That is why we measure pupil diameter in low light and select the lens so its optical zone covers it. Halos around lights, if they appear, usually fade within a few weeks.
Illustrative image, not a specific patient result. Material: STAAR Surgical.
After surgery in Warsaw – day by day
Day of surgery. Implantation takes about ten minutes per eye, under topical anesthesia. Vision is blurred for a few hours. You go home the same day, but not as the driver.
The next day. Follow-up at the clinic on Kolejowa: we measure intraocular pressure and check lens position. Most patients already see clearly.
First week and month. Drops as instructed, no swimming pool, sauna, or rubbing eyes; office work can usually be resumed after about three days. Halos around lights at night fade within a few weeks for most people.
Follow-ups. At 1, 3, and 12 months, then once a year – mainly pressure and endothelial cells. Patients from outside Warsaw can have annual follow-ups done by an ophthalmologist in their city.
ICL lens or lens exchange? Age decides
ICL leaves the eye’s natural lens and preserves accommodation, i.e., near focusing – which is why it delivers the most before age 45 (approval covers ages 21–60). After that age, the natural lens loses elasticity anyway, and its replacement with an implant ceases to be a loss: it corrects the error and prevents cataract once and for all. More: refractive lens exchange in Warsaw.
Patient opinion after ICL lenses (video)
Rafał, −8 D refraction, chose phakic lenses instead of laser because they are reversible. A few weeks after the procedure he talks about qualification, the procedure itself, and the first week: “Once you put the lens in the eye, I could see immediately without any problems.”
Full account with summary at phakic ICL lenses.
What patients write after surgery – directly from Google reviews: phakic ICL lenses – patient reviews.
For patients from Łódź, Radom, and all of Mazovia
The clinic at ul. Kolejowa 1 is 6 minutes’ walk from Dworzec Zachodni, so travel from the region is simpler than to many clinics in the center. We plan treatment to minimize the number of trips:
- Łódź: by train to Warszawa Zachodnia approx. 1 hr 20 min, by car via A2 approx. 1 hr 40 min. Qualification and surgery in two separate trips; follow-up the next day at the clinic, so many patients stay overnight in Warsaw.
- Radom, Siedlce, Płock, Ciechanów: 1–1.5 hours; with a morning appointment, qualification and examinations fit in one day.
- Białystok, Lublin, Olsztyn: possible to combine qualification with online consultation before the trip, to avoid a wasted journey if eye anatomy rules out surgery.
- Parking: underground parking 240 m from the entrance; after surgery you do not drive, an accompanying person is needed.
More about the method, qualification, and risks: phakic ICL lenses – compendium. Before you come, complete preliminary online qualification.
Questions about ICL lenses in Warsaw
How much do phakic ICL lenses cost in Warsaw?
PLN 11,000 per eye – one price for every variant, including toric, with no extra charge for astigmatism. Qualification examination: PLN 400. The price includes the procedure, EVO/EVO+ lens, and first month’s follow-ups; installments possible (Santander Consumer Bank). Prices in Warsaw range from approximately PLN 6,600 to PLN 12,800 per eye depending on the lens model and package contents.
How to book a qualification for ICL lenses in Warsaw?
Online on the Book an appointment – Warsaw page or by phone at +48 22 120 16 90. The examination takes about 90 minutes and includes MS-39 tomography, biometry, and fundus examination – after which you will know if ICL is the right method for you.
How many clinic visits in Warsaw does ICL lens treatment involve?
Usually three visits: qualification, day of the procedure, and follow-up the next day at Kolejowa 1. Further follow-ups after 1, 3, and 12 months, then once a year – patients from outside Warsaw can have annual follow-ups with an ophthalmologist in their city.
Can patients from Łódź have ICL surgery in Warsaw in one trip?
Qualification and surgery require two trips, because we order the lens individually after measurements. Follow-up takes place the next day at the clinic; we schedule surgery so that both days fall next to each other.
Where in Warsaw is phakic lens implantation performed?
At SwissLaser at ul. Kolejowa 1 in Wola, 6 minutes’ walk from Dworzec Zachodni. Surgery performed by Dr. Victor Derhartunian, qualification with MS-39 tomography.
Who performs the surgery in Warsaw?
Personally Dr. Victor Derhartunian, who has completed approximately 1,500 phakic lens implantations.
Can I go home alone after the procedure?
Yes, but not as a driver: vision is blurred for several hours, so an accompanying person or a taxi is needed. The next day, we invite you for a follow-up at the clinic.
For whom is ICL lens better than laser?
With thin cornea, high refractive errors (up to −20 D and +10 D), and tendency to dry eye. ICL is also reversible.
Is the procedure reversible?
Yes. The lens can be removed or replaced, and the eye returns to its pre-procedure state. This is a significant difference compared to laser correction, which permanently changes corneal shape.
Do ICL lenses correct astigmatism?
Yes. Toric variants correct astigmatism and cost exactly the same as the others – 11,000 PLN per eye, no extra charge.
Is the lens visible in the eye?
No. The lens is placed behind the iris and remains invisible from the outside. You do not feel it in the eye either – unlike contact lenses.
How long does the ICL lens remain in the eye and what if cataract develops?
Permanently – there is no period after which it would require planned replacement, and during follow-ups, we assess its position (vault) and endothelial cell count. If cataract develops years later, the ICL is removed during cataract surgery and an intraocular implant is inserted – the ICL does not hinder this treatment.
Does the NFZ reimburse phakic lenses?
No. Phakic lens implantation corrects refractive error and is not in the basket of guaranteed NFZ benefits – regardless of the magnitude of the error. Surgery in Warsaw costs 11,000 PLN per eye; installments are available.
Contact and directions · Book an appointment
Sources
- Packer M. Meta-analysis and review: effectiveness, safety, and central port design of the intraocular collamer lens. Clin Ophthalmol 2016;10:1059–1077. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S111620
- Igarashi A, Shimizu K, Kamiya K. Eight-year follow-up of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation for moderate to high myopia. Am J Ophthalmol 2014;157(3):532–539. doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2013.11.006
- Kamiya K, Shimizu K, Igarashi A et al. Posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation: comparative, multicentre study in 351 eyes with low-to-moderate or high myopia. Br J Ophthalmol 2018;102(2):177–181. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310164
- STAAR Surgical. EVO/EVO+ Visian ICL – product information and instructions for use (CE). staar.com
Related Topics
Phakic ICL lenses – compendium · Price list and installments · Laser or phakic lens · Laser vision correction · Refractive lens exchange
Our Patients’ Reviews
Google rating: Warsaw 4,8 (reviews: 258) · Krakow 5,0 (reviews: 171). All reviews, without selection or editing, can be read directly on Google: Warsaw · Krakow.
Content verified by Dr. med. univ. (Vienna) Victor Derhartunian, FEBO, FWCRS – specialist in refractive surgery. Last verification: October 2, 2026.
How to reach the clinic in Warsaw
Kolejowa 1 Street, 01-217 Warsaw – Wola, next to West Railway Station.
Phone: +48 22 120 16 90 · Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Bus: Kolejowa stop approximately 110 m from the entrance – less than two minutes on foot.
- Train: Warszawa Zachodnia station approximately 420 m, or a 6-minute walk. You can also get there by WKD commuter rail.
- Tram: Szpital Wolski stop approximately 560 m.
- Long-distance buses: Dworzec Autobusowy Zachodni (Western Bus Station) approximately 700 m.
- By car: underground parking approximately 240 m away.
Other Procedures in Warsaw
In the same clinic, we also perform:
Laser vision correction
Trans-PRK, FemtoLASIK, SmartSight – from PLN 10,000 for a pair of eyes
Refractive Lens Exchange
solution after age 45, also corrects presbyopia
Cataract Surgery
removal of clouded lens with premium implant
Keratoconus Treatment
cross-linking, CAIRS rings, diagnostics
Presbyopia Treatment
PresbyMAX, EDOF lenses, monovision
