Carrot LASIK & Eye Center, an ophthalmology practice in Mesa, Arizona, offers EVO ICL as a vision correction option for patients with high nearsightedness, including prescriptions that exceed the range LASIK can safely treat. The practice performs EVO ICL alongside LASIK, SMILE, and other laser vision correction procedures for patients across Mesa and the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. A recent article published by the practice, "Is EVO ICL a Good Option for a High Prescription in Mesa?", explains how the implantable lens works and which factors determine candidacy.
EVO ICL is an implantable collamer lens positioned inside the eye to correct nearsightedness without removing corneal tissue. Because the procedure adds a lens rather than reshaping the cornea, corneal thickness does not limit the correctable range the way it can with laser procedures such as LASIK and PRK. As of 2026, the lens is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to correct myopia across a broad range, including high prescriptions that often fall outside the range LASIK typically treats. Patients in Mesa, Scottsdale, and Tempe who have been told a prescription is too strong for LASIK are frequently evaluated for EVO ICL, with final candidacy confirmed during a consultation.
Candidacy for EVO ICL depends on more than prescription strength. Suitable candidates generally have a stable prescription, eyes free of conditions such as glaucoma or cataracts, and sufficient internal space to hold the lens safely, all of which are measured during an evaluation in Mesa. A toric version of the lens, the EVO Visian Toric ICL, corrects astigmatism at the same time as nearsightedness, which allows many patients with significant astigmatism and high nearsightedness to be treated with a single lens rather than separate correction.
For very high prescriptions, the difference between the two procedures is structural. LASIK reshapes the cornea and has an upper prescription limit tied to how much tissue can be safely removed, while EVO ICL adds a lens inside the eye and can address prescriptions beyond that limit without altering the cornea. The lens is also removable, so a surgeon can exchange or remove it if a patient's vision needs change over time, which preserves future options. Residents of Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert seeking refractive surgery are evaluated for EVO ICL as well as LASIK, SMILE, and Refractive Lens Exchange during the same visit, since Carrot LASIK & Eye Center offers six modern vision correction procedures under one roof.
"A prescription that is too strong for LASIK does not mean vision correction is off the table," said Matthew Hammond, M.D., board-certified ophthalmologist and Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery at Carrot LASIK & Eye Center. "When a cornea is too thin or a prescription is beyond what laser treatment can safely correct, EVO ICL places a lens inside the eye and leaves the cornea intact. The goal is matching each patient to the procedure that fits their eyes, not the one procedure a practice happens to specialize in."
Both Hammond and Carrot co-founder Michael Herion, M.D., are Castle Connolly Top Doctors, hold Fellowship in the World College of Refractive Surgery (WCRS), and have had vision correction surgery themselves at the practice. Dr. Hammond has been recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for 14 consecutive years. Carrot LASIK & Eye Center is veteran-owned, and both surgeons served in the United States military. The practice's newest surgeon, Kelly Kiser, M.D., also holds WCRS fellowship.
Because EVO ICL cost depends on factors such as whether one or both eyes are treated, whether a standard or toric lens is used, and the complexity of the prescription, the practice provides a quote after a consultation in Mesa determines the appropriate lens and treatment plan. Patients in Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, and Scottsdale evaluating EVO ICL receive a recommendation based on their eye anatomy and goals, and financing options are reviewed during the consultation.
Carrot LASIK & Eye Center is located at 1500 S Dobson Road, Suite 313, Mesa, Arizona 85202, and serves patients throughout Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix and Gilbert. The practice holds Joint Commission National Quality Approval, and surgeons personally meet with patients before and after surgery. Driving directions to the Mesa office are available for patients traveling from across the East Valley and the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.
Carrot LASIK & Eye Center offers EVO ICL and additional laser vision correction procedures for patients with nearsightedness, astigmatism, and other refractive conditions in Mesa, Arizona. More information about EVO ICL candidacy and the practice's vision correction procedures is available at carroteyecenter.com or through the practice's Google Business Profile. Patients across the Phoenix metropolitan area can schedule a consultation to determine whether EVO ICL or another vision correction procedure fits their individual eye anatomy and vision correction goals.
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For more information about Carrot LASIK & Eye Center, contact the company here:
Carrot LASIK & Eye Center
Carrot LASIK
(480) 561-6000
info@carroteyecenter.com
1500 S Dobson Rd #313, Mesa, AZ 85202
