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The story
Former TBS announcer Risa Uchi revealed on X that she underwent ICL (implantable contact lens) surgery to correct her nearsightedness. She shared specific figures: her vision improved from 1.2–1.5 with contacts to about 2.0 after surgery, the procedure took 10 minutes, and it cost roughly ¥700,000.
On 5ch, commenters discussed how close the procedure is to cataract surgery, how it differs from LASIK, the classic jab that “ophthalmologists never get it done themselves and just wear glasses,” and whether it can still be adjusted once presbyopia sets in.
Nikkan Sports [September 14, 2026, 8:55 AM]
Former TBS announcer Risa Uchi (34) updated her X account by the 14th, revealing that she had undergone ICL surgery to have a lens implanted in her eye.
On the 12th, she posted a recent photo with the caption, “Had my ICL surgery exactly a week ago, and I’m back at work today… recovery’s going smoothly… and the world looks so clear.” In a follow-up post she added, “Since a lot of people seem interested in ICL, here’s a quick rundown: Vision went from 1.2–1.5 with contacts to about 2.0 after surgery. I’m extremely nearsighted, so ICL was basically my only option. It doesn’t hurt (though you do feel a pressing sensation on your eye). The surgery itself was over in 10 minutes. Cost was about ¥700,000. Can’t wash my face for 3 days, plus I have to use three kinds of eye drops every 2 hours while I’m awake. From day 4 on, baths and makeup are fine (except eye makeup). Eye makeup’s okay after a week. I got rid of my glasses and contacts. For choosing a hospital, I went mainly off recommendations from people I know — the doctor holds an Expert Instructor certification, something only about a dozen doctors in all of Japan have.”
Source: nikkansports.com / Read the original article here
What people said
They won't get LASIK or a lens implant done
themselves
But they do get cataract surgery, right? That's also a procedure where they remove the lens and swap in a new one.
Well, it's not a job where people are staring at your face, unlike being on TV.
is it really okay for her to casually push something this risky?
Did she actually mention the risks properly?
It makes your presbyopia worse.
Because it's just true. And you haven't actually refuted that fact yourself, have you?
I had both nearsightedness and astigmatism, but it started improving around age 30, and by 35 I only needed a nearsighted-only lens.
No idea why it got better though.
Wait, you don't even know why?!
ICL can be taken back out,
since nothing gets shaved away.
ICL just adds a lens without removing anything.
So ICL is probably the easier procedure surgically.
Cataract surgery basically never fails, so there's plenty of track record behind it.
Extremely comfortable.
I'm around the same age — was LASIK even around when we were in middle school?
Wasn't LASIK more of a late-2000s thing?
Apparently it's fine as long as you don't get headaches from it.
I genuinely don't get how just having that printed on there makes it "lame" lol
even with multifocal lenses, after a few years your near vision
can start to go again and you might end up needing reading glasses — worth keeping in mind.
Even with regular contacts your prescription can drift out over time.
But with those you just buy new ones — with a surgically implanted lens, you can't just casually swap it out.
🫴
Soon smartphones will be implanted right into your eye like a contact lens too.
Exactly this.
The real problem is your focusing ability, not your raw eyesight.
and there are plenty of reports of people going blind from it too.
Wait, the success rate is really that low?
Do you just get regular presbyopia on top of it?
Well, you'll probably still need reading glasses.
Is that so?
There are already presbyopia-correcting ICL lenses in practical use though…
way too scary.
Same here.
If there's even a 0.1% chance something goes wrong, I'm not bothering.
There are multifocal intraocular lenses too though.
Background and Key Points of the Debate
Unlike LASIK, which shaves down the cornea, ICL surgery works by inserting an extra lens inside the eye — and as commenters noted, one key difference is that it can be removed later if needed. The procedure has gained ground in recent years as an option for people with severe nearsightedness who don’t qualify for LASIK, and the roughly ¥700,000 price mentioned in the thread lines up with typical market rates. While the classic jab that “ophthalmologists never get refractive surgery done themselves and just wear glasses” made another appearance, others pushed back by pointing to its technical similarity to cataract surgery (removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a new one), arguing its track record speaks for itself. One easily overlooked point: even after surgery brings vision up to 2.0, the eye’s focusing ability itself doesn’t improve, so close-up vision can still worsen with age, and how well the procedure holds up against presbyopia remains a question. The specific numbers on success rates and blindness cases floating around the thread are unsourced anecdotes at best, so they shouldn’t be taken at face value.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports Breaking+) thread “Former TBS Female Announcer Reports on Surgery Trending in Showbiz: ‘Done in 10 Minutes,’ ‘Doesn’t Hurt,’ ‘Cost About ¥700,000’.”
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