Background High myopia can be corrected using laser therapy and intraocular lens(IOL)implantation.IOL implantation is more suitable than laser therapy for high myopia if the patients suffer from thinner cornea.Objective This clinical trail was to assess and compare the visual quality following phakic iris-claw intraocular lens (IOL) and implantable contact lens(ICL) implantation for high myopia.MethodsIris-claw phakic intraocular lens was implanted in 17 eyes of 10 patients with high myopia,and age-,refractive-matched 17 eyes of 9 patients were in implantable contact lens (ICL) implantation group.Uncorrected visual acuity,best correct visual acuity,contrast sensitivity under the 3,6,12 and 18 c/d spatial frequencies,wave-front aberrations,including RMS3,RMS4 and RMSh,were examined in 6 months after operation.Written informed consent was obtained from each patient before surgery.Results There were no significant difference in uncorrected visual acuity,best correct visual acuity between two groups(t=0.489,P>0.05;t=0.853,P>0.05).Non-glare CS under the 3 c/d,6 c/d,12 c/d and 18 c/d spatial frequencies were insignificantly different between two groups ( t = 0. 906, P > 0.05 ; t = 0. 103, P > 0. 05 ; t =0. 694 ,P>0. 05 ; t = 1. 583, P>0. 05), and the similar outcomes were found in glare CS ( t = 0. 323, P>0.05, t =0.041 ,P>0. 05, t = 0.024, P>0. 05; t = 0. 363, P>0.05) in postoperative 6 months. RMS3 and RMSh were significantly elevated in PIOL group compared with ICL group ( t = 11.40, P< 0. 05 ; t = 11.35, P < 0.05), but no evident difference was found in RMS4 between two groups( t = 0. 24,P>0. 05). Conclusion Both PIOL and ICL implantation for high myopia can achieve an equal visual acuity. But clinical outcomes of ICL implantation is much better than PIOL group. A long-term effect should be observed for the further evaluation.