Phakos means lens. How do phakic lenses differ from other artificial lenses?
Phakic lenses is a somewhat annoying name from a linguistic point of view, but this troublesome tautology(buttercream – lenticular lenses) is intentional. Why? Because this type of artificial lens is implanted in the eye, from which the natural lens is NOT removed.
This is why doctors use the phrase “phakic lens grafting” instead of “implanting.” This is because literally, phakic lenses are implanted in addition to the patient’s own lens, which retains its accommodative abilities. Thus, they are often referred to as “implantable contact lenses” or “internal contact lenses.”
Phakic lenses are a good option for people who have a visual defect that cannot be corrected with an excimer laser.
People between the ages of 18 and about 45 with stable visual impairment in the following ranges are eligible for phakic lens implantation surgery: nearsightedness to more than -20 diopters and farsightedness to + 10 diopters, and astigmatism to 6 cylindrical diopters.
Very importantly, phakic lenses are characterized by high safety of use even with thin corneas. The procedure for their implantation takes 15-20 minutes, is painless and low risk. The operated eye is protected by a bandage, which is removed the day after the operation. Full visual acuity is achieved after approx. 4 weeks.
Two types of phakic lenses are used in ophthalmic surgery: anterior chamber and posterior chamber.
Artisan anterior chamber lenses (available in powers of -3 to -23.5 diopters) and Artiflex (in powers of -3 to -14.5 diopters) are implanted into the anterior chamber of the eye and attached between the cornea and iris. Artisan are constructed of a rigid material called PMMA, Artiflex are made of retractable silicone.
EVO + Visian ICL ™ posterior chamber lenses are made of Collamer® material and are considered the most advanced technological development in this segment of phakic lenses.
Why opt for posterior chamber phakic lens implantation?
- Modern posterior chamber phakic lenses are made from a biocompatible material created from collagen, which is very well tolerated by the eye.
- Posterior chamber phakic lenses do not need to be fixed – they are simply inserted into the posterior chamber (behind the iris).
- Rear-chamber EVO + Visian ICL ™ lenses made of Collamer® are retractable lenses, implanted through a so-called micro-cut (about 2.8 mm), which does not require additional sutures.
- Implantable contact lenses are invisible from the outside and imperceptible to the patient.
- Phakic lenses have UV filters (to protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation).
- Phakic lenses can be removed and replaced if the need arises, such as a visual defect will enlarge, which is why we say that phakic lenses are the only reversible method of correcting a visual defect.
- The healing time of the eye after phakic lens grafting is short – it is about a week.
