A Fascinating Surgery

There is one singular procedure I observed that stuck out to me more than the rest. I was able to sit in on an Artisan eye lens readjustment. This lens is one of many implantable intraocular lenses (IOL)’s, and is specifically clipped onto the iris to correct vision problems. 

Image of the Artisan Eye Lens

When watching this procedure, the size of the tools used and the precision that the surgeon was required to have surprised me greatly. The surgeon used Artiflex/Artisan Implantation forceps, lens manipulators, and high powered microscopes such as the specular microscope. The incision is made in either the cornea, or sclera (the white part of the eye), and then the lens is inserted into the eye right over top of the iris. The “claws” at each end of the lens (pictured on the left), clip directly onto the iris to keep itself secured. 

Image of the surgical tools being used in the eye

In the case I observed, the patient had actually been in a fistfight a year prior, which resulted in their lens being knocked out of place. One of the “claws” had completely uncoiled from the iris and was positioned in a way that caused lots of inflammation in the eye. The surgeon went in and readjusted the placement of the lens, reclining the one side to the iris. Due to the inflammation in the patient’s eye, it added an extra element of challenge to the procedure.