To avoid confusion: the Artisan and Veriseyes are both identical intraocular lenses used in phakic lens surgery. They are manufactured by the same manufacturer (Ophtec, Netherlands) and Veriseyes is the market name for the device distributed by AMO.

The procedure falls under the category of Phakic IOL procedures. The phakic portion means your own crystalline lens is retained and another lens is added in. Like the Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) procedure, the Artisan / Veriseyes phakic lens is inserted through a small incision. Unlike ICLs the lens is placed inside the anterior chamber in front of the iris. Tiny hooks hold it in place on the iris. This can be done under local anesthetic or general where you are completely asleep. At Centre for Sight, the preference is to perform one eye at a time with a minimum of 1 week between. This is ensure both surgeon and patient are confident and content that the first eye following the phakic IOL procedure is well on its way to recovery. This helps establish that the intraocular lens is working and calculated to be correct for the first eye before embarking on the second eye. In less conservative countries, both eyes are treated at the same time. Centre for Sight believes this is unnecessary and prefers the former option.

Recovery from the phakic lens procedure can be very rapid. Most patients seen at the first postoperative day cannot wait for the second eye treatment to be completed !

Those with high astigmatism are also suitable for this type of phakic IOL procedure although the intraocular lens may have to be made as a special order specifically for the patient.

Implanted Artisan lens