Below are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions that we received about the Artisan and Artiflex lenses.
How do I find out whether or not I am a suitable candidate for the preliminary examination?
- Requirements for the preliminary examination:
| Your refractive deviation is between -1 D and -27 dioptres with or without cylinder deviation or between +1 D and +9 dioptres with or without cylinder deviation or you have a cylinder up to 7.5 dioptres |
- You are aged between 18 and 60
- You are in good health
- You are not suffering from any eye diseases
- Your refractive deviation has remained stable for at least one year
- You are neither pregnant nor breastfeeding
- You have no doubts about the treatment.
Does the Artisan/Artiflex lens also offer a solution for presbyopic eyes?
No, the Artisan/Artiflex lens does not offer a solution for presbyopic eyes. The accommodative power of the eyes (their ability to focus) diminishes with age. The natural crystalline lens is unable to assume a sufficiently convex shape in order to focus on nearby images. Senile vision (presbyopia) can be corrected by using convex lenses i.e. reading glasses.
In the dark, my eyes have a pupil diameter of 7 mm. Why does that make me unsuitable for Artisan/Artiflex lenses?
The optical part of the Artisan/Artiflex lenses is 6 mm. When pupils exceed this size, there is a high likelihood of glare and halos around lamps in the dark.
Lenses with 7 mm optics are not manufactured since these lenses would be too large to insert them safely into the eye.
Can any ophthalmologist perform this treatment?
This website contains the addresses of Artisan/Artiflex certified ophthalmologists. These ophthalmologists have completed a special lens implantation training course. Only these ophthalmologists are allowed and able to implant our lenses.
Is the treatment painful and frightening?
No, most patients tell us that they felt no pain at all during the treatment. The local anaesthetic, injection, prior to the treatment may be a little uncomfortable, comparable with an injection at the dentist.
Almost everyone will be (a tiny bit) apprehensive. Therefore make sure you choose a clinic and an ophthalmologist you feel you can trust.
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Ans Taekema The surgery itself was not too bad, and was finished really quickly. Still, it is strange all this fiddling with your eye. Fortunately, the support was really good and I could talk with the consultant and the nursing staff during the surgery. |
How much time does the treatment take?
Lens implantation is performed under a local anaesthetic in an outpatient clinic, in most instances one eye at a time. The treatment itself takes about 15 to 30 minutes. The entire procedure including precare and aftercare will take approximately 2 hours.
Is there a chance that the body rejects the lens?
The Artisan lens is made of PMMA, a plastic that is fully accepted by the body. This became apparent when World War II pilots managed to live for years without any complaints about the pieces of plastic which had become lodged in their eyes after their cockpit had been shot to pieces.
The Artiflex lens is made of silicone and PMMA. Silicone, too, is a material that is accepted by the body.
Are Artisan/Artiflex lenses visible in the eye?
This is comparable to the visibility of contact lenses. It is only when you look really closely and when the light shines on the eye in a particular way that the contours of the small lenses are vaguely visible.
When can I resume my weight training after the treatment?
It takes about 6 weeks for the wound to heal. After this period you can slowly and carefully resume your weight training, but not at full power. After about 3 months you can resume your activities as usual.
What happens if my strength of vision changes after an Artisan/Artiflex implantation?
In cases where the visual strength changes drastically after lens implantation, replacing the lens might be an option. Minor changes in power may be corrected by wearing light glasses or contact lenses.
How long have Artisan/Artiflex lenses been on the market?
The precursor of the Artisan lens was introduced in 1978 by the Dutch Prof. Dr. Jan Worst from Groningen (the Netherlands). It was referred to as the "Worst Iris Claw lens". This lens was used in cataract patients as a replacement for the natural crystalline lens which had become opaque.
The "Worst Iris Claw lens" was implanted into hundreds of thousands of eyes worldwide.
In 1986, the first lens implantation into an eye to correct short-sightedness was performed. The "natural crystalline lens" which is normally removed from the eyes of cataract patients remained in place in the eye in this instance. The operation was a success. In 1992, an Artisan lens to correct long-sightedness was developed, followed in 1999 by a lens to correct cylinder deviations. The foldable Artisan lens, the Artiflex lens, made its appearance in 2005.
