Anniversary
25 years Artisan for Myopia
Twenty Five (25) years ago the first ARTISAN lens for Myopia was implanted, and its clinical success has continued to prove it as one of the world safest , most effective IOL designs, with the broadest applications of any IOL design - Phakic, secondary, pediatric and trauma designs.
Enduring Technology
The ARTISAN concept of fixating a lens to the iris with a quite original “claw” (or haptic) has endured, and is now the IOL with the longest design history still in use, and has the broadest application of any IOL design for treating refractive error in diverse patients groups.
In 1978, the ARTISAN lens for Aphakia was introduced to the world at an ophthalmic meeting in Paris. At first, this lens was met with skepticism and incredulity. Nevertheless, Prof. Jan Worst persevered, bearing in mind a quote from Louis Paufique: “One is always wrong by being right too early.” He continued to present the concept wherever he could and within the years the interest in the ARTISAN lens began to grow.
Refractive surgery started in the early eighties with Fyodorov’s invention of Radial Keratotomy (RK). Although RK was popular at its start, a lot of criticism followed and in February 1986 Prof.Jan Worst presented the idea to implant a special ARTISAN Myopia lens in front of the naturel lens. Ophtec designed the ARTISAN and implantation followed in November of 1986. Extensive European and US clinical studies finally resulted in the first FDA approval for the ARTISAN Myopia lens in 2004.
The ARTISAN fixation technology and implant location has essentially remained unchanged from its original design. A flexible version of the Artisan lens, the ARTIFLEXlens with a polysiloxane optic that can be inserted through a small incision, has been introduced to the market in 2005.
The ARTISAN /ARTIFLEX lens is capable of correcting Hyperopia, Myopia, and Astigmatism and continues to show its safety and efficacy in patients who want to get rid of their spectacles or contact lenses. Interest in the ARTISAN and ARTIFLEX lenses has spread around the world as a consequence of a number of unique features: it is fixated to the iris, the fixation technique has not changed in 25 years, the lens can be meticulously centered on the pupil, once fixated rotation is impossible, so the ARTISAN and ARTIFLEX are outstanding/the best Toric lenses, and the ARTISAN and ARTIFLEX have proven to be safe and efficacious.
The ARTISAN is here to stay. Be part of it. Be an ARTISAN . Use the ARTISAN . The ARTISAN Story... to be continued
