The Remaining Challenge
While lens design and surgical techniques have advanced significantly, one critical step continues to influence the success of every procedure: achieving precise and stable lens positioning.
Iris-fixated phakic IOLs have consistently demonstrated superior centration and rotational stability compared with posterior chamber phakic IOLs, thanks to their unique fixation mechanism. Yet, successful implantation still depends on one critical surgical step: precise iris enclavation.
Although experienced surgeons routinely achieve excellent results, enclavation may still be influenced by surgical technique, anatomical variability and intraoperative conditions. Moreover, challenging anatomy, such as floppy or irregular iris tissue, can make consistent tissue capture more demanding—particularly in toric and presbyopia-correcting procedures, where even small deviations in centration or axis alignment may affect visual performance.
What if this critical step could become even more controlled, reproducible, and predictable?
Vacufix, Unmatched precision in (p)IOL positioning
Vacufix is a vacuum-assisted enclavation system designed to help surgeons achieve greater precision and consistency to iris-fixated IOL implantation.
Compatible with standard phacoemulsification platforms, the reusable system uses controlled aspiration to capture a consistent amount of iris tissue, creating a stable iris fold for reliable enclavation.
The result is a more standardized approach to one of the most critical steps of the procedure, supporting safe and predictable implantation across the Artilens portfolio, including Artisan, Artiflex, Artiplus and Artisan Aphakia.
Combined with the proven advantages of the Artilens platform, Vacufix further elevates surgical precision—helping make Artilens one of the most accurate, reliable and predictable solutions for the correction of refractive errors.
Why Vacufix
Vacufix was developed to give surgeons greater confidence by combining precision, control and efficiency throughout the enclavation process.
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Alignment - Supports accurate centration and axis positioning, particularly in astigmatism and presbyopia correction with Artiflex Toric, Artiplus, and Artiplus Toric.
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Reproducibility & Predictability - Consistently enclavates the same amount of iris tissue, promoting reproducible surgical performance and consistent patient outcomes.
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Stability - Secure iris fixation, combined with the inherent design of Artilens, delivers unmatched long-term IOL stability.
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Surgical Control - Enables confident, responsive handling throughout one of the most delicate stages of surgery.
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Efficiency - Contributes to a smoother surgical workflow and reduced procedure time.
Where Vacufix Makes the Difference
Vacufix enhances every iris-fixated IOL procedure while delivering particular value in situations where precision and consistency are especially important.
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Toric IOL Procedures - Facilitates precise Artiflex Toric alignment for optimal axis positioning.
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Presbyopia Correction - Enables accurate Artiplus centration to maximize optical performance.
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Challenging Anatomy - Increases surgeon confidence in complex surgical scenarios, including floppy or irregular iris tissue.
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First Artilens Procedures - Its intuitive design and reproducible performance help shorten the learning curve for surgeons new to iris-fixated IOL implantation.
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Aphakia Correction - Also compatible with Artisan Aphakia, extending the benefits of vacuum-assisted enclavation across the full spectrum of iris-fixated indications.
Surgical Technique
The video below, presented by Prof. José Luis Güell (IMO, Barcelona), demonstrates a complete Artiflex Toric implantation, highlighting every stage of the procedure. The Vacufix enclavation technique is featured at 03:20min, demonstrating the controlled vacuum-assisted iris capture that supports precise and reproducible enclavation.
For a more detailed, step-by-step guide to the system setup, surgical technique and instructions for use, click here.
Advancing Precision in (Phakic) IOL Surgery
Vacufix addresses a critical step in iris-fixated IOL implantation by introducing a controlled, reproducible approach to enclavation.
By improving centration, fixation and surgical control, it enables greater consistency across a broad range of procedures—from routine implantations to the most anatomically challenging cases. These advantages are particularly valuable in toric and presbyopia-correcting procedures, where accurate centration and rotational alignment are fundamental to achieving optimal refractive outcomes.
Without requiring changes to the existing surgical workflow, Vacufix offers surgeons a practical solution to elevate precision, confidence and reproducibility during implantation.
More than an incremental improvement, Vacufix represents the next evolution in iris-fixated IOL surgery. By combining precision, consistency and seamless integration into everyday practice, it empowers surgeons to achieve outstanding visual outcomes with greater confidence than ever before.
