Eyeworld

EW CORNEA 60 November 2018 According to Dr. Snyder, the device can be placed within the capsular bag, if it's being done at the same time as cataract surgery. "That's an ideal place because anything that's placed within the capsular bag is not in contact with any living tissue. It's sequestered within the capsular bag, just like the lens implant. In eyes with no capsular bag or if the capsular bag is not intact, the device can also be sutured and secured to the eye wall," he said. The device has been approved for both children and adults. "The functional impact is excellent, the reduction in light-related symptoms is quite excellent, and the reduction in multiple images is excellent," Dr. Snyder said. An added benefit In addition to functional benefits, artificial irises have psychological benefits. "Before surgery, these pa- tients typically just cover the eye by wearing a patch or dark sunglasses all of the time. They do this partly to avoid the light, but they also do it to avoid the stares," Dr. Miller said. "When you look at someone, you're naturally drawn to their eyes. Iris defects are especially evident in people who have light-colored eyes. Some of them wear a cosmetic con- tact lens and that helps a little bit, but even that brings attention to the eye. So one of the huge benefits of this implant is the psychological improvement that patients expe- rience. A lot of them feel normal again for the first time in a long time. Some of these patients have lived with the defect for most or all of their lives. Finally, they can go out into the world and not be con- cerned with how they look. No one talks about it in any of the papers, posters, and courses, but it's huge." Dr. Snyder agreed. "While it's not indicated for cosmetic chang- es, it's nice for someone who has a damaged iris. These people often feel very self-conscious about it, and it can be a big issue for them," he said. EW Dr. Snyder has financial interests with HumanOptics and VEO Ophthalmics, (Cincinnati). Dr. Miller has no finan- cial interests related to his comments. Contact information Miller: miller@jsei.ucla.edu Snyder: Msnyder@cincinnatieye.com quite well for most eyes when pas- sively placed in the sulcus. But there are small eyes that require trephina- tion. When devices are sutured into the eye, they can be sutured further back, so sizing is not so critical. However, when a device is placed in the sulcus or capsular bag, sizing is truly important." He added that the HumanOp- tics artificial iris is a great choice for all patients with iris defects, with the exception of patients who have a clear crystalline lens. "This device cannot be implanted in front of a clear lens or it will develop a cataract in no time. The patient has to have a cataract or be aphakic or pseudophakic. Surgeons would not want to implant this device in someone who has a very small iris defect that could easily be closed with a suture or two. However, if the defect can't be closed with sutures because it's too large and the patient doesn't have a clear lens, then he or she is eligible," Dr. Miller explained. Artificial continued from page 59 MARK YOUR CALENDAR OIS 2019 GO INSIDE THE STORIES THAT MATTER Don't miss out on what's next! Subscribe to the OIS Podcast to hear perspectives and strategies from physicians, entrepreneurs, executives and investors who are leading the fight to create new treatments for eye disease. STAY UPDATED ON THE LATEST NEWS In each issue, you'll receive original insights and analysis from the OIS Editorial Staff, highlighting newsmakers of every stage – from entrepreneurs to corporate leaders. You'll also see video highlights from recent OIS events – company presentations, keynote conversations and original interviews – along with links to the latest episode of the OIS Podcast. Sign up today at www.ois.net/subscribe/ www.ois.net MAY 2, 2019 SAN DIEGO JULY 25, 2019 CHICAGO OCTOBER 10, 2019 SAN FRANCISCO FEBRUARY 21, 2019 NEW ORLEANS UNITING THE LEADERS OF GROUND-BREAKING OPHTHALMIC TECHNOLOGIES

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