Eyeworld

109 EW FEATURE April 2017 • Controversies in cataract surgery other decision-maker, he said, is the cosmetic aspect. If the patient has a dark iris and the physician can do an adequate functional repair, that could be acceptable. For someone with a light iris, suture repair may not have same aesthetic value, he added. To prepare inserting these de- vices, Dr. Masket said it's important to brush up on certain skills. "All of the techniques we use to implant these devices are things that sur- geons have done before, just maybe not in that particular order," he said, recommending that physicians go to lectures and courses at national and international meetings. Dr. Masket said that the hope is that the device will be approved by the end of 2017. Once approved, courses will be orga- nized to teach surgeons how to do the procedure, he said. "Everything is in the skill set of an accomplished anterior segment surgeon, it's just a question of logistics," he said. Potential concerns As with any device, there are poten- tial concerns with artificial iris devic- es. "The kinds of eyes that require an artificial iris implantation are not an overly healthy group of eyes," Dr. Snyder said. If the device is fixated by nat- ural support structures and these become inadequate, then the device could possibly have to be re-secured, Dr. Snyder said. The best way to treat that is with prevention and ensuring good fixation from the start, he said. Doctors must recognize that no normal eye ever needs an artificial iris, Dr. Masket said, so many of these eyes have comorbidities specif- ically relating to glaucoma or dam- aged corneas. Managing comorbidi- ties becomes a big problem and may require further surgery after artificial iris implantation, Dr. Masket said. "The reason we're investigating is to determine associated problems with the device," he said. Dr. Masket said that in his experience, device-specific problems are very rare. This is a "huge game changer," he said, and has made a difference for many patients. Another detail that Dr. Masket noted is that patients must pay for the device, as it is not covered by insurance. This can be quite expen- sive, Dr. Masket added. Accordingly, he developed a non-profit founda- tion (www.masketfoundation.org) to help disadvantaged patients bear the expense of participating in the investigation. EW Editors' note: Dr. Snyder has financial interests with HumanOptics. Dr. Mas- ket has no financial interests related to his comments. Ophthalmic Certifications • Assistant (COA ® ) • Technician (COT ® ) • Medical Technologist (COMT ® ) • Surgical Assisting (OSA ® ) • Scribe (OSC ® ) • Diagnostic Sonographer (CDOS ® ) • Registered Ultrasound Biometrist (ROUB ® ) CERTIFICATION and EDUCATION for your eye care team Discover the POSSIBILITIES Continuing Education EyeCareCE Subscription • 150+ quality online courses • Continuing Education credits • Unlimited access for all staff • Learn from world-renowned faculty • Low Annual Fee—$349 800-284-3937 • www.jcahpo.org Visit us at ASCRS 2017 in booth 1310. Contact information Masket: avcmasket@aol.com Snyder: Msnyder@cincinnatieye.com

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