Artiflex and I-Care phakic IOLs are accurate; some complications exist with both, study finds

Lisbon, Portugal - Both the Artiflex (Ophtec) iris-claw IOL and the I-Care (Cornéal) phakic angle-supported IOL are effective and provide good refractive outcomes, Antonio Marinho, MD, reported Monday at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting.

Over the long term, however, the I-Care IOL was associated with some complications, according to Dr. Marinho. He is from Hospital Arrabida, Porto, Portugal.

In a study, 38 eyes of 25 patients (myopia range, –3.5 to –12 D) were implanted with the Artiflex IOL and 17 eyes of 13 patients (myopia range, –7.5 to –18.5 D) with the I-Care IOL.

No patients implanted with either group lost lines of vision and many eyes gained lines, Dr. Marinho reported.

There were no intraoperative complications with the Artiflex IOL; two of the I-Care IOLs were damaged. Two eyes implanted with the Artiflex IOL developed mild uveitis 2 weeks after implantation that resolved with treatment. Two months after implantation of the I-Care IOL, the IOL rotated in 10 eyes and 18 months after implantation pupil ovalization developed in nine eyes. There were no long-term complications with the Artiflex IOL.

“Both of the IOLs are effective, safe, and stable. Both are implanted with a sutureless surgery. Sizing is still an issue for me with the I-Care IOL; the new model may solve this problem. [With] the Artiflex there were no complications, but I advise prescribing steroids for a few days,” he concluded.