Artisan toric phakic intraocular lens for the correction of high astigmatism

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy, predictability, and safety of Artisan toric phakic intraocular lens (Ophtec, Groningen, The Netherlands) implantation for the correction of astigmatism higher than 2 diopters. DESIGN: Interventional case series. METHODS: This prospective study included 27 eyes of 16 patients with a mean preoperative spherical equivalent of -11.78 +/- 6.24 diopters and a mean preoperative astigmatism of -3.43 +/- 0.81. The Artisan phakic intraocular lens was inserted in the anterior chamber through a posterior corneal incision; the technique is similar to the implantation of the classical Artisan lens, but in these cases it is particularly important to secure the lens accurately in the correct axis. The main parameters evaluated in this study were uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, refraction, and endothelial cell count. RESULTS: Twelve months after the implantation of the Artisan toric phakic intraocular lens, 62.90% of the eyes were within +/-0.50 diopters. of emmetropia and 96.20% within +/-1.0 diopters. Seventy percent of the eyes gained 1 or more Snellen lines from their preoperative best-corrected visual acuity, and 11.11% lost 1 Snellen line. Mean endothelial cell count increased 2.9%. Mean of the parallel and orthogonal components of cylinder correction were 1.97 diopters and 0.10 diopters, respectively, of the intended cylinder change. The mean of axis alignment error was 10.53 degrees. No serious complications were observed. CONCLUSION: Artisan toric phakic intraocular lens implantation appears to be a safe and predictable method for the correction of high levels of astigmatism.