ICL and Artiflex Lens Surgery

Phakic intraocular lenses, also known as “phakic IOLs”, are medical implants for correcting focus error of the human eye. Unlike laser vision correction and refractive lens exchange, which permanently alter the eye, phakic intraocular lenses are reversible. These implants work in synergy with your natural crystalline lens to refocus your vision.

As of 2025, over three million phakic IOL surgeries have been performed worldwide!

Phakic IOLs are a great option for people under the age of 50 who want to reduce or eliminate their need for glasses and who like the idea of a reversible procedure. Phakic IOLs are especially good for patients who are not candidates for laser vision correction, or those with a high focus error.

Phakic IOLs can correct up to -18.0D of myopia (short-sightedness), +10D of hyperopia (long-sightedness) and up to +6.0D of astigmatism.

Key advantages of phakic IOLs:

• Removable / reversible.
• No induced corneal aberrations (likely to achieve better quality of vision than corneal laser vision correction, e.g LASIK).
• Lower risk of halos and night vision problems than corneal laser vision correction and refractive lens exchange.
• No risk of dry eye (in contrast to LASIK).
• Performed with the patient asleep.
• The lens provides UV protection

Key limitations of phakic IOLs:

• Usually more expensive than laser vision correction.
• Incomplete patient suitability (not everyone is a candidate).
• Intraocular surgery (intraocular risks).

The biggest advantage of phakic IOLs is the reversible nature of the procedure (the lens can be removed at any time). Having a phakic IOL should not leave any permanent affect on your eye. The other key advantage of phakic IOLs is the likelihood of better quality of vision than laser vision correction and refractive lens exchange. This advantage is most noticeable at nighttime, and therefore a phakic IOL may be preferred by individuals who drive frequently at night.

There are two models of phakic intraocular lens available in Australia: the Artiflex and the Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL). The Artiflex lens clips onto
the surface of the iris, whereas the ICL sits just behind the
iris. Both lenses have an excellent safety profile.

Above: the Artiflex lens clasps onto the iris to remain securely centred over the pupil. It is constructed from silicone and PMMA plastic.

Above: the Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL).  This lens sits between your iris and your natural crystalline lens. They are so thin that they can be difficult to see, even with a microscope (white arrow).

Advantages of Artiflex over ICLs:

• Better quality of vision (unproven but likely)
• Better night vision (lower risk of halos)
• Lower risk of cataract and glaucoma
• Excellent for correcting astigmatism

Advantages of ICLs over Artiflex:

• Much easier to implant (preferred by most eye surgeons)
• Lower risk of corneal endothelial cell loss (slow, progressive degeneration of the cornea requiring removal of the lens)

The main factor limiting uptake of Artiflex lenses is the relatively steep learning curve for eye surgeons to master the technique. However, Dr Andrew is fortunate to be very experienced with Artiflex lenses and is comfortable implanting them in his patients. Artiflex lenses have important advantages and are the best option for some people.

The idea of eye surgery can be daunting, but fortunately the recovery is very easy! Most of Dr Andrew’s phakic IOL patients achieve “20/20” vision without glasses in just 1-2 days, and most return to their normal activities 48 hours after their surgery.

The surgery is done under general anaesthesia and therefore you will have no recollection of the procedure. Most of Dr Andrew’s patients report either no discomfort or only minor eye irritation for a few days. You are not able to feel the phakic IOL.

After your surgery, you can do everything you normally do, with a few important exceptions:

• No drivingfor 24 hours.
• No eye make-upfor 5 days.
• No eye rubbing for 2 weeks.

No swimming or heavy weight-lifting for 2 weeks.

Dr Andrew is an experienced eye surgeon who performs close to two thousand vision correction procedures every year. These are the reasons why he is uniquely placed to perform phakic IOL surgery:

• Dr Andrew is the only eye surgeon in Australia who implants both types of phakic intaocular lens – the ICL and the Artiflex lens.
• Dr Andrew can provide what is truly best for you, either an Artiflex lens or an ICL.
• Our clinic has state-of-the-art technology for planning ICL and Artiflex surgery.
• Dr Andrew was personally trained by the individual ranked as the most famous eye surgeon in the world (Dr Ike Ahmed, Canada). This prestigious training has given Dr Andrew rare expertise in performing complex eye operations.

Vision correction surgery is an investment in yourself, as your vision is one of the few things that you use every waking moment of your life! For this reason, phakic IOL surgery is rapidly growing in popularity.

The out-of-pocket cost for phakic IOL surgery is approximately six thousand dollars per eye. The cost varies depending on the exact lens implant that you require. Since it is a cosmetic procedure, it does not matter whether you have private health insurance.

This surgery will refocus your vision for decades, therefore it must be done well. Surgical vision correction is Dr Nick Andrew’s core line of work, and our clinic is purpose-built to achieve the best possible results for our patients.

ICL and Artiflex lenses cannot be felt as they are positioned in a part of the eye that does not have sensation.

ICLs cannot be seen by you or anyone else. An Artiflex lens may possibly be visible to you if you look up close in a magnified cosmetic mirror under bright lighting. However, Artiflex lenses are not visible in normal situations.

Would you like to immediately find out what vision correction procedure(s) you are suitable for?  Click below to take our simple, free, online suitability test!

The content provided on this website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.

All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions.

Neither Dr. Andrew nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content.

All surgical procedures carry risk. Before proceeding with any operation, always consider obtaining a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.