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Implanted Artificial Iris Improves Patient's Vision and Appearance

Clinical Trials Begin at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary

At The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, clinical trials have begun on a new design of an artificial human iris. Two patients successfully received iris implants on Friday, October 24, and more are expected in November and December. 

The implant is designed to replace missing or defective iris in the human eye either because the patient was born without an iris (a condition called aniridia) or suffered an injury or surgical damage to the iris. 

The iris is the dark part of the eye that determines eye color and surrounds the pupil, the hole in the center of the iris that controls the amount of light entering the eye. Absence of the iris causes poor vision and very severe sensitivity to light. Implantation of this device benefits patients by allowing better light modulation into the eye and thereby improving vision and comfort.

The implants are part of first US FDA clinical trial of its kind and manufactured by Ophtec USA, a Dutch company in Gronigen Holland with offices in the US. Kenneth J. Rosenthal, MD, FACS, an attending ophthalmologist who practices in Great Neck, NY, is primary investigator for the study.

Artificial irises have been used in Europe, Canada, the Middle East and Asia, but rarely by a small handful of surgeons in the United States because the disease, aniridia, is uncommon, affecting only about 1 out of every 50,000 people. A similar device, called the Rasch-Rosenthal Iris Diaphragm Ring, was co-invented by Dr. Rosenthal and Dr. Volker Rasch of Potsdam Germany in 1996, and Dr. Rosenthal was the world’s first surgeon to implant one of these devices, with Dr. Rasch’s assistance in July 1996.

One patient who received the iris implant is a 30 year-old man from Hawaii, who was hit in the eye during a surfing accident. The second is a 2-year-old boy with aniridia. 

At The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, other surgeons are investigating technology such as the artificial cornea to correct other, heretofore-blinding conditions.

Further information on the artificial iris (iris implant), is also available on www.eyesurgery.org.

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Media Information

If you are a reporter seeking to interview this or any other doctor at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, please contact Jean Thomas, at (212) 979-4274, or Axel F. Bang, at (914) 234-5433.

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