Hospital in Split implants an artificial iris for first time

(Photo credit: KBC Split)

For the first time in its history, the Eye Clinic of the Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Split has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in ophthalmology.

An artificial iris has been successfully implanted into a patient who was born without one.

During the same procedure, the patient also underwent cataract surgery, and a specialised extended-focus artificial lens was implanted to correct visual acuity and corneal astigmatism.

Following this complex operation, the patient’s vision improved dramatically, increasing from under 20% to over 70%.

The success of the procedure was made possible by a dedicated team at the Eye Clinic, led by its head, Professor Kajo Bućan, and an expert anaesthesiology team headed by Dr Mate Perković, KBC Split said.

“In the past 15 years, we have performed a small number of surgeries for similar conditions using a unique type of artificial lens. This lens had an iris pattern embedded on its peripheral edge to simulate the appearance of a natural iris.

However, this marks the first time we have implanted an artificial iris accompanied by a specialised intraocular lens underneath. Remarkably, within 12 hours of the surgery, the patient’s visual acuity had improved by nearly 50% compared to preoperative findings,” explained Professor Bućan.

He emphasised the importance of the teamwork and dedication shown by multiple generations of staff at the Eye Clinic.

(Photo credit: KBC Split)

This achievement was further supported by the availability of state-of-the-art equipment, including surgical ultrasound devices and microsurgical microscopes, procured with the support of the Ministry of Health and KBC Split’s management.

“This significant advancement highlights the remarkable progress we’ve made at our institution,” he concluded.