IOLVIP
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/IOLVIP.svg/350px-IOLVIP.svg.png)
The Intraocular Lens for Visually Impaired Patients (IOLVIP or IOL-VIP) is an intraocular lens system aiming to treat patients with poor central vision due to age related macular degeneration. The IOLVIP procedure involves the surgical implantation of a pair of lenses that magnify and divert the image using the principals of the Galilean telescope.[1] By arranging the lenses it is possible to direct the image to a different part of the eye than the fovea, which is the centre of the macula and is usually used for detailed vision. The magnified image is projected on to a part of the eye not normally used for detailed vision. Magnification and patient training are both necessary to allow useful vision from this part of the retina.
It is a procedure to give symptomatic relief rather than treat disease and is best understood as an implanted miniature telescope.[2]
The procedure was pioneered in Italy and has since been taken to the UK and USA. It should not be used in anyone with active (that is changing) macular degeneration.[3] It can be used in both "burned out" wet macular degeneration and in dry or atrophic macular degeneration. A telescopic simulator can be used to assess whether the surgery might be helpful, and to establish the best rotation for the two lenses.[4]
References
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 12, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 12, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Iol-Vip Faq". Archived from the original on August 5, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- ^ "Sapphire Eye Care". Sapphire Eye Care. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
External links
- LensSpecial, the manufacturers of the IOLVIP lens (Italian)
- About macular degeneration (from BrendanMoriarty.com)
- IOLVIP procedure page (from BrendanMoriarty.com)
- File:IOLVIP.svg