Presented by: Balidis Miltos MD, PhD, FEBOphth, ICOphth
Edited by: Penelope Burle de Politis MD
Artificial intelligence (AI) has entered different areas of ophthalmology in recent years, boosting diagnostic accuracy and optimizing treatment strategies. As intraocular lens (IOL) implantation is here to stay in the field of Refractive Surgery, and cataract patients have increasingly higher expectations of spectacle-free postoperative visual outcomes, it was only a matter of time for these two to come together.
Rayner is the first company to introduce an AI-designed optical implant, the Galaxy IOL. The spiral optics designed by Rayner were previously seen only in contact lenses. Unlike monofocals and other advanced implants such as trifocal IOLs, Galaxy features a non-diffractive spiral design that avoids abrupt transitions in the lens surface. As a result, visual disturbances and dysphotopsia – halos and glare – caused by rings or steps that split light into different focal points, especially in dim light, are significantly minimized. Galaxy’s smooth spiral pattern allows for a continuous range of vision and sends 100% of the available light to the retina, with zero light loss. This translates into improved brightness and contrast sensitivity, and high quality distance, intermediate and near vision without glasses, for increased independence in everyday life and a more natural visual experience.
The optical principle applied to the Galaxy IOL is vortex momentum. In contrast to the Archimedean spiral shape, which consists of a static, equidistant path from the center to the periphery, the vortex principle uses rotational flow velocity of a light beam rotating around a central axis. This design crafts a smooth depth of focus that covers vision needs at all distances.
The Galaxy IOL consists of a single-piece implant created from a compressible, homogeneous material free of microvacuoles and offering excellent handling characteristics with controlled folding within the capsular bag. The Galaxy implant comes preloaded across the entire power range, for greater safety and simplicity. Also available as a toric IOL, Galaxy can address a wide range of corneal astigmatism, an important part of premium lens surgery.
In this video, recorded in the main operating room of the Ophthalmica Eye Institute in Thessaloniki, Greece, Dr. Miltos Balidis (MD, PhD, FEBOphth, ICOphth), specialist in cornea and anterior segment ocular surgery, performs a RayOne Galaxy Toric IOL implantation on the left eye of a patient with moderate cataract and corneal astigmatism. The Zeiss CALLISTO system for target capsulorhexis diameter and centration and effective position and stability of advanced IOLs is used. The surgical steps and timing in the video are as follows: side ports (00:08); self-sealing main incision (00:14); capsulorrhexis (00:35); hydrodissection of the nucleus (01:54); cortex aspiration (02:15); luxation of the nucleus (02:38); phacoemulsification (02:43); viscoelastic injection (04:06); IOL insertion (04:55) and positioning (05:10); fine-tuning of the rhexis circumference (05:22); aspiration of viscoelastics and remaining masses (06:05); IOL axis alignment (07:40); sealing of the sideports (07:59). The procedure ends with a successfully implanted spiral IOL (08:20).
“Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.” – Frank Lloyd Wright
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