Artisan versus Artiflex phakic intraocular lens implantation in the treatment of moderate to high myopia: meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: To compare the postoperative safety, efficacy, predictability, visual quality and biomechanics after implantation of Artisan vs. Artiflex phakic intraocular lenses (PIOLs). METHODS: Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library were conducted up from January 2000 to February 2020. Comparative clinical studies reporting in accordance with the eligibility criteria were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled weighted mean differences (WMDs) and odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Comparative trials with myopia patients were selected in this review. The pooled WMD and OR estimates statistical significance in terms of postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), efficacy, postoperative spherical equivalence (SE), predictability, contrast sensitivity and mean intraocular higher-order aberrations (HOA) (mm) for a 6-mm pupil, manifesting that Artiflex PIOL showed evident beneficial effect for correcting myopia compared to Artisan PIOL. There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Both of two techniques were safe and effective for myopia and compared to Artisan PIOL, Artiflex PIOL had significant improvement in efficacy, predictability, contrast sensitivityand HOA, except safety and complications in the treatment of moderate to high myopia. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12886-021-01930-6.