Newsom first in World to implant Artisan Iris

News-Sun, Wednesday, January 17, 2001
by Hope Cross

Dr. T. Hunter Newsom made medical history this past year in becoming the first eye surgeon in the world to surgically implant the Artisan Iris Claw Intra-Ocular Lens in the eyes of a patient with megalocornea, abnormally large pupils.

Newsom, an ophthalmologist who has been at the Sebring branch of the Eye Centers of Florida for the past six months, was serving his residency at the University of Iowa when he met a 65-year-old man whose lens was removed 25 years ago during cataract surgery. Because of the lens removal, Newsom's patient was in need o having the Artisan Lens implanted.

The eye doctor explained that cataract surgeries then included the removal of both the cataract and the lens sack, requiring patients to wear thick glasses to correct their vision.

"I had a patient in Iowa that needed to have this lens put in his eyes. He told me, 'Doc, if you fix my eyes, I'll love you forever,'" Newsom said "So I began to research the procedure and go through the steps of getting it approved by the Food and Drug Administration. I performed the first surgery in October 2000."

At the time, this procedure had never been done by anyone in the United States and had been done nowhere in the world for someone with this type of rare eye disease. However, Newsom implanted the specially made artificial lens into his patient's right eye with success.

"I implanted the new artificial lens with the goal of allowing my patient to see clearly without glasses, " Newsom said. "The new lens is designed with tiny claws that attach to the colored part of the eye to hold it in place. We performed the procedure on my patient's birthday and the next day he was seeing 20/20 in that eye without glasses. HE called it a wonderful birthday present."

Newsom, 29, returned earlier this month to do the same procedure on the patient's other eye. He said the second surgery was a success as well, with the patient being able to see 20/20 without glasses after surgery.

The uniqueness of the patient's eye condition led Newsom to put dozens of hours of research into the preparation for the surgical procedure. As a part of his preparation, he received additional surgical training at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and performed the surgery on several cadaver eyes before taking the final step of actually implanting the Artisan Lens

"His eyes are abnormal in every way. Putting this type of lens in eyes like his had never been done before anywhere in the, world," Newsom said. "A lot of times people are told there is nothing that can be done for them, but there is hope that there is some- thing I can do for them. It is just a matter of wanting to take care of my patients."

Because the implantation of the Artisan Lens had never been done before in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration only approved the procedure for Newsom's patient. Newsom said because of the success of both surgeries, there is a chance in the near future the FDA will approve the procedure to be officially done throughout the United States.

"The lens will most commonly be used for patients that have had their natural lens removed in a previous surgery. It is going to be a very good lens for these cases," Newsom said. "The surgery is important for people that need it."

Newsom estimates their being thousands of people in the United States alone that need the procedure.

In April, Newsom will gather with a group of eye doctors from all over the world to present his research and findings from the surgical procedure on the patient's eyes. Newsom will find out then what lies in the future for the implantation of the Artisan Lens in the United States.

"This is kind of neat. It is so nice to be able to successfully overcome the challenge of correcting the patient's visual problems," Newsom said. "The most rewarding thing to me was when all of a sudden he could see things he had never been able to see before."

Newsom hopes to participate in further studies of the Artisan Lens surgical procedure if the FDA approves it. However, he said his main concern is to focus on his patients. "I am going to continue to try and do the best I can for my patients," Newsom said. "Hopefully, I can solve their problems and overcome more challenges."

Newsom's passion for caring for people with visual problems comes from his father who was also an eye doctor.

"This is an interesting field. This is what my father did and I like it, " Newsom said. "I like small and intricate things and eye surgery is probably the most difficult surgery you can do."

Newsom received a bachelor of science with honors from the University of Florida along with a doctor of medicine with honors in research. He served his residency in ophthalmology at the University of Iowa.

Not only has the eye doctor's hard work and determination in the optical field led him to make such an outstanding medical breakthrough, they have led him to receive several honors and awards.

He was named as the national runner-up by the American College of Eye Surgeons in a resident videotape competition in cataract/implant surgery; recipient of the David Buehler Medical Scholarship, awarded for outstanding research by a junior honors medical student and was the recipient of the Albert G. King award for outstanding research by a medical student.