525 Amherst St. • Winchester, VA 22601 • P 540-667-5535 • F 540-667-5536
Staar Collamer Lens
Understanding the Staar Collamer Lens
Collamer is a unique organic material. Its name is a derivative of the material's
composition; it is a 100 percent pure collagen copolymer. Collamer is composed of
collagen, a UV-absorbing chromophore (light absorbing chemical), and a poly-HEMA
based copolymer. When fully hydrated, the Collamer lens material possesses a high
water content concentrated at the surface of the lens.
The Collamer Advantage
The unique Collamer lens material used in the Afinity Collamer IOL provides
numerous advantages over other lens materials.
Quality of Vision
The distribution of the water content (the bulk at the lens's surface) creates an
anti-reflective interface in Collamer lenses. This anti-reflective coating results in a
significant reduction of glare and halos associated with IOL implantation. Especially
in comparison with other lenses, the Afinity Collamer IOL has little or no occurrence
of refractive disturbances. In fact, the light patterns associated with Collamer lenses are nearly identical to the
eye's natural crystalline lens.
Following cataract eye surgery, patients with Collamer IOLs implanted tend to have fewer instances of higher
order aberrations than patients with acrylic and other lenses.
Biocompatibility
Biocompatibility refers to the ability of Collamer IOLs to not be viewed as a foreign object by the eye. Collamer
lenses achieve biocompatibility through two mechanisms:
Protein repulsion – The collagen in a Collamer lens contains a slight negative ionic charge, which reduces the
adherence of protein on the lens surface.
Shields lens – Collamer attracts fibronectin, a fibrous protein that binds to collagen, which forms a layer around
the lens, which shields it from being attacked by the body's immune system.
Patient Satisfaction
Collamer IOLs have delivered superior outcomes, creating a high percentage rate of satisfied patients. In addition,
Collamer does not have the potential problems that other lens materials pose for patients with certain health
conditions including diabetes and various anterior chamber inflammatory eye conditions.
Function of the Afinity Collamer IOL
Similar to other intraocular lenses, the Afinity Collamer IOL is used to replace the eye's natural crystalline lens
during cataract surgery. Its compatibility with the eye, flexible design, and exceptional quality of vision make the
Afinity Collamer IOL a smart choice among the intraocular lenses on the market today.
STAAR Surgical Company offers the Afinity Single Piece Collamer IOL in both the United States and international
markets.
Obtain Additional Information on Collamer IOLs
To learn more about the unique Collamer lens material or for additional information on the Afinity Collamer IOL,
please contact STAAR Surgical Company today.
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The Winchester Eye
Surgery Center is staffed
by caring professionals to
serve patients' surgical
needs and provide
cataract, corneal,
oculoplastic, glaucoma
and general
ophthalmology
procedures.