VISUAL AND REFRACTIVE OUTCOMES AFTER IMPLANTATION OF AN EXTENDED MONOFOCAL NON-DIFFRACTIVE HYDROPHOBIC INTRAOCULAR LENS

An extended monofocal non diffractive hydrophobic intraocular lens has been developed to enhance intermediate vision while avoiding the disadvantages of multifocal IOLs. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the refractive and visual outcomes of eyes implanted with an extended monofocal IOL during cataract surgery.

This prospective non comparative single-center study was conducted in Careggi Hospital, University of Florence (Italy).

We included 30 eyes from 15 patients (age >60 years), that underwent cataract surgery with Evolux IOL (SIFI, Catania, Italy) implantation in both eyes. Patients with irregular corneal astigmatism, regular corneal astigmatism more than ± 0.75 diopters (D) previous intraocular or refractive surgery, post-surgical refractive outcome exceeding ± 0.50 D were excluded. We evaluated visual and refractive outcomes at 6 months after surgery, including reading ability (MNREAD acuity chart). Defocus curves were also assessed. Furthermore, optical quality in terms of Contrast Sensitivity (CS) and Higher-Order Aberrations (HOAs), Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), Objective Scatter Index (OSI), Strehl-ratio and halometry analysis were performed.

All eyes were implanted with the extended monofocal IOL Evolux. This lens, based on a hydrophobic material and a non-diffractive profile, provided better intermediate vision and equivalent distance vision when compared to a standard monofocal IOLs, maintaining a monofocal-like photic phenomena and an optical performance and image contrast at far and intermediate distances with different pupil dimensions.

These preliminary outcomes show good refractive accuracy and visual outcomes for the extended monofocal IOL Evolux, six months after cataract surgery. Further research will be needed to confirm our findings.