MULTIFOCAL LENS

The new optiVisTM (Aaren Scientific) diffractive/refractive multifocal IoL can provide cataract patients with a good level of spectacle independence for most activities, said Matteo Piovella MD, Centro Microchirurgia Ambulatoriale, Monza, Italy.

“Clinical results demonstrate good patient satisfaction with bilateral implantation of the optiVis lens, with good distance and near vision, and functional intermediate vision,†Dr Piovella told the 15th ESCRS Winter Meeting.

The new lens has a refractive-diffractive posterior surface design with 2.8 D effective add power. It also has a progressive central portion 1.5mm in diameter to allow for depth of focus at far and intermediate foci, an apodised diffractive bifocal portion 3.8mm in diameter and a non-prolate aspheric periphery to improve image contrast at distance, said Dr Piovella MD.

He presented results of a study involving 76 eyes of 38 patients with a mean age of 70 years who underwent bilateral implantation of the optiVis lens. At six months' follow- up, mean uncorrected distance visual acuity was 0.93 and mean uncorrected binocular vision was 20/40 (J4) at 40cm and 70cm. In addition, the best corrected distance visual acuity was (0.99) and the mean spherical equivalent was -0.11 D.

The result of the IoL’s optical configuration is that with a small 2.0mm pupil the lens distributes light about equally in the near, intermediate and distant foci, with only two per cent of light outside its focal range, Dr Piovella said. With a large 5.0mm pupil, the lens favours the distance focus, which receives 68 per cent of light, compared to only 20 per cent for the near focus and only six per cent for the intermediate focus, he explained.